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The Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme (previously NMAHP Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme), led by NHS Education for Scotland and sponsored by Scottish Government, supports ambitious and experienced health and care professionals to influence digital health and care in their organisations.

Introduction to DLP
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Health and care professionals are at the forefront of an ever-evolving health and social care system, with digital health and care playing a central role in improving quality service provision in Scotland. Health and care professionals require enhanced leadership skills and technological competence to provide digital solutions to enhance safe and effective person-centred care and 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 - Enabling, Connecting and Empowering: Care in the Digital Age (Scottish Government, 2021) 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 care delivery.
Who is the programme for?

The Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme supports ambitious and experienced health and care professionals to develop their leadership skills and influence digital health and care in their organisations.

Applications are welcome from employees within health, social work, social care, social work, housing and the third sector - team applications are also welcomed. 

This programme is designed for anyone who is:

  • 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)
Programme Overview
A learner looking at the words: discussion groups, social learning, workshops, peer learning and webinars

The programme is run virtually using MS Teams over an 8 month period and involves:

  • Live learning sessions
  • Peer support groups
  • Resources for self-study
  • Networking opportunities
  • Delivery of a digital improvement project
  • Support and guidance from NES and the Scottish Digital Health and Care Network

 

The four learning outcomes of the programme are:

      L1.  Critically review the digital health and care policy and practice within an evolving context.

      L2.  Provide strategic leadership to influence the contribution of health and care professionals in the delivery of local digital health and care strategies.

      L3.  Investigate opportunities for learning, collaborating and networking with others to maximise the use of technology to benefit service delivery within organisations.

      L4.  Devise, lead and demonstrate the impact of a digital health and care project that uses technology for the benefit of service users and/or staff focused on recovery, rehabilitation and new ways of working.

Programme Descriptor available to download below. 

Participant Feedback

“The Digital Health and Care Leadership programme has given me the platform to bring a long-term idea to fruition … the course gave me a platform or education and peer support to bring my ideas to life.”

Quotes from Snippets 2021

"It has opened doors and links to an amazing supportive community of experts."

"It has given me confidence to take a lead in digital developments and pursue a role in informatics."

“This course has been inspirational – giving me confidence to be bolder and see opportunities from a digital angle”

“Colleagues are often resistant to change and new ways of working, and I feel more confident in offering other solutions to treatment and effective management of time and resources that work for them and more importantly, patients”

"Helped me make contacts locally and nationally. I now have a seconded post as a clinical lead within our IT team."

"Raised my profile within my team and brought opportunities to link with others across the area."

"From Cohort 7 to dNMAHP leadership group to Digital Academy. Personally and professionally challenging, my credibility as a digital leader continues to grow."

Quotes from Alumni Event September 2022

Featured Projects

Caroline Nicholson, Lead for Advanced Practice Education, NHS Lothian
This project involved the development of an e-portfolio for students to get sign off for any clinical assessments at the point of assessment rather than having to scan lots of papers into create an e-portfolio. 

Stephen Dewar, Clinical Pharmacist, NHS Ayrshire & Arran
This project explores electronitc prescribing (HEPMA) data to influence practice.  New and existing digital software was used to provide consultants feedback on their individual data. 

 

Paul Watson, Paramedic, Scottish Ambulance Service
This project looks at a way to provide ambulance crew with a patient's ECS/KIS record using details passed during a 999 calll. The information stored in these records may impact all aspects of the care, management and outcomes for the patient so ensuring timely access will result in better patient centred care being delivered.

Tracy Bowen, Planned Care OT Team Lead, NHS Fife
This project involved using iPads to normalise the experience of Covid and to support management of common symptoms. iPads enabled the therapist, patient and carer to take a virtual tour of the patient's home to promote confidence and independence for a successful return home and ongoing recovery. 

Fran Nice, Health Visitor, NHS Grampian
In March 2020 after home visits were stopped due to the pandemic, the Aberdeenshire Health Visitors Near Me Waiting Room was created. This allowed for families to be seen virtually and for much needed connections to be made. Throughout this experience, practice evolved, with the developed wellbeing tips and the use of platforms like Teams, significantly increasing the digital capacity in Health Visiting Team across Aberdeenshire.