Buckinghamshire appoints digital leader to work across local government and NHS bodies

Balvinder Heran will serve as ICT director for county council, NHS trust, and clinical commissioning group

Local government and NHS organisations in Buckinghamshire have united to appoint a joint ICT director to help better integrate council and health services.

Balvinder Heran (pictured above), who currently serves as director of ICT for the London Borough of Hounslow, has been recruited as joint strategic director of information assets for Buckinghamshire County Council, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, and NHS Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group.

Buckinghamshire is one of 10 local-government areas in the UK currently working to develop a pilot of an integrated care system, in which NHS organisations work with their local council and other public- and third-sector entities to jointly manage resources. The goal of these systems is to raise standards and, ultimately, improve the health of the local population.

Heran will be tasked with leading the rollout of the integrated care system, as well as creating and implementing the wider technology strategy for the three organisations. This will include rolling out the architecture needed to deliver digital-based services, as well as reducing reliance on legacy systems.


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The incoming ICT chief, who is expected to start her new job in September, was picked from a total of 230 applicants, which was eventually narrowed down to four final interviewees. 

Heran was chosen for her experience and advocacy of shared services, which has included serving as joint strategic lead for shared services for local authorities in Stratford-upon-Avon, South Northamptonshire, Cherwell, and South Staffordshire.

John Chilver, Buckinghamshire County Council cabinet member for resources, said: “Ms Heran shares our passion for digital inclusion and customer-focused ICT, and her track record of designing, negotiating, and delivering shared computer services makes her a great fit for the digital transformation we hope to achieve.”

Heran added that she was looking forward to “building new partnerships to create a lasting vision where ICT and digital transformation across Bucks is recognised as adding real value to the customer experience, and high-quality, value-for-money public services are delivered, regardless of organisational boundaries”.

 

Sam Trendall

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