Health and social care programme activity
Click on the tabs below to find out what activity our health and social care programme is working on.
Upcoming events
Health and social care groups
Our members currently lead the following workstreams.
Health and Social Care Council
The Council meet regularly to develop and lead the techUK Health and Social Care Programme, bringing focus to our healthcare policy work, and to the programme's activities, representing the wider membership.
Social Care Working Group
The Working Group acts a neutral forum for knowledge exchange across the supplier base and for public sector stakeholders to engage with the market. While identifying common challenges and solutions and offering the opportunity to leverage synergies to partner as often an ecosystem approach is needed to solve a problem.
Interoperability Working Group
The Interoperability Working Group will work towards achieving the vision set out in NHS England’s 2022 draft standards and interoperability strategy. The group will aim to encourage the adoption of open standards and fluidity of data whilst recognising the commercial needs of members. It will also focus on demonstrating the value of interoperability to NHS senior management and improving the abilities of SMEs to implement interoperability standards.
Life Sciences Working Group
techUK's Life Sciences Working Group has been established to help identify how the technology industry can facilitate and deliver the Life Sciences Vision, setting out the role of digital health and care in achieving the ambition to set the UK apart as a world leader in life sciences and deliver life-changing innovations to patients.
Health & Social Care SME Forum
techUK’s Health & Social Care SME Forum provides a platform for SMEs operating in the health and care technology industry to explore shared challenges, lessons learned and best practice examples within an informal setting. With opportunities to network and discuss a wide variety of issues impacting the health and care tech SME community, techUK’s SME Forums provide a valuable space to make connections, navigate barriers and identify potential solutions through an SME lens.
Member contributions
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All of techUK's work is led by our members. Stay connected and get involved!
Health and Social Care updates
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Health and Social Care programme team
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our team. We'd be happy to help you out.
Alex Lawrence
Alex Lawrence
Alex joined techUK in July 2021 as Programme Manager for Health and Social Care. Since July 2023 Alex has led the Programme.
Alex formerly worked at Portland Communications, joining as part of their 2019 Graduate Scheme intake. In March 2020 she joined Portland’s Health team, supporting a range of clients in the life sciences industry across both public affairs and strategic communications.
Alex has a degree in History from the University of Cambridge, focussing on Early Modern Europe and material culture. Outside of work she enjoys reading, finding new places to eat, and running.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 07963 501 791
- LinkedIn:
- linkedin.com/in/alex-lawrence-509a8b166
Robert Walker
Robert Walker
Robert joined techUK in October 2022, where he is now Programme Manager for Health and Social Care.
Robert previously worked at the Pension Protection Fund, within the policy and public affairs team. Prior to this, he worked at the Scottish Parliament, advising politicians and industry stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including rural crime and health policies.
Robert has a degree in Politics and International Relations (MA Hons) from the University of Aberdeen, with a particular focus on strategic studies and energy security. Outside of work he enjoys activities such as running, rugby, boxing and cooking!
- Email:
- [email protected]
Viola Pastorino
Viola Pastorino
Viola Pastorino is a policy, governance, and strategic communication specialist.
She joined techUK as the Junior Programme Manager in the Health and Care Team in April 2024.
She has obtained a Bachelor of Sciences in Governance, Economics, and Development from Leiden University, and a Master's programme in Strategic Communications at King's College London. Her academic background, leading up to a dissertation on AI policy influence and hands-on campaign development, is complemented by practical experience in international PR and grassroots project management.
She is skilled in qualitative and quantitative analysis and comfortable communicating findings to varying stakeholders. Above all, she is deeply passionate about the intersection of technology and government, especially how technology and global discourse shape one another, the processes that lead to belief polarisation and radicalisation of communities, and crafting strategic narratives that steer public discourse.
Outside of work she loves reading, live music light operation, and diving.
Clara Hewitt
Clara Hewitt
Clara joined techUK in October 2023. She brings experience across a range of domestic and global health issues, with particular focus on digital health, HIV/AIDS and climate change and health.
Clara holds an MSc in Global Health and Development (University College London) and a BSc in Psychology (University of Birmingham).
Find out more about other programmes at techUK
Health and Social Care
With health and care systems around the globe facing increasing pressures, the use of digital technology has never been more important. Supporting a vibrant ecosystem with the potential to become a world leader, techUK is helping its members navigate the complex space of digital health and care in the UK and ensure our NHS is prepared for the challenges of the future.
Local public services
Local public services are faced with a range of challenges and digital presents the opportunity to do things differently and smarter. We bring together companies large and small with local authorities to find solutions that improve outcomes for citizens and help create thriving, productive and safer places for all. Local government can be a complex market, that is why we help members to navigate it and champion the innovations that can create truly digital local public services and outcomes.
Central Government
The Central Government Programme represents the supplier community of technology to the UK Government. We advocate for the govtech sector, evangelise tech as a solution to public sector challenges, facilitate market engagement and help make the public sector an easier market to operate in. We help members make the most out of the govtech opportunity, and help government become a more intelligent customer for tech, ultimately driving value for money and improved public services for citizens.