Senior Clinician in Remote Monitoring Hub and Co-Chair of the EMBRACE Network, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

For Penny Alferos, the future of nursing isn’t just about what happens in a clinical setting. It’s about being there for patients wherever they are — including in their own homes.

As a Senior Clinician in the Remote Monitoring Hub at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, Penny supports patients to stay safe and well at home using digital tools that would have seemed remarkable not long ago. Through simple apps and devices, patients share symptom updates and health readings directly with the hub, allowing Penny and her colleagues to monitor their wellbeing without the need for an in-person visit – spotting early signs of deterioration and responding quickly to help more people receive the right care at home.

What makes this service so powerful is the human element at its heart. “Being able to monitor patients remotely, spot early signs of deterioration and reassure them that there is always a real person behind the phone is incredibly rewarding,” Penny says.

By combining digital monitoring with telephone assessments, the hub helps more people receive the right care at the right time, while avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions. It is a compelling demonstration of the analogue to digital shift: technology not replacing human connection but enabling it in new and meaningful ways.

Beyond her clinical role, Penny also co-chairs the EMBRACE network, reflecting her wider commitment to inclusive, compassionate care and to shaping the NHS from within.

“The NHS means far more to me than just a job,” she reflects. “It’s about community, compassion and colleagues from every role working together to deliver the best possible care.”

Penny’s story is a reminder that behind every digital innovation, there is a person whose vocation is simply to care.