Meet Sue Poppelwell

Digital Transformation &
Service Improvement Specialist

With 26 years of experience working within the NHS, Sue Poppelwell brings extensive practical knowledge, digital expertise and a genuine passion for helping organisations work smarter, more efficiently and more effectively.

SystmOne Specialist EMIS Web Specialist Microsoft Office Specialist Qualified Teacher
Sue Poppelwell, founder of Poppelwell Digital Transformation Consultancy

Recognised nationally

Chair, SystmOne
National User Group

The story

Not simply implementing systems — transforming how they're used.

Sue's expertise in SystmOne has been recognised nationally. She was Chair of the SystmOne National User Group, representing users and contributing to the wider development and optimisation of the system.

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A transformation career built around people

Sue has held senior training and transformation roles within the NHS, including working as a Training Manager responsible for a team of Clinical Systems Specialists.

With qualifications in teaching and teaching teachers, Sue brings a unique understanding of how people learn, adapt and respond to change. She knows that introducing new technology is only the beginning — the real value comes when people feel confident using it and understand how it can make their working lives easier.

From the frontline to national digital strategy

Her experience extends from frontline operational improvement to national digital strategy. Sue developed a digital pathology strategy for NHS England, exploring how pathology data could be better utilised across pathology systems to support more effective, connected and data-driven services.

She also contributed to the Practice Level Support programme, working directly with GP practices to improve the way they work, embed continuous improvement, save valuable time and mistake-proof processes — reducing avoidable errors while making day-to-day working easier for staff.

Transformation at scale, in complex settings

Sue has also supported and empowered more than 1,000 staff across seven prisons, helping teams work smarter and more effectively through better use of technology, improved processes and practical, people-focused change.

What sets Sue apart

Technology is only transformative when people can use it effectively.

She understands technology from the system and strategic perspective, but equally understands what transformation looks like for the person sitting at the desk trying to do their job.

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Years of NHS experience

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Staff supported

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Prisons supported

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Clinical systems mastered

The journey

A career spent making technology work for people

Frontline & clinical systems

Clinical systems expertise

Deep, hands-on specialism in SystmOne and EMIS Web, combined with Microsoft Office Specialist accreditation — understanding systems as the people who use them do.

Leadership

Training Manager, NHS

Senior training and transformation roles, leading a team of Clinical Systems Specialists and designing the training that made new ways of working stick.

National recognition

Chair, SystmOne National User Group

Representing users nationally and contributing to the wider development and optimisation of the system itself.

National strategy

Digital pathology strategy, NHS England

Exploring how pathology data could be better utilised across pathology systems to support more effective, connected and data-driven services.

Primary care

Practice Level Support programme

Working directly with GP practices to embed continuous improvement, save valuable time and mistake-proof processes, reducing avoidable errors.

Transformation at scale

1,000+ staff across seven prisons

Supporting and empowering teams in complex, secure environments through better use of technology, improved processes and practical change.

Today

Poppelwell Digital Transformation Consultancy

Bringing that experience beyond the NHS — helping organisations identify what could work better, develop practical solutions and turn transformation into measurable, sustainable results.

Positioning

I understand transformation from every angle.

Six lenses that, taken together, are the reason transformation actually lands.

Strategy

National digital strategy & transformation

Technology

SystmOne & EMIS Web specialist · Microsoft Office Specialist

Process

Continuous improvement & process optimisation

People

Training, adoption & change

Learning

Qualified teacher & teacher educator

Results

Saving time · reducing mistakes · improving efficiency

Core USP

Sue can look at a problem from the boardroom, the technology team's and the frontline worker's perspective — and bring all three together.

Her experience spans

Broad expertise, applied practically

Digital Transformation Clinical Systems SystmOne & EMIS Web Microsoft Office Service Improvement Process Optimisation Continuous Improvement Training & Education Change Management Data & Digital Strategy Operational Transformation

Through Poppelwell Digital Transformation Consultancy, Sue now brings that experience beyond the NHS, helping organisations identify what could work better, develop practical solutions and turn transformation into measurable, sustainable results.

26 years of experience· National expertise· People-focused transformation· Practical results

Technology should make people's working lives easier — not harder.

Sue Poppelwell

Work with Sue

Let's identify what could work better in your organisation.