Stefano Pochetti

Head of Clinical Programmes

NHS England South East Region

Stefano Pochetti is a registered nurse working as Head of Clinical Programmes in the Professional and System Development team at NHS England South East Region, where he leads a broad portfolio including palliative and end of life care and the Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) programme. His work focuses on driving transformation through clinical leadership, digital innovation, and system collaboration.

He graduated in Nursing from San Raffaele University in Milan and began his career working clinically in acute surgical and emergency care settings, both in Italy and later in NHS hospitals across the South East and South West of England. During his clinical practice, Stefano progressed into clinical management roles within NHS provider organisations, focusing on quality improvement, patient safety, digital transformation, and clinical leadership. He later led workforce programmes across the South East region as part of the Government’s 50,000 nurses initiative, promoting strategic collaboration and the sharing of best practice across systems. He holds a Master’s in International Healthcare Management, with a focus on strategy, leadership, and quality improvement within global healthcare systems. Stefano has a strong interest in the responsible adoption of digital technologies in nursing and recently published an exploring how artificial intelligence is evolving in healthcare and its impact on nurses.His work is grounded in ethical leadership and the delivery of public value.