From learning to leading: how the Digital Health Leadership Programme shaped Sarah Buchan’s journey to CIO

For Sarah Buchan, Chief Information Officer (CIO), leadership in digital health is less about technology and more about confidence, clarity and credibility.

When she joined the Digital Health Leadership Programme, Sarah had already been working in senior digital roles, but in the military and primary care. But like many experienced professionals, she was navigating the question of what came next: Was she ready to step into a CIO role in healthcare, and what would it truly require?

What the programme offered wasn’t just knowledge, it gave her the space, language and confidence to see herself as a system‑level digital leader.

Leadership starts with confidence

"The programme helped me join the dots between what I was already doing and what CIOs are actually expected to lead." Sarah reflects.

Through the programme's focus on digital strategy, culture, governance and transformation, she gained a clearer understanding of the CIO role as one that balances technology, people, risk and organisational change.

"That confidence mattered. It helped me articulate my experience differently, not just as delivery or operational leadership, but as strategic, organisational leadership. That shift gave me the confidence to apply for CIO roles and to be credible in those conversations."

From theory to practice

Now working as a CIO, Sarah sees the programme’s influence reflected daily in how she approaches her role.

The learning helped reinforce a whole‑system view of digital transformation, understanding that success depends as much on engagement, governance and prioritisation as it does on technology choices.

"Topics like benefits realisation, change maturity, and leading through influence weren’t abstract concepts. They’re exactly the challenges CIOs face every day." she explains.

Rather than defaulting to solutions, Sarah uses many of the programme’s principles to reframe discussions:

• Clarifying the problem before jumping to delivery
• Aligning digital priorities to organisational outcomes
• Creating shared ownership across clinical, operational and corporate leaders, not just in her own organisation but across the whole system

This has helped her move conversations away from "digital as IT" towards digital as a core enabler of transformation.

Leading in complexity

One of the most valuable aspects of the programme was its realism.

"It didn’t suggest that digital leadership is neat or linear. It acknowledged the complexity; competing priorities, limited resources, legacy systems, and the human side of change." Sarah says.

That realism has been crucial in her CIO role, particularly when balancing national priorities with local capacity, or responding to multiple demands on digital teams.

"The programme gave me frameworks and language to have those difficult conversations about what not to do, as much as what to prioritise."

Impact beyond individual roles

For Sarah, the value of the Digital Health Leadership Programme extends beyond personal progression.

It has influenced how she develops digital leadership capacity within her own teams, ensuring that future leaders understand not just technology, but governance, assurance, engagement and transformation at scale.

"Digital leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating the conditions for good decisions, strong partnerships, and sustainable change."

Reflections and advice

Looking back, Sarah describes the programme as a critical enabler at a pivotal moment.

"If you’re an experienced digital leader who’s wondering whether you’re ‘ready’ for the next step on your career ladder, this programme helps you realise that readiness isn’t about knowing everything, it’s about understanding your role in the system."

Her advice to prospective applicants is simple: "Use the programme to reflect, not just learn. The biggest impact comes when you take the learning seriously and apply it honestly to how you lead."