Digital Health and Care Leadership Programme (DLP)

If you need guidance on application writing NES has a helpful resources on 'Writing great applications for learning opportunities'. Please note you will need to have a Turas account and login to access this resource.

Below you'll find guidance specifically for the DLP as a downloadable pdf or video with some top tips for your application.

You will need support from both:

• Your line manager
• A digital lead or equivalent in your organisation

Your digital lead (or equivalent) will play a key role in ensuring your project is both feasible and aligned with your organisation’s strategy. 

Non-NHS applicants (e.g. third sector, social care, social work, housing, any other health or care setting) must be supported by a digital lead in their organisation or equivalent such as a strategic manager who will be able to support their project. If this is the same person as your line manager, please indicate this on your application.  

NHS applicants must be supported by a digital lead or relevant head of department or director. Please contact your eHealth teams to find the relevant person.

NMAHPs have a list of dedicated digital leads which are available below. 

Dental applicants (Dentists and DCPs) may seek support from their local board’s Dental Practice Adviser or a Director of Dentistry.

If you are unsure on who to approach in your organisation to support your application, please contact nes.dlp@nhs.scot

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.

We encourage projects which focus on the adoption or creation of a decision support tool. You can find out more about the Right Decision Service here and in the downloadable document below.