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Oxford University Hospitals welcomes new digital technology chief

06/09/2016
This article is more than seven years old.

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has appointed a new Chief Information and Digital Officer to shape its ambition to become one of the foremost healthcare organisations in the UK and globally.

Peter Knight took up his position on the Trust Board of Directors on 22 August 2016 and will build on significant recent investment in the Trust's technology infrastructure to help transform healthcare, research and education in Oxfordshire and beyond. The Trust, which won a national 'Digital Hospital of the Year' award in 2015, has taken significant steps towards establishing full digitisation of its patient records.

As Chief Information and Digital Officer, Peter  will take responsibility and accountability for developing and delivering a comprehensive information technology (IM&T) strategy that supports the Trust's vision for establishing system-wide, technology-enabled, integrated healthcare delivery.

Oxford University Hospitals is recognised as one of the most advanced NHS trusts for implementing the electronic patient record (EPR), with over 1.2 million daily transactions being made via this platform. The Trust also administers more than 20,000 drugs every day using electronic prescribing and medicines administration (ePMA). 

The role will provide a key link with the University of Oxford to ensure the realisation of substantial opportunities to handle and generate healthcare related data through the University's pioneering Big Data Institute, which is under construction.

Mr Knight - previously Deputy Director at the Department of Health for Research Contracting, Information Intelligence and Stakeholder Engagement - says the Trust's digital foundations are solid:

"The building blocks are there. It's now a question of how we can innovate to focus on delivery, on excellence and on improvement - making sure that we use the assets we have to their fullest, and improve them by putting new technology alongside to work in a complementary way.

"Using technology to really turbocharge the digital revolution in healthcare and this organisation, along with the University, is a perfect fit with my view of the world."

Dr Bruno Holthof, Chief Executive of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, says: "I warmly welcome Peter to the Trust. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise with him and his vision will help guide Oxford University Hospitals' digital ambitions going forward."