Representatives from the ever-growing Shuri Network will be speaking at Digital Health Rewired, more than six months since it was officially launched.

In July 2019, the network for black, Asian and ethnic minorities (BAME) women in digital health, was introduced at Digital Health Summer Schools and was met by wide-spread praise.

Named after the Marvel Black Panther character, Shuri, the network is for all women of colour who are leading, involved with or interested in digital health and tech in the NHS including CNIOs, CIOs and CCIOs as well aspiring leaders.

Since then, the network has grown to more than 480 members from up and down the country with members speaking at around 10 national and regional events including the NHS Expo, HETT, London Leadership Academy, London CIO’s Council and the FCI conference.

They also took part in an episode of the Digital Health Unplugged podcast.

Dr Shera Chok, who is one of the founders of the network, said the energy generated since Summer Schools has been “tremendous”.

The Shuri Network will be making a welcome return to Digital Health, but this time round they are appearing at the Rewired Leadership Summit. Shera will be joined by Sonia Patel, joint CCIO, London North West University Healthcare Trust & The Hillingdon Hospitals, Rafiah Badat, NIHR clinical doctoral research fellow, City University, London, Sarah Amani, senior programme manager, University of Oxford and Dr Ijeoma Azodo, honorary clinical tutor, University of Edinburgh.

Shera added: “We hope to stimulate a lively discussion about what actions will make a difference to increasing diversity in digital health, as we know that this will improve patient care, innovation and outcomes.  We have an amazing panel lined up and we’re looking forward to our session.”

On the topic of what she hopes audiences will take away from the panel session, Shera said she wants them to “to commit to taking positive action within their sphere of influence – whether this involves speaking to their trust WRES champion or BME Network, mentoring a colleague or sponsoring a more junior member of staff to attend the next Summer School”.

You can catch the Shuri Network at the sold out Leadership Summit on March 3 at 11.45am.

A panel, which will include Shera, will discuss what action is needed to translate good intentions into real change when it comes to diversity in NHS IT.