Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme
Introduction
In an ever-evolving health and social care system, digital plays a central role in improving quality service provision in Scotland. Professionals across the sector require enhanced leadership skills and technological competence to provide digital solutions which enhance safe and effective person-led care and to influence the digital agenda at local and national levels.
The Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme (DLP) supports Scotland's Digital Health and Care Strategy and Delivery Plan and aims to:
- Maximise the potential of digital solutions to benefit people.
- Support participants to develop the strategic leadership skills required to influence the use of digital solutions in health and social care delivery.
Learning Outcomes
1. Critically review the digital health and care policy and practice within an evolving context.
2. Provide strategic leadership to influence the contribution of health and social care professionals in the delivery of local digital health and care strategies.
3. Investigate opportunities for learning, collaborating and networking with others to maximise the use of technology to benefit service delivery within organisations.
4. Devise, lead and demonstrate the impact of a digital health and care project that uses technology for the benefit of citizens.
Eligibility
Applications are welcome from employees from all health and social care settings in Scotland including health, social care, social work, housing, charities and the third sector.
This programme is aimed at those who are:
- Interested in digital health and care
- Keen to explore how technology can benefit people
- Would like to develop their leadership skills
- Is in a position to make a change in their organisation (e.g., leading a team, service or digital transformation project)
Team Applications
We also welcome applications from teams if you are intending to work with colleagues on a project who would also like to join the programme. Please submit individual applications but indicate your team members on the form.
Funding
In partnership with stakeholder organisations, the Digitally Enabled Workforce (DEW) team are collectively responsible for the delivery of the Building Digital Skills and Leadership Programme aligned to Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Strategy, Data Strategy and Care in the Digital Age delivery plan.
The DLP is delivered as part of this programme and is fully funded by the Scottish Government meaning there is no charge to organisations or participants.
Programme Overview
LIVE LEARNING SESSIONS
- Overview of Digital Health and Care in Scotland
- Digital Transformation
- Quality Improvement and Model for Improvement
- Using Data for Change
- User-led Service Design
- Leadership
- Information Governance
- Change Management
- Knowledge into Action
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
You will join a multidisciplinary, multi-sectoral cohort and make connections with peers from across Scotland. You will have direct access to experts in the field of digital health and care throughout the programme, including peer support group facilitators and speakers at learning sessions. You will be part of the NES Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme MS Teams Community and become a member of the Scottish Digital Health and Care Network. You will join the wider DLP Alumni community, be invited to alumni events and help to shape the future of the programme.
PEER SUPPORT GROUPS
These sessions provide the opportunity for small groups to meet in a safe space to share their experience of the programme, progress with their project, raise any issues, and learn from each other.
DIGITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT
As part of the programme, participants are required to identify an area in their service or organisation which could be improved with a digital health and care solution. The solution should use technology to benefit people (e.g. citizens, patients, service users, staff). Participants can use the early stages of the programme to develop their project aim.
CONSOLIDATION EVENT
You will have an opportunity to present and hear peer progress at the end of the programme during an online consolidation event which is attended by programme contributors and guests.
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Descriptor for the Digital Health and Leadership Programme outlining the learning outcomes, requirements and course structure.
Participant Commitment
In undertaking the programme, participants commit to:
- Shadow/Buddy local digital lead supporting Digital Health and Care strategies
- Engage with the NES Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme MS Teams Community
- Identify, lead and implement a digital health and care improvement project,
- Undertake work-based activities to progress project
- Share project impact and evidence with virtual community of practice as well as nationally
- Contribute to the programme evaluation
- Become a member of Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Network and have the option to engage with the network’s activities during and on completion of the programme.
Learning sessions and self-study time as per the table below.
| Activity | Session times | Total hours |
| Virtual live learning | 9 x 2 hour sessions | 18 hours |
| Virtual Peer Learning | 4 x 1.5 hour sessions | 6 hours |
Virtual Consolidation Event Plus preparation time | Half day | 8 hours |
| Self-study | n/a | 10 hours |
| Work based learning activities (variable depending on project) | n/a | 18 hours |
| Total | 60 hours |
Participant Feedback
Edel Gracie, Dietetics, NHS Dumfries and Galloway
Mark Burrell, Medicine/Dentistry, NHS Grampian
Kirsty Bateson, ECHO Project Manager, Highland Hospice
Neil Fallan, Pharmacy, NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Sheena Burnside, Physiotherapy, South Ayrshire HSCP
Anthony Clark, Perth and Kinross HSPC
"I started my role as Technology Enabled Care Programme Manager within the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) three years ago and instantly recognised a number of unique challenges working between a Local Authority and NHS. I was then introduced to the Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme which provided me an opportunity to network with likeminded individuals whilst sharpening my own skill set. More importantly I gaining insight into the management and leadership from both health and social care perspectives which helped me understand and tackle my own unique challenges faced when working in a HSCP."
Dr Carol Overend, North Ayrshire Adult Community Mental Health Team
"As a Psychologist working in Adult Mental Health we are ever increasing our use of digital technology eg 1-1 or group therapy using Near Me, and expanding our portfolio of computerised CBT/digital therapeutics options. The DLP course helped me develop my leadership skills and taught me to think about how we can use quality improvement tools to change and ultimately improve systems. As a result of my positive experience of the course I have now started an MSc in Leading Digital Transformation in Healthcare in Scotland with the University of Edinburgh."
Evaluation
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Evaluation data from Cohort 21
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Cohort 22 Evaluation Summary
Projects
As part of the programme, participants are required to identify an area in their service or organisation which could be improved with a digital health and care solution. The solution should use technology to benefit people (e.g. citizens, patients, service users, staff). Participants are able to use the early stages of the programme to develop their project aim.
Suggested project ideas
We would encourage you seek the experience of others through the past project pages or other work you are aware of and make reference to this if appropriate in your application. You may wish to focus on a small aspect of the suggested projects during your time on the DLP – other projects are also welcome, including projects which you are already involved with.
- Introducing digital referral methods to a service
- Introducing remote health monitoring for patients/service users to reduce travel to in-person appointments, improve self-management and detect early warning signs
- Harnessing service user data (e.g., creating dashboards) in a way which allows improvements to services to be made
- Leading on a system roll out in your organisation
- Adoption of an M365 app in your service
- Evaluation of a digital service which has been introduced into your organisation
- Roll out of technology enabled care devices or service to enable people to remain independent and safe at home
- Adoption of a decision support tool
- Introducing and evaluating Near Me remote consultations / Near Me group consultations for patients/service users to improve access to services
- Introducing, improving or evaluating digital technology to share targeted and specific treatment/intervention based information with people using services (ie not a generic website where people might get broad information but something more specific where they get e.g. rehab exercises
- Utilising prescribing data to improve patient care
Example of previous projects can be found on the DLP Projects page.