Digital Literacy as a Determinant of Health

Digital literacy is increasingly a gateway to health, wellbeing and opportunity. Accessing GP services, managing long-term conditions, applying for benefits, finding housing support, or engaging in education now relies on digital confidence as much as clinical provision.

Building on widely recognised determinants of health, such as income, housing, education and social networks, digital inclusion is emerging as a critical determinant shaping how people experience health and care across West Yorkshire.

This event brings together community leaders, healthcare professionals, innovators, and people with lived experience to explore how local communities are responding and what collective action looks like next. Participants will share insights, discuss practical solutions, and contribute to a West Yorkshire Digital Literacy Insight Resource that captures learning from across the region.

What to expect

- Interactive sessions: conversation tables, QR prompts, post-it notes and discussion cards so everyone can join in

- Lightning talks: hear real stories from local innovators, health educators and people driving change in the community

- Networking: connect with people from health, tech, community organisations and local government

- Action focus: help identify priorities that will shape the West Yorkshire resource and future One HealthTech activity

Whether you work in health or tech, or simply care about making digital health fairer, you’re very welcome. Let’s come together, share ideas and build something better. Arrive at 17:30 for refreshments, with the event starting at 18:00.

Agenda

17:30 – 18:00: Arrival, food and connections

18:00 – 18:10: Why we are here and warm welcome.

18:10 – 20:00: Talks, insights, Q&A

20:00: Event close and networking

Confirmed Speakers

Dr Sunil Duggas

Dr Sunil Daga is an academic nephrologist and transplant physician whose work centres on advancing health equity in kidney care through the responsible adoption and acceleration of innovative technologies. He has leadership role in championing and embedding of inclusion at NIHR Leeds BRC and HRC infrastructure. He holds national leadership roles in transplant medicine and AI-enabled nephrology, with a growing international profile. His research focuses on reducing disparities in access to kidney transplantation and chronic kidney disease care, particularly for underserved communities, while ensuring that emerging technologies are designed and implemented in ways that promote not widen equity. Dr Daga’s work spans transplant immunology, digital health, and implementation science, with a particular emphasis on how better system design, data use, and clinical pathways can enable fairer access to care. He is actively involved in shaping UK transplant policy and translating innovation into real-world NHS practice. By integrating clinical medicine, machine learning, and inclusive research, he aims to deliver more equitable, effective, and patient-centred kidney care at scale, while mentoring and developing the next generation of clinicians and researchers.

Vee Mapunde

Vee is the Co-Director of the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Accelerated Surgical Care. This means she helps guide how research is organised and makes sure new medical technologies are developed, tested, and introduced safely and responsibly, with patients’ needs at the centre

Vee Mapunde works in health research and innovation, helping new ideas and technologies improve care for patients. She has over 20 years of experience working with the NHS, researchers, clinicians, and companies to make sure research leads to real benefits for people using health services.

Sara Javid

Senior Policy Lead,NHS England

Sara has worked in healthcare for 18 years across public health and the NHS.  Currently working at NHS England as a Senior Policy Lead on healthcare inequalities. Sara leads on the design of and large-scale national local, regional, and national health systems and frameworks that translate evidence, data and policy into practical service and workforce change.

Sara has been invited by UKSHA as advisory member of Health Systems Connect Programme, providing public health and NHS input to global agendas.

Currently part of a research team at Imperial College London and the Faculty of Public Health to understand differential attainment in Public Health. Outside of the NHS Sara Chairs the British Mountaineering Council Specialist Committee for Hiking.

Lewis Smith-Connell

Lewis Smith-Connell is the Chief Officer for Healthwatch Wakefield, the health and social care champion for the district. In his time there he has worked as a critical friend and influencer within the health and social care system of Wakefield. He is passionate about improving care for local people and in particular he has focussed on the emerging Neighbourhood Health model and the implementation of virtual consultations in General Practice.

Lewis has worked in the public service all his career. Early work centred on supporting people with mental illness providing practical support to resolve debt, social isolation, and unemployment. He has also led on work to develop community assets helping to foster ground up transformation within communities. In terms of digital inclusion Healthwatch Wakefield are leading a piece of work on emerging digital first care and highlighting the needs of those who are digitally excluded.  

He is also a trustee of Wakefield District Citizens Advice and the Board lead for equality, diversity and Inclusion, which involves leading a review of inclusivity, service access, quality and outcomes for different sections of the community

Adam Smith

Adam is a Programme Manager at Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber within the Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) team. He supports the design and delivery of involvement activities that ensure patient and public perspectives shape the evaluation and adoption of healthcare innovation across NHS services.

His work includes supporting PPIE across innovation, AI, and pathway transformation programmes, helping embed lived experience within service improvement and implementation activity. Prior to joining HIY&H, Adam worked at the Home Office delivering projects within a major transformation programme, developing experience in programme delivery, governance, and stakeholder engagement.

Access

We are in the Innovation Space and it is number 8 on the map below.  The parking is Number 5 and is accessed better via Aberford Road entrance.