Care in the Digital Age: Delivery Plan 2023-24

Digital Services

Priority Two: Digital options are increasingly available as a choice for people accessing services and staff delivering them.

The way care is delivered is changing, with an increasing number of services becoming digital, either fully or in part. These range from basic services, such as ordering repeat prescriptions, booking appointments and accessing trusted online information, to the digital tools and products to help people manage their own health and wellbeing at home. Over the coming years, digital services will become the first point of contact with health and social care services for many people, and will inform how many will choose to engage with health and social care services on an ongoing basis.

What we will deliver

The scale up and adoption of Connect Me – Remote Health Monitoring and self-management.

Why we are doing this

• Enable people to take more control of their conditions.
• Improve access to services.
• Improve outcomes for citizens using more advanced technology.
• Reduce face to face appointments and clinics, freeing up clinician time.

Who is leading this work

• Scottish Government Digital Health and Care Directorate
• NHS National Services Scotland (NSS)
• Health Boards

When it will be delivered

• March 2025

What we will deliver

The development and adoption of Digital Hospital @ Home.

Why we are doing this

• Support an increase in the number of Hospital @ Home 'virtual' beds.
• Reduce length of stay in hospital by supporting early discharge to a Hospital @ Home service.
• Deliver the right care in the right place, supporting people in their own location as per long-term strategies.
• To reduce face to face appointments and clinics, enabling people to take more control of their conditions and freeing up clinician time.
• By reducing clinician travel, improving the efficiency of services via the use of appropriate remote and mobile working solutions, and introducing remote monitoring.

Who is leading this work

• COSLA
• Scottish Government Digital Health and Care Directorate
• In partnership with:
• NHS Health Boards
• Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs)

When it will be delivered

• March 2025

What we will deliver

Development of Digital Mental Health therapies, including self-referral and expansion of mental wellbeing resources.

Why we are doing this

• Improve accessibility and access to evidence based psychological treatments through the expansion of online mental wellbeing resources and tools.
• Enable people to access services round the clock, reducing waiting times.
• Offer an alternative route for those who do not feel comfortable with a face-to-face session, or who may need support out of hours
• Promote the development and testing of new and emerging technologies focused on improving the mental health and wellbeing of individuals across Scotland.

Who is leading this work

• Scottish Government Mental Health Directorate
• Scottish Government Digital Health and Care Directorate
• NHS Health Boards

When it will be delivered

• March 2025

What we will deliver

To scale up and embed Near Me Video Consultation service with Health and Social Care service delivery.

Why we are doing this

• Improve access and choice.
• Increase resilience in health and social care services.
• Support group treatment programmes in mental health, educational type interventions and explore the use of group clinical consultations.
• Support the reduction in waiting times as part of the NHS Recovery plan.
• Reduce staff and citizen travel to reduce climate impact.
• Help prevent unavoidable hospital admissions.
• Enable professionals working in social care to use Near Me when care and support planning.
• Support more people to access care at home.

Who is leading this work

• COSLA
• NHS Health Boards
• HSCPs
• LGDO
• Social Work Scotland
• Social Security Scotland

When it will be delivered

• March 2024

What we will deliver

New digital products and solutions within social care.

Why we are doing this

• Support national priorities for Proactive and Preventative Care, National Care Service, NHS Recovery and the Healthcare Framework for Care Homes.

Who is leading this work

• COSLA
• Scottish Government Digital Health and Care Directorate
• HSCPs
• LGDO
• Care Inspectorate
• Social Work Scotland
• Scottish Care
• Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland (CCPS)
• All Local Boards

When it will be delivered

• March 2025

What we will deliver

A programme of Clinical IT improvements in Scotland's Prisons.

Why we are doing this

• Support prescribing and medicines administration in Scotland's prisons, removing many manual processes which take time away from delivery of clinical care.
• Improve features and functionality in the patient management system, providing professionals with access to patient history at point of care.
• Support continuity of care.

Who is leading this work

• NSS

When it will be delivered

• March 2025

What we will deliver

Refreshed technology to support the National Screening Programme.

Why we are doing this

• Existing legacy technology needs to be replaced and upgraded due to it being 'end of life'.
• Create efficiencies in the call/recall services associated with all screening services.

Who is leading this work

• NSS

When it will be delivered

• March 2025

What we will deliver

A new Digital Dermatology solution for receiving, storing and sharing dermatology images between primary and secondary care.

Why we are doing this

• Enable GPs and secondary care to share images and identify urgent cases that can be expedited to surgery.
• Reduce the need for outpatient appointments.
• Contribute to the reduction of NHS waiting times.

Who is leading this work

• NHS Golden Jubilee
• Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD)
• NES
• NSS

When it will be delivered

• April 2024