From Paediatric Nurse to Chief Clinical Information Officer

Holly Carr’s journey from paediatric nurse to Chief Clinical Information Officer (CCIO) at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust is a testament to the power of curiosity, bravery, and embracing new opportunities. Her career path, while unconventional, demonstrates the potential for nurses to excel in digital leadership roles within healthcare.

Holly began her career as a paediatric nurse, quickly progressing to a Sister role. However, she soon found herself at a crossroads. “I felt that at that time I’d maximised the learning opportunities that were available,” Holly recalls. When her trust advertised for a lead digital nurse position, Holly saw an opportunity for growth, despite having no prior experience in digital healthcare.

This decision marked the beginning of Holly’s transition into digital leadership. She explains, “My view was that I was going to go back to the ward and I might be able to get a permanent Sister post with that experience under my belt.” However, this temporary foray into digital healthcare would set the stage for a remarkable career trajectory.

The Florence Nightingale Foundation: A Catalyst for Growth

A pivotal moment in Holly’s career came when she applied for and received a Florence Nightingale Foundation Digital Leadership scholarship. This experience opened her eyes to the vast possibilities within nursing and healthcare leadership.

“When I started the Florence Nightingale Foundation scholarship, I was suddenly in a network of nurses doing all kinds of things which I’d never considered,” Holly says. “Coming from quite a contained and really specialist start to then moving into the national team, just blew my mind and the possibilities were then endless.”

The scholarship provided Holly with essential leadership skills, personal development opportunities, and exposure to a broader healthcare landscape. It also led to unexpected opportunities, including a fellowship with NHS England and eventually a role as Associate Chief Nursing Information Officer.

Overcoming Challenges and Imposter Syndrome

Holly’s rapid ascent in the digital healthcare space wasn’t without its challenges. As a young woman in a field often dominated by more experienced professionals, she faced scepticism and self-doubt.

“I definitely went through a tricky period when I was first coming into digital,” Holly admits. “It was the constant narrative of crawling before I could walk and a lot of kind jokes were made in every instance about my age and that kind of thing.”

Imposter syndrome was another significant hurdle. Holly recalls her thought process when applying for her current CCIO role: “I remember having this moment of thinking you just need to be brave for five seconds, just five seconds of bravery.”

To combat these feelings, Holly developed strategies such as objectively evaluating job specifications and reminding herself of research showing gender disparities in job application behaviours. She notes, “I remember reading a really timely piece of research at the time which talked about the difference between men and women when they were applying for jobs and something crackers like women look for 90 percent of their capability on the essential criteria, men apply at 40 percent.”

The Importance of Mentorship and Support Networks

Throughout her career, Holly has benefitted from strong mentorship and support networks. She credits several key figures with shaping her leadership style and providing crucial guidance, including Jacqueline Davis who taught Holly about senior leadership, professionalism, and building credibility, and Natasha Phillips who demonstrated fearless leadership and took a chance on Holly early in her career.

Holly emphasises the importance of these relationships: “It’s so important to have people in your corner. From an imposter syndrome point of view, as a woman in leadership, as any young person developing in their career, you have to have some people in your corner because you’re not always going to get it right every time.”

The Changing Landscape of Female Leadership in Healthcare

Holly’s experience reflects a broader shift in how women support each other in leadership roles. She notes a positive change from previous generations: “Maybe 10 or 15 years ago, these things wouldn’t really have been the case. It felt very competitive amongst women, that women were being almost a bit sharp-elbowed with each other, maybe envious of each other’s achievements rather than lifting each other up.”

Today, Holly sees a more supportive environment emerging. “There’s very much a community that comes with that. An absolute sense of shared networks, of mentorships, supporting one another. I think it is a bit of a cultural movement that’s starting.”

This shift towards mutual support and empowerment is something Holly actively promotes in her own leadership. She believes that those in leadership positions have a responsibility to foster this supportive culture: “If you’re in a fortunate enough position that you’ve been able to make it into a role where you’re able to influence and to lead others and to set an example, I think you have a duty then to demonstrate that with compassion and to be open and supportive because that’s the only way that culture starts to change.”

Skills for Success in Digital Healthcare Leadership

When asked about the skills necessary for her role as CCIO, Holly emphasises that technical expertise isn’t the most critical factor. Instead, she highlights:

• Communication “I think communication is the biggest skill, especially complex communication skills like negotiation.”
• Innovation and creativity “Medicine itself is built on evidence-based practice… I think we sometimes forget that it’s also the hub of innovation.”
• Agility and resourcefulness “No plan in healthcare is linear… I think being able to work in that way in the context of digital is really important as well.”

Advice for Aspiring Leaders

For those aspiring to lead in digital healthcare, Holly offers this advice: “You’ve got to be brave and be curious and be bold… we’re always really quick to ask ourselves why me, but I think we need to change it and say, well, why not, why shouldn’t it be me who’s able to do that?”

She encourages aspiring leaders to ask questions, embrace learning opportunities, and recognise that leadership is about more than being a technical expert. “It’s okay to not know the answer sometimes and actually it’s about more than being the technical expert in the room,” Holly concludes.

Holly Carr’s journey from paediatric nurse to digital healthcare leader exemplifies the changing face of leadership in the NHS. Her story underscores the importance of embracing opportunities, overcoming self-doubt, and fostering supportive professional networks. As the healthcare sector continues to evolve, leaders like Holly are paving the way for a more inclusive, innovative, and digitally-enabled future.