Being recognised as one of the UK’s Best Workplaces in Tech™ is a fantastic achievement for NHS Shared Business Services, and one that everyone across the organisation can feel proud of.

Having recently joined NHS SBS, I am still getting to know the business and the people behind its services. I have already received a wonderfully warm welcome, and it is clear that this recognition is about much more than technology. It reflects a culture where people support one another, share their expertise and care deeply about the difference their work makes for the NHS.

That matters because successful organisations are not defined simply by their platforms or systems. They are built by talented people, working together around a shared purpose.

Technology with purpose

NHS organisations continue to face significant operational and financial pressures. Digital services, data, automation and AI can help improve productivity, simplify processes and release more time for frontline care. But technology delivers real value only when it responds to genuine needs and is designed around the people who use it.

That requires technical expertise, but also curiosity, collaboration and a deep understanding of the NHS.

NHS SBS has strong foundations on which to build. We understand the health service, deliver critical services at scale and can draw on leading digital, data and technology capabilities through our joint venture with Sopra Steria.

Our opportunity is to bring those strengths together even more effectively, working closely with customers to turn insight and ideas into practical solutions that make a measurable difference.

Creating the conditions for innovation

Workplace culture can sometimes be treated as separate from business strategy. I see it as an essential part of it.

Organisations that want to innovate and grow need people who feel encouraged to contribute ideas, challenge established thinking and learn from one another. Some of our best opportunities will come from colleagues closest to our customers and services, who can see where processes create friction and where technology could help people work more effectively.

A great technology workplace creates the conditions in which those ideas are welcomed, explored and turned into action.

Connecting innovation and growth

My appointment, alongside Harpreet Puri’s as Chief Growth Officer, reflects the next stage of NHS SBS’s development.

Sustainable growth begins with listening to customers and understanding their needs. Innovation turns that understanding into services and solutions that work in practice and can be delivered at scale.

My immediate priority is to listen and learn from colleagues, customers and partners. I am genuinely excited about meeting more of the talented people across NHS SBS and exploring what we can achieve together.

This recognition celebrates the culture our colleagues have already created. It also gives us a strong foundation for what comes next: developing our people, strengthening customer partnerships and using technology with purpose to deliver even greater value for the NHS.