The Professional Development Award in Technology Enabled Care (PDA in TEC) at SCQF level 7 has been developed in partnership with employers and industry so it is suitable for the current sector.
The qualification has been designed and developed to support Scotland's Digital Health and Care Strategy Enabling, Connecting and Empowering: Care in the Digital Age. The strategy promotes the concept of supporting people to live, learn, work, participate and flourish in an ever-changing digital society. Workforce education around technology enabled care is one of the key ambitions of the strategy.
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) are funding is available for a cohort of x50 candidates to undertake the Professional Development Award Technology Enabled Care at SCQF Level 7 starting in January 2025.
Delivered online by the University of the Highlands and Islands, Perth College this opportunity is open to individuals working in social work, social care, health, and housing organisations (including those working in care at home or care homes, across the public, private and third sector). Applications closed at midnight on 01 December.
Join us for the 2025 Alumni Event for the Professional Development Award in Technology Enabled Care (PDA in TEC).
This event is open to all PDA in TEC alumni, current participants, those wanting to hear more about the qualification, or anyone interested in workforce digital skills and leadership across health, social care, social work, and housing sectors.
Professional Development Awards (PDAs) extend or broaden professional or vocational skills and are linked to National Occupational Standard and this PDA has been designed to be delivered as an online programme focusing on self-directed study with support from tutors/assessors, online group sessions and digital resources. However, the majority of learning will be gained through experiences and from research to build up evidence of Professional Development. You can find out more about the PDA in TEC below.
Frequently Asked Questions resource providing more information on the PDA in TEC.
This Group Award Specification provides information for candidates and delivery centres who want to know more about the PDA in TEC at SCQF Level 7.
Presentation slides from the PDA in TEC session held during the Support Worker Learning Week in March 2022.
The Technology Enabled Care module is adapted from the Professional Development Award in Technology Enabled Care at SCQF Level 7 course, the byte size learning is a brief overview or ‘taster’ of the topics covered in the PDA in TEC.
Topics include:
Link to the module: Technology Enabled Care (The link takes you to the SQA Academy site).
The PDA in TEC is for people who are new to or have an interest in digital health and care, and for those who want to develop and advance their knowledge and skills in this subject.
It has been designed and developed to support frontline roles in social work, social care, health or housing organisations, including those working in care at home or care homes, across the public, private and third sector. It will equip you with the skills to promote the use of technology across the sector, empowering you to evaluate and adopt emerging technologies that support health and care delivery while reflecting on how these could be used to assist people to self-manage and live independently.
The award contributes to the progression of participants in their Continued Professional Development and successful participants (alumni) may use the award to show future or current employers evidence of their achievements and to enable them to progress in their careers.
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has funded over 280 staff from social work, social care, health and housing organisations, across the public, private and third sector to complete the PDA in TEC qualification.
You can also find out about self-funding the award at: