Dr. Payal Ghatnekar
Technologies Research Programme Lead · NHS · Certified AI Ethicist · AI Governance Specialist
I work at the intersection of behavioural science, AI governance and real-world technology adoption. My focus is not on deploying more technology — but on helping organisations adopt it in ways that people actually trust, use and sustain.
For the past decade I have been doing this inside one of the most complex organisations in the world — the NHS — while advising national bodies, evaluating innovation programmes, and researching the human side of technology change.
Work with meMy background
I started with a question about persuasion
My PhD at Plymouth University focused on persuasive technology — how digital systems influence human decision-making, behaviour change and technology adoption. That question has shaped everything I have done since. It taught me that the hardest part of any technology programme is never the technology itself. It is the human being on the other side of it.
Then I took that question into practice
Since 2019 I have led the Technologies Research Programme at Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust — designing, evaluating and governing AI and immersive technologies across a live, complex health system. I have built AI governance frameworks, led digital literacy programmes for thousands of staff, advised NICE and NHS England on adoption policy, and assessed innovation proposals for UKRI and Innovate UK worth millions of pounds.
And I have kept one foot in research throughout
Through fellowships at Falmouth University and Plymouth University, peer-reviewed publications, and ongoing advisory roles, I have maintained the habit of asking why — not just what works, but why it works, for whom, and under what conditions. That combination of practice and research is what I bring to every engagement.
PhD research
Plymouth University · Persuasive Technology and Behavioural Science
How digital systems influence human decision-making, behaviour change and technology adoption
My doctoral research examined the design and evaluation of persuasive technologies — investigating how digital systems shape human behaviour, how people form trust in technology, and how behavioural science frameworks can be applied to improve adoption outcomes. This grounding in both the theoretical and empirical dimensions of human-technology interaction remains the foundation of my practice today.
Career
Technologies Research Programme Lead
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
Leading organisation-wide strategy for the evaluation, governance and adoption of AI and immersive technologies. Designing governance frameworks aligned with ISO/IEC 42001, EU AI Act and NHS standards. Advising NICE and NHS England on digital and AI-enabled behaviour change tools. Building and delivering AI literacy programmes across clinical and operational teams.
Freelance Consultant — Innovation and Evaluation
Independent
Providing strategic advisory support to health tech startups, government bodies and research funders. Expert assessor for UKRI and Innovate UK — evaluating AI, digital health and emerging technology proposals. Member of the UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship Panel.
Innovation Research Fellow
Falmouth University
Evaluated AR and VR-based behaviour change learning tools using persuasion models and COM-B. Conducted UX audits and designed data-driven learning experiences improving engagement and retention in lifestyle-related health modules.
Technology-Enhanced Learning Research Fellow
Plymouth University
Led mixed-methods evaluations of digital learning interventions in clinical education. Applied Social Network Analysis and behavioural insight to drive uptake, policy impact and curriculum redesign. Produced systematic reviews informing strategy for education stakeholders.
Credentials and affiliations
Certification
Certified AI Ethicist
Standard
ISO-IEC 42001 AI Management
Executive Education
AI Ethics — Oxford University
Intensive
HCI for AI Systems — Cambridge University
Framework
EU AI Frameworks
Network
AI Ambassadors Network
NHS Role
Responsible AI Champion
Panel
UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship
Award
HSJ Award Shortlist 2025
Research
How I work
Context before conclusions
I start by understanding your organisational context, constraints and incentives — not just the technology in question. The same intervention fails in one organisation and succeeds in another because of culture, not capability.
Behaviour before tooling
Decisions are grounded in how people actually think, decide and act — not how systems are designed to work in theory. I apply behavioural science frameworks including COM-B, BCW, TDF and BCT taxonomy to understand and address adoption barriers.
Evidence over assumption
Recommendations are informed by evaluation, real-world signals and research — not trend-driven optimism. I design and conduct evaluations that generate the kind of evidence that actually changes decisions.
Clarity over complexity
My role is to reduce noise, surface trade-offs and support confident decision-making at leadership level. I translate complex technical, behavioural and regulatory concepts into guidance that is actually usable.
Get in touch
If you are working on something where technology adoption, AI governance or behavioural evaluation matters — I would be glad to hear from you.
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