AI & Ambient Voice Technology
Exploring the potential of AI & AVT to transform care and support nursing practice.
Welcome to the Future Nurse Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) Special Interest Group (SIG). Reflecting the rapid growth of AI and AVT across the NHS and wider healthcare industry, this community brings together practitioners at every stage of their AVT journey, from those already piloting and deploying solutions, to those just beginning to explore the possibilities. Our aim is to share knowledge, offer practical guidance, and ensure nursing has a genuine voice in the conversations shaping how AI and ambient voice technology is adopted in healthcare. Co-chaired by Hayley Grafton, CNIO at University Hospitals Leicester, we’d love you to get involved and help shape the AVT agenda.
Upcoming AVT Events
Our next AVT event is the Expert Round Table on 29th April.
Meet the AVT SIG Organising Group
Linda Harvard
Recently retired Chief Nursing Information Officer for University Hospitals Liverpool Group.
Over the past 15 years, Linda has been a leading voice in clinical informatics and digital nursing transformation, culminating in her Group CNIO role, where she championed the integration of digital innovation into nursing practice and patient care.
Linda is passionate about supporting the development of nurses, midwives and AHPs, and has consistently advocated for their roles in shaping modern healthcare delivery. She is particularly committed to ensuring that these professions have a strong and influential voice within the rapidly advancing digital healthcare agenda. In 2024 Linda became a Florence Nightingale Foundation Scholar in Digital Leadership and since her retirement she has Joined Future Nurse, a Community set up to support and champion the voice of nurses and other frontline staff in the digital age, and is now Co-Chair of their Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) Special Interest Group.Through her work, Linda continues to support the progression of advanced clinical practice and the meaningful inclusion of frontline clinicians in digital transformation across the NHS, an increasingly digitally and technology-driven healthcare system.
Sue Burton
Deputy Chief Nurse at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
Sue Burton is Deputy Chief Nurse at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust.
Sue provides senior nursing leadership across quality, safety, and workforce improvement. She leads large‑scale quality implementation programmes, including harm‑free care and Pathway to Excellence, with a strong focus on translating organisational strategy into clear, practical actions for frontline teams. Sue has a particular interest in the ethical and practical use of artificial intelligence to improve care quality, staff experience, and operational efficiency, and is known for making complex information accessible, meaningful, and actionable at ward and team level.
Amanda Jackson
Associate Chief Clinical Information Officer and Digital Inclusion Lead at Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust.
Amanda Jackson is the Associate Chief Clinical Information Officer and Digital Inclusion Lead at Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust, with a professional background as an adult nurse, specialist community public health nurse, and Queens Nurse. She has extensive experience in digital transformation, clinical informatics and driving digital inclusion across community services, including work highlighted through national platforms such as Health Tech News and Digital Health Summer Schools.
Amanda is a FEDIP Future Digital Leader, reflecting her commitment to advancing safe, effective and person‑centred digital practice. She also brings leadership experience from the Florence Nightingale Foundation Fellowship, where she has contributed to digital innovation and authentic clinical leadership initiatives.
Her involvement in the Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) Special Interest Advisory Group is driven by her focus on improving clinical workflows, supporting safe adoption of AI‑enabled tools, and ensuring future nurses have access to technologies that enhance patient care without compromising safety, accuracy, or professional standards.
Zoe Fitzsimmons
Chief X Information Officer at Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Zoe Fitzsimmons is the Chief X Information Officer at Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, she is a registered midwife by profession and has spent the majority of her career in a large North West Acute Trust, transitioning from intrapartum midwife, with digital responsibilities, through to a fully digital role in the largest EPR go live in the UK. She has a strong background and interest in Digital Clinical Safety, streamlining and reducing documentation burden and implementing efficiency tools for a variety of professions. Working in Clinical Informatics provides Zoe with an opportunity to improve staff and patient experience through digital tools and technologies whilst professionally incorporating clinical, risk management, quality improvement and leadership.
Karen Bridgeman
Digital Midwife at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust
Karen Bridgeman is the Digital Midwife at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, a registered midwife by profession and has held various UK and International digital clinical lead roles since 2012.
She has been involved in the implementation of EPR’s both in the UK and Australia. Karen has a special interest in AI, with a Masters in Healthcare analytics and AI developing a passion for AI safety and ethics.
As a CSO she has a strong interest in digital clinical safety and the safe use of new technologies. Her background has involved the local development of a strong maternity data driven approach to service oversight and governance, including the development and support of robust dashboards.
Currently a member of the Digital Health CNIO advisory Panel and is a keen advocate for NMHAP voices in digital innovation and progress.
Kimberley Dawson
Senior Digital Clinical Safety Officer at Bedfordshire hospitals
Kimberley Dawson is a Senior Digital Clinical Safety Officer at Bedfordshire hospitals specialising in the safe adoption of digital health technologies across the NHS. As we move forward to AVT technology the aim is support safer, more efficient workflows moving forward.
Hayley Grafton
Digital Nurse Leader
Hayley Grafton is an accomplished digital nurse leader with a proven track record in driving large-scale digital transformation across the NHS. With over 20 years of experience as a registered nurse, including senior digital leadership roles such as Chief Nursing Information Officer (CNIO) for two NHS Trusts, Hayley combines deep clinical insight with strategic digital expertise.
Hayley is the elected Chair of the Digital Health Networks CNIO Advisory Panel, where she works nationally to help shape digital nursing policy and accelerate innovation. Hayley has most recently held an advisory seat on the People working group for the NHS 10 Year Plan.
Hayley was also an editor of the Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures, a renowned textbook for nursing professionals. In the digital space, she has led multiple electronic patient record (EPR) implementations and delivered a wide range of clinical safety, digital strategy, and data-driven initiatives.
Her specialist interest areas include user-centred design, digital clinical safety, AI powered health tech, implementation strategy, business continuity, and leadership development. A passionate advocate for future digital leaders, Hayley has mentored many clinicians into senior roles across health and care.
Balancing a busy career and motherhood, Hayley is a strong advocate for working mothers, believing they really can have it all.
