Heartbeat: Digital Champions will ensure successful transition to Unity

July 12, 2019

To support the introduction of Unity, more than 600 colleagues across our workplace have taken on the role of digital champions. They have an important part to play in ensuring a successful transition to the new system as they help resolve issues and support anyone who may be struggling.

Anne Rutland, a specialist skin cancer nurse who first joined the Trust in 2012, has been a digital champion for over a year. She’s well-suited to the role having been through a similar process at a previous employer.

“It wasn’t as big as this, but it isn’t the first time I’ve been through a programme change,” says Anne. “I’ve been in another hospital, on the Isle of Man, where they had a new system come in and if you don’t get on board then you’re going to be left behind.

The way I see it is, you should get your training done and get an awareness of what’s going on so that you can see how to fit it into your practice.

“Being a digital champion is about being someone who can talk about the system, and help people to understand it. I’ve got an idea as to how it’s going to work so when people feel like they don’t know what’s going to happen with the system then I can say that I’ve looked at it and explain what pages they’re going to use and how it’s going to look to them.”

Like all digital champions, Anne will be receiving additional training to increase her knowledge of Unity, which she can then pass on to others. She sees reassuring her colleagues and helping them become accustomed to the layout of Unity, as some of the key responsibilities of being a digital champion. Anne knows that many people are understandably worried about change but is keen to put their minds at ease.

“I think there will be anxiety for a while but as digital champions we’re the ones to be there and say, ‘Look, it’s ok to be nervous about it but let’s work on it together.’ If I can’t help then I can call the people from Unity who will be around to spend time with staff, reassure them and show them what it is they need to do,” she says.

Back in February, Anne was heavily involved in the full dress rehearsal as Unity was tested out across the Trust. The successful trial run gave colleagues the experience of using Unity under pressure and with real patients. Initially daunting, things soon fell into place. “It was a chance to see how it was going to look to us, and really get your teeth into it and see how it’s going to work,” says Anne.

“I think it went well. Even for someone like me, who’s quite computer-savvy, I looked at it on the first couple of patients we had and it was terrifying. There was this whole page in front of me and I was scrolling up and down thinking ‘I have no idea where to start with this.’

“It was a completely different setup, but once the patient had gone I was able to look at it a bit more calmly and work out where I was going to write my notes, and allocate my processes and the treatments we’re going to give. As the clinic went on, by the end of the fourth or fifth patient I was able to see what I was doing. I was able to keep pace with it and see what was coming next.”

As always, practice makes perfect. Alongside Unity, Anne has been getting to grips with her new role, which she started in November. There are parallels to her work as a digital champion, with its emphasis on supporting others, providing assistance and signposting elsewhere if needs be.

“It’s really interesting and I’m really enjoying it. My role is essentially to support patients who have been diagnosed with skin cancer, give them information, ensure they understand what the diagnosis is, what it means for them and how to protect themselves from getting any further ones.

“I enjoy the patient teaching and support. I like talking to the patients and giving them the information so I can make life easier for them and alleviate anxieties. Just telling them a few simple bits of information, or giving them access to information they might not have known was there previously, might only take a couple of minutes but it can make a huge difference to them and their peace of mind. I like being that link for people and signposting them to other support.”