Care in the Digital Age: delivery plan 2022 to 2023

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 care services for many people, and will inform how many will choose to engage with health and care services on an ongoing basis.

What we will deliver

Expand capability to deliver self-management resources, advice and guidance through improvements to NHS inform to allow focused support for mental health. Expansion of Mind to Mind with additional functions and resources.

Why we are doing this

Supports ongoing opportunities for self-management, prevention and mental wellbeing with access to low-level digital mental health therapies and other interventions.

Who is leading this work

NHS 24

When it will be delivered by

September 2023

What we will deliver

Increased self-management opportunities for people with high blood pressure by further modernising and expanding our ' Connect Me' service to all primary care settings for management of hypertension.

Why we are doing this

To reduce face-to-face appointments and clinics, freeing up clinician time, allowing citizens to take more control of their conditions, and improving access to services. Improved outcomes for citizens, more advanced technology.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government

When it will be delivered by

March 2023

What we will deliver

The ability for local services to offer to their patients new nationally-consistent pathways for at-home monitoring of a greater range of long term conditions such as COPD, heart failure and asthma.

Why we are doing this

To reduce face-to-face appointments and clinics, allowing people to take more control of their conditions and freeing up clinician time.

Increased self-management and improved access to services. Improved outcomes for citizens.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government, Centre for Sustainable Delivery, Health Boards

When it will be delivered by

March 2023

What we will deliver

Implement the digital approaches in social care programme including the Care Home Action Plan

Why we are doing this

To support people in their own homes and in supported housing, improve access and support to people in care homes, aid wellbeing and maintaining independence, and thereby keep people out of hospital.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government, local authorities, care providers

When it will be delivered by

November 2023

What we will deliver

Ability for people to refer themselves to digital mental health therapies for common conditions include depression, anxiety and insomnia.

Why we are doing this

Improving accessibility and increasing access to evidence-based psychological treatments.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government, NHS 24 and Health Boards

When it will be delivered by

January 2023

What we will deliver

Greater access to mental health CBT treatment for young people.

Why we are doing this

Support CAMHS services by providing young people access to digital therapies for anxiety and low mood.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government, NHS Education for Scotland and Health Boards

When it will be delivered by

March 2023 onwards

What we will deliver

Introduce new workforce models that increase capability and capacity to deliver digital mental health therapies in Health Boards through the development of 'digital therapy teams.'

Why we are doing this

Enable the further expansion of digital therapy services through that support local provision of psychological services while greatly increasing access to CBT treatment.

Who is leading this work

Digital Mental Health Programme and Health Boards

When it will be delivered by

March 2023

What we will deliver

Implementation plan for an October 2023 first release and a three-year roadmap/investment plan for the Digital Front Door that includes options for accelerating delivery.

Why we are doing this

The Digital Front Door will support the citizens of Scotland to access a wide range of self-served health and social care services from a common digital source.

It will help people to access services and their own health information directly.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government

When it will be delivered by

Investment Plan – March 2023

Release 1 – October 2023

What we will deliver

Establishing the digital contribution to the reduction of drug-related harm in Scotland.

Why we are doing this

Improve digital inclusion, and design digital solutions that better meet people's needs, to improve the health outcomes for people who use drugs, reducing the risk of harm and death.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government Digital Health and Care and partners

When it will be delivered by

March 2023

What we will deliver

Improvements to telecare services, such as greater use of proactive wellbeing calls by alarm receiving centres to telecare users.

Why we are doing this

To increase people's quality of life at home and in their communities through more proactive support, ensuring needs are met by the right service at the right time, driving up quality standards and supporting the development of preventative and predictive services based on intelligence born from better use of telecare and other datasets.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government, COSLA, Local Government Digital Office

When it will be delivered by

December 2023

What we will deliver

Improving links between fire safety and telecare services including publication of new guidance, clarify the responsibilities of telecare services in relation to the new legislation, developing guidance and supporting good practice in implementation.

Why we are doing this

Increase standardisation of service to drive up the safety, effectiveness and efficiency of telecare service delivery, safeguard telecare customers and improve the experience and outcomes of people in receipt of telecare.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

When it will be delivered by

December 2022

What we will deliver

Implement the Phase 2 TECH in Housing programme.

Why we are doing this

Facilitate the development of sustainable, effective and efficient person-centred services that will improve people's health and wellbeing.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Federation of Housing Services

When it will be delivered by

March 2024

What we will deliver

Establish national decision support service, building on the Right Decision Service.

Why we are doing this

To provide validated evidence and guidance for health and care staff.

To embed evidence within day-to-day tools and processes, to make it easy for professionals and citizens to access, so that they can make the best possible decisions about health and care.

Who is leading this work

Scottish Government and the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI)

When it will be delivered by

March 23