Professor Sultan Mahmud has been appointed as the new director of healthcare for BT’s Enterprise unit, as part of the company’s strategy to expand its reach in healthcare.
Sultan will leave his post as the chief innovation, integration and research officer at Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust (RWT) to start his new role next month.
With more than 20 years’ experience working for the NHS, Sultan has spent time in senior regulator, provider and commissioner roles.
In his new position, his focus will be to accelerate innovation for connected healthcare, similar to that he established at RWT.
He said: “I am delighted to be joining BT at such a pivotal time for healthcare in this country.
“Having worked for the NHS for two decades, the role is hugely appealing to me because I recognise the potential for BT’s infrastructure combined with its appetite to remedy some of the familiar challenges the NHS estate has with interconnectivity.
“I was also really enthused by the company’s genuine pride in working with the NHS and how it has stepped up to provide support to the NHS during the pandemic such as supporting the Nightingale programme and essential 999 services.
“In my new role, I hope to further strengthen BT’s partnership with the NHS to improve services for staff and patients across the country. Digital transformation is not an option anymore, given the global workforce shortage, it is now accepted in almost every developed healthcare system.
“I want to contribute to BT’s bold innovation culture which is taking shape, there are some hugely talented colleagues and I honoured to have the opportunity to contribute to that.”
Sultan leaves his role at RWH having spent over six-and-a-half years working at the trust.
During this time, he oversaw the delivery of a number of key projects across the region, including the rollout of the UK’s largest vertically integrated programme for primary, secondary and community care services.
Sultan recently helped secure a 10-year value based healthcare deal with Babylon Health, one of the first of its kind, that will allow local residents to have access to state of the art AI-based technology.
He was also key in delivering strategic partnerships with Sensyne Health Plc and Induction Healthcare.
Ed Stainton, director of major government, BT’s Enterprise unit said: “As we’ve seen this past year, the success of the healthcare sector is so vital for the UK, and we’re committed to bringing the most innovative solutions to help the healthcare sector thrive now, and in the future. Sultan will be integral to this; bringing his expertise and skills to drive the growth of our new connected health solutions.”
Prof David Loughton CBE, CEO of Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, said: “I am immensely proud of the work Sultan has done in his time here at Wolverhampton and, whilst we will miss him, he will always be a part of the RWT family.
“I know that the culture of innovation, of which we are rightly proud of, will now benefit many other NHS organisations in Sultan’s new role at BT.”
