Juliet Bauer has been appointed managing director of digital GP provider LIVI in the UK, after joining the startup earlier this year from NHS England as VP of product.

Bauer, who was the first chief digital officer for NHS England, will replace Luke Buhl-Nielsen, who will be taking on a new role as VP for business development & operations for the global LIVI (known as KRY in the Nordic markets) business.

LIVI, which first entered the UK market in 2018, is now available to over 1.8 million patients in five regions in England, operating in partnership with the NHS. It is also working with Boots UK to pilot an in-store video GP service through the NHS in North West Surrey, and a private service in London Liverpool Street.

WHY IT MATTERS

Last week, LIVI was listed as one of the “most promising” private digital health startups by machine intelligence and big data analyst firm CB Insights.

Founded in 2015 in Sweden, the startup is also operational in its home country and in France and Norway. In 2018, it secured $66m (€53m) in Series B funding to fuel its expansion.

“There is enormous potential for technology to completely revolutionise and improve the delivery of care in a digital age,” Bauer said in a statement. “By providing faster and more convenient access for patients, enabling doctors to work more flexibly, and reducing the burden on physical GP surgeries, LIVI is at the forefront of a digital transformation in healthcare that is relieving pressure on the NHS. I am delighted to be leading the business at such an exciting time as we look to expand our services to more areas of the UK.”

THE LARGER TREND

Bauer is not the only senior informatics figure in the NHS to have recently departed the public sector. Only last week, DXC Technology announced that Will Smart, former chief information officer for health and social care in England, would join the company's Healthcare and Life Sciences team as global director, client engagement.

ON THE RECORD

Commenting on Bauer's appointment, Johannes Schildt, chief executive and founder of KRY, said: “Juliet has an enormous wealth of experience and I am delighted to announce her appointment as Managing Director. Her deep insight into the UK healthcare system, combined with her track record in digital transformation, will be invaluable as we look to bring our service to more areas of the UK.

“I would like to thank Luke for his dedication to the business over the past year. Luke has played a pivotal role introducing LIVI to the UK and in helping to establish the business as one of the UK’s leading and most trusted digital healthcare providers.”