[London, UK] NHS Digital has published a guide to help emerging integrated care systems, sustainability and transformation partnerships, commissioners and providers of health and care services tackle digital exclusion.
Figures indicate that 11.5 million people lack basic digital skills and 4.8 million people have never used digital tools in the UK.
Bob Gann, author of the guide, tells BJ-HC these are the citizens that are most likely to benefit from the use of digital health services.
A review of the 65 Local Digital Roadmaps (LDRs) found that only 30 of them mention digital inclusion or literacy. NHS Digital adopted a ‘data-driven approach’ to identify the areas with the lowest levels of digital inclusion by using the Tech Partnership’s heatmap and overlaying it with health inequality data.
In a blog published last year, Gann wrote:
“Those 30 [LDRs] include parts of the country where the Heatmap shows digital exclusion is at its highest.
"It seems surprising that in these Roadmaps lack of digital participation in the local population does not feature as a rate limiting factor for local service transformation.”
NHS Digital is now advising organisations to:
- Adopt a data-driven approach by using the heatmap to assess the needs of the local population.
- Analyse digital maturity levels & local resources and plans, including LDRs.
- Review existing initiatives in place providing digital inclusion support.
- Collaborate with local stakeholders to identify need and co-design approaches to initiatives.
- Seek delivery partners.
- Find appropriate evaluation tools.
The guide is part of a new roadmap outlining the timeline for key national projects to empower citizens to take control of their own health and care through the use of digital tools.
