Digitalising healthcare work for sustainability

Supervisors at Sussex: Prof Dimitra Petrakaki and Dr Zahira Jaser. 

Digitalisation has been considered a vehicle to sustainability across several sectors including the NHS. The NHS in England made a commitment to become the world’s first health service to address carbon net zero and invests in digital technologies to transform how healthcare is delivered. Ultimately, intended digital interventions aim to alter how people (clinicians, managers, administrators) within the NHS work, make decisions and interact with others. There are different ways in which digitalisation can support decarbonisation including the removal of paper, with substantial changes in how clinicians capture, interpret and share medical data, as well as the introduction of remote/online consultations, which alters their work significantly. In addition, some of these digital solutions intend to invade into clinicians’ work practices, through for instance digital nudges or prompts, altering how clinicians’ make decisions. These changes are not trivial. Organisations are not always ready to embrace the adoption and use of these digital solutions, used as they are to a long history of failed IT interventions. Work pressures amongst healthcare workers post-pandemic and post-Brexit condition low morale and low enthusiasm to partake in such interventions. At the same time, the strong identities of medical professionals seem to be resistant to adopt digital technologies that are perceived as an intervention to their work autonomy and their decision-making. Conflictual situations whereby environmental ethics collide with professional ethics are expected, leading to further challenges.

This PhD project will focus on identifying and mapping the challenges that surround the adoption of digitalisation for sustainability. It will explore workers’ perceptions of the changes – real, expected, and projected – digitalisation will bring into their work and capture the factors (e.g., lack of digital skills, limited/lack of green literacy etc.) that deter and delay technological adoption and use. The study will follow a qualitative methodology using primarily interview and documentary analysis to address its research questions.

The research student will be part of the Digit Doctoral Network and will benefit from support from the Business School’s early-career researcher networks. They will receive research training as part of the first-year programme of the Management Integrated PhD degree and will be integrated into the Mid- and early-Career Researchers Forum of Digit.

Eligibility

• Minimum of a 2.1 undergraduate honours degree.
• A Master’s degree ideally in a relevant subject area, with ideally at least a merit mark (60%), or equivalent professional experience.
• Proof of proficiency in English language to meet the university’s entry requirements.

We require a 2.1 undergraduate honours degree, or equivalent, and a Master’s degree in a relevant subject area such as management and organisation studies and sociology. This studentship can only cover Home Student fees and is therefore open to UK students (or those with indefinite leave to remain/settled status in the UK). Overseas (including EU) applicants would need to demonstrate how they would fund the difference between the UK and Overseas fees, which are not covered by this studentship.

How to Apply

Please submit your application by email to Professor Dimitra Petrakaki at [email protected] and as one pdf file an application including:

• A statement of interest that outlines why you would like to be considered for this studentship project and what you would like to research (maximum 1 page)
• A CV (2-3 pages)
• Degree transcripts and certificates
• A piece of written work (e.g. an essay or project from your undergraduate or master’s degree)
• Names and contact details for two academic referees

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to interview. The successful candidate will then need to apply for the PhD programme at the University of Sussex.