Care in the Digital Age: delivery plan 2022 to 2023

Care in the Digital Age: Delivery Plan 2022-23

Delivery Plan 2022-23

This is a national delivery plan. It describes the activities under way that are supporting local Health Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships, local authorities, Primary Care, social care, social work, and care providers to offer new or improved services – with better systems and infrastructure, or because they can now offer access to digital services and products. This plan follows directly from the publication of our strategy 'Care in the Digital Age' (October 2021). This responded to the widespread use of digital solutions to meet health and care needs during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. This also recognised changed public views on using digital to access health and social care services, and how digital can be used to help improve people's health and care in Scotland. This plan will be updated again by April 2023 taking account of the budget available for 23/24 and further opportunities to support and accelerate reform.

Our vision is to 'improve the care and wellbeing of people in Scotland by making best use of digital technologies in the design and delivery of services.'

Our Strategy has three aims, which are underpinned by six linked workstreams. This Delivery Plan demonstrates how we are progressing our aims through each of the workstreams, noting the work ongoing in 2022-23 and signalling how we will make choices within available resources during 2023-24 and in future years. It takes account of the shifting needs of the health and care system as it emerges from the pandemic, the development of the care and wellbeing portfolio, and the ever-shifting creativity of new technology.

• Aim 1: Citizens have access to, and greater control over, their own health and care data – as well as access to the digital information, tools and services they need to help maintain and improve their health and wellbeing.
• Aim 2: Health and care services are built on people-centred, safe, secure and ethical digital foundations which allow staff to record, access and share relevant information across the health and care system, and feel confident in their use of digital technology in order to improve the delivery of care.
• Aim 3: Health and care planners, researchers and innovators have secure access to the data they need in order to increase the efficiency of our health and care systems, and develop new and improved ways of working.

To achieve our aims, and ultimately our vision, we are focusing on six priority areas:

Digital access:

• People have flexible digital access to information, their own data and services that support their health and wellbeing, wherever they are.

Digital skills and leadership:

• Digital skills are seen as core skills for the workforce across the health and care sector.

Digital services:

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

Digital futures:

• Our wellbeing and economy benefits as Scotland remains at the heart of digital innovation and development.

Digital foundations:

• The infrastructure, systems, regulation, standards, and governance are in place to ensure robust and secure delivery.

Data-driven services and insight:

• Data is harnessed to the benefit of citizens, services and innovation.