Digital technology has transformed health systems, helping to reduce costs and improve the management of patient care. However, the rapid global adoption of emerging technologies in healthcare has led to increased vulnerability to cyber threats that can erode patient trust and compromise the safety and confidentiality of patient data. Health systems and organisations around the world urgently need to scale-up their cybersecurity, but with so many conflicting priorities undertaking this endeavour can be challenging.

Andrew Dinsley, (Deputy Head (Programmes), Cyber Policy Department, National Security Directorate, FCDO) will discuss the FCDO programme of work and bridging cybersecurity gaps across different country settings. Dr Saira Ghafur (Digital Health Lead, IGHI) will outline the findings of the recently published report entitled Safeguarding Our Healthcare Systems: A Global Framework for Cybersecurity and next steps for global scale-up.

Chair

Dr Mike Durkin, Senior Advisor on Patient Safety Policy and Leadership  

Mike Durkin is Senior Advisor on Patient Safety Policy and Leadership for the NIHR Imperial College Patient Safety Translational Research Centre. He is Director of the Global Patient Safety Collaborative, launched in 2019 as a partnership with WHO and the UK Government. He is a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, and the University of the West of England. He was the NHS National Director of Patient Safety from 2012 to 2017.

Speakers

Andrew Dinsley, Deputy Head (Programmes), Cyber Policy Department, National Security Directorate, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Andrew Dinsley became Deputy Head (Programmes), Cyber Policy Department, in 2018. He started his career in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (now FCDO) in 1989. Throughout his career, he has served in a number of countries, such as Ukraine, Kuwait, Kazakhstan and India. His recent UK roles includes Head of ICT, Commercial Procurement Group, and Head of Programmes, Multilateral Policy Department.

Dr Saira Ghafur, Digital Health Lead, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London

Saira is the Digital Health Lead at IGHI and a consultant Respiratory Physician at St Mary’s Hospital. She has published on topics such as cybersecurity, policy issues on the uptake of health tech and AI and has led the work to date on maximising the impact of health and care data on health and wealth. She is co-founder of mental health start-up, Psyma, and holds a MSc in Health Policy from Imperial. Saira was also a Harkness Fellow in Health Policy and Practice in New York (2017).