St. Vincent’s Consulting is proud to support the launch of FirstLight, an ambitious new digital-skills academy created by University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) in collaboration with Purple Beard. FirstLight directly addresses one of the NHS’s most urgent challenges: the shortage of specialist Electronic Patient Record (EPR) skills.

FirstLight pioneers a new, sustainable model for developing digital capability across the NHS — one that grows talent locally, reduces reliance on contractors, and creates long-term career opportunities for people across the East Midlands.

A First-of-Its-Kind Programme

When UHL became the first NHS trust to deploy the NerveCentre EPR, specialist digital expertise was in high demand but short supply. Working closely with UHL, St. Vincent’s helped design a new approach: an 18-month apprenticeship and bootcamp model that trains people from the local community in configuration, testing, data, reporting and integration.

The programme draws candidates from Leicester’s labour market, including graduates, career changers and people returning to work. Apprentices begin their journey employed by St. Vincent’s, rotate across digital disciplines for hands-on experience, and later transfer into NHS roles as substantive Band 4 NerveCentre Solution Technicians.

Delivering Impact From Day One

The first FirstLight cohort has already delivered measurable success:

• 70 applicants for the initial bootcamp
• 20 accepted, 17 completed, and 15 progressed into full apprenticeships
• 80% of bootcamp graduates moved into the 18-month programme
• 95% rated teaching and support as “Outstanding”
• Strong equity outcomes: 40% women, 10% neurodiverse, 50% previously unemployed

Apprentices contribute to live NHS systems from as early as month three, providing meaningful digital capacity while they continue structured learning one day a week.

A Scalable Model for the NHS

FirstLight has been designed for replication across the East Midlands Acute Providers (EMAP) network — including Chesterfield, Kettering, Northampton, NUH, Sherwood Forest, Derby & Burton, and ULHT. As more trusts adopt NerveCentre and similar EPRs, this model offers a sustainable alternative to contractor-driven resourcing.

Independent analysis shows that replacing ten contractor roles with ten substantive Band 4 posts saves the NHS around £696,000 per year — savings that increase as the programme scales region-wide.

Creating Social Value Through Digital Transformation

Beyond capability and cost, FirstLight creates real social and economic value. It opens digital careers to under-represented groups, keeps talent within local communities, and supports wider regional development.

For St. Vincent’s, FirstLight reflects our commitment to supporting the NHS with sustainable digital transformation — ensuring that modern EPR systems are backed by strong, diverse and confident local teams.

Looking Ahead

Following the success of the first cohort, UHL, St. Vincent’s and Purple Beard are working with EMAP partners to establish a regional FirstLight Academy. The long-term ambition is to create a centre of excellence for digital, analytics, EPR, integration and cyber skills — supporting the NHS workforce not just today, but for decades to come.