NHS England's (NHSE) Digital Academy for Health and Care have commissioned the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) to develop a learning resource which introduces allied health professionals (AHPs) to health informatics. The resource will be online, interactive and demonstrate how technology can support the work of AHPs in health and social care.
What is health informatics?
The CSP has been working collaboratively with Keele University and other AHP professional bodies, including us, to develop and deliver this new learning resource. It's designed for anyone involved in the AHP services – including OT – who's new to digital working and informatics.
Backed by case studies and practical examples from different professions, it'll support the delivery of services across the allied health professions.
The course will be broken into bitesize learning modules and hosted on NHS England’s e-learning hub.
The good news is that the modules will be accessible to all AHPs in the UK – regardless of where they are based, their employment sector and their experience.
Our involvement
We're delighted to have been involved in the development of this learning resource. From reviewing content, providing case studies and testing the digital resources – we're positive that the modules will be useful to our members and our profession as a whole.
We know that when used appropriately, digital technology can have a positive impact on health and social care services and the experiences of the people accessing those services. Yet we also know that the 2016 Watcher Report and 2019 Topol Review commented that gaps in knowledge, and a lack of specific and relatable service examples are amongst the reasons for it not being part of mainstream services.
NHS England's Long Term Plan (2019) identified the need to develop competence, confidence and motivation in the use of digital technology.
This focus is repeated in the digital framework for AHPs in England (2019), the AHP Strategy for England (2022) as well as the Digital Strategies of Northern Ireland (2016), Scotland (2021) and Wales (2022).
We believe this accessible and easy to digest learning resource will help every OT become more confident in engaging in a range of activities that use, collect and share data for the purposes of improving health and care outcomes at the individual, service and population level.
When's it due?
The work is scheduled to complete in 2024. Keep a lookout for further information on a launch date to follow.
If you're interested in health informatics, you should visit our Innovation Hub.