Originally jointly published by the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland and COSLA in April 2018, Scotland’s Digital and Health Care Strategy is being reviewed in light of the fast-moving environment we are all now working in, which includes the impact of Covid-19.

The principles of the original strategy (empowering citizens to better manage their health and wellbeing, and the underpinning architectural and information governance building blocks for the effective flow of information, to enable this) will continue into the refreshed strategy. There will however be greater emphasis on aspects such as digital access, confidence and trust in use of digital, citizen engagement, person-led care, addressing inequalities, digital foundations (devices, architecture, skills etc.), and citizen-held records. The refreshed strategy will embed the premise that in order to empower and enable citizens to better manage their health and care, live independently and gain access to services through digital means, delivery of integrated care is vital. Data is key to this ambition. Hence, this strategy refresh will also provide the framework for the separate Data Strategy for Health & Care, to be developed later this year.

This is an opportunity for third sector organisations working in the area of health and social care to engage with the Directorate for Digital Health and Care around these issues.

Chaired by : Claire Stevens, Chief Executive, Voluntary Health Scotland

Speaker: Nel Whiting, Policy Lead for Participation & Engagement, Directorate for Digital Health & Care, Scottish Government

Please contact Lauren Blair if you have any questions lauren.blair@vhscotland.org.uk

Digital Health & Care Strategy Refresh