Paul Copeland - Digital Health Lead

Paul Copeland Digital Health Lead

Paul is an experienced transformation and business management leader with a career spanning public sector, health, and social care settings. With a background in surveying and management, he brings a unique blend of strategic thinking, operational delivery, and innovation to every project he leads. His work is underpinned by a strong foundation in performance management, quality assurance, and digital innovation - including AI and automation research and development.

Transformation & change management

As Head of Business Management within a newly formed multi-professional directorate, Paul successfully led a comprehensive transformation programme. By introducing customer relationship management systems, performance frameworks, business planning models, and leadership and staff development initiatives, he significantly enhanced service quality and efficiency. These efforts resulted in better customer engagement and more cost-effective services tailored to user needs.

Performance management excellence

A certified Outcome Based Accountability (OBA) trainer, Paul has championed a shift in how organisations measure success—focusing on actual outcomes rather than just activity. For example, in social care settings, he helped transition performance metrics from task completion to patient-perceived goal achievement. He has consistently driven continuous improvement and quality through initiatives including ISO accreditation and other national standards.

Business management leadership

In his business management roles, Paul has successfully led numerous service redesign and improvement initiatives. Notably, he managed the transfer of the Blue Badge statutory service from a unitary authority to a borough council—navigating political sensitivity while achieving improved service accessibility, cost savings, and workforce efficiency.

Project management & quality standards

Paul has a proven track record in planning and delivering high-impact projects. He has led successful accreditation processes for several organisations, achieving compliance with ISO 27001 and 9001, Charter Mark, Investors in People, and the Institute of Customer Service - all on first attempt.

As Project Operations Manager for the WMAHSN TECS Exemplar Projects, Paul worked across the West Midlands, supporting the integration of technology-enabled care services (TECS), improving patient experience and promoting self-care. He has more recently led digital and AI research and development projects, including proof-of-concept work in health and care settings.

Expert facilitation & collaboration

Paul is an experienced facilitator and has organised numerous successful events and workshops. These have included:

  • A regional flu pandemic planning event for private social care providers
  • Multiple 'Art of the Possible' digital workshops, highlighting emerging technologies in a supplier-neutral environment
  • A recent AI/Digital Ethics workshop for senior leaders

His collaborative approach and ability to build trust have made him a key contributor in multi-agency environments.

Qualifications & training

  • BSc in Surveying
  • Diploma in Management Studies
  • PRINCE2 Foundation Certified
  • ISO 27001 Lead Auditor
  • Train the Trainer – Outcome Based Accountability
  • Project Management, Leadership & Culture Development

Key skills

  • Digital & AI Automation R&D
  • Transformation & Change Management
  • Performance Management
  • Business Management
  • Project Management
  • Facilitation & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Quality & Compliance Management

Professional background

  • Project Operations Manager, AHSN TECS Exemplar Projects
  • Performance Manager, Northern Staffordshire Cross Economy Transformation Team
  • Integration Performance & Business Manager, Unitary Authority
  • Head of Business Management, Corporate Resources, Unitary Authority