Deputy Director Digital Transformation & Digital Diagnostics, NHS England South East

When digital transformation works well, patients get faster access to their results, clinicians spend less time on administration, and the NHS becomes easier to navigate for everyone. Natasha Walton is one of the people making that happen across the South East.

As part of NHS England South East’s Digital Transformation team, Natasha leads on frontline digital transformation — working directly with Trusts across the region to implement technologies that make a tangible difference to how care is delivered and experienced.

Her current priorities span all aspects of the analogue-to-digital shift. She is working with NHS organisations to implement AI technologies that reduce administrative burden, freeing clinicians to spend more time on direct patient care. She is digitising diagnostics pathways to accelerate access to test results, reducing delays and improving clinical decision-making. And she is supporting the rollout of the NHS App, giving patients direct, secure access to their own healthcare records for the first time.

Each of these programmes represents a fundamental change in how the NHS works — moving from systems designed around institutions to systems designed around people.

“Leading digital transformation in the NHS means turning innovation into real impact for patients and staff,” Natasha says. “I’m proud to work with talented teams across all healthcare organisations to use technology to improve access, outcomes and productivity — helping ensure the NHS continues to deliver high-quality care for generations to come.”

For Natasha, the NHS is more than a workplace. It is a place where technology and purpose meet — and where the work she does can genuinely change lives.