One of the main barriers to digital inclusion for digital health is skills and confidence. 100% Digital Leeds deliver Digital Health Champions training with clinical staff and health professionals to support a positive attitude towards technology and innovation. Training is supporting the digital ready workforce programme.
Supporting GP practices across Leeds and working with health champions in practices and across Patient Participation Groups has increased the awareness of the digital tools and resources available. Staff are promoting the benefits of being online when having telephone conversations and appointments with patients, increasing the uptake of video appointments and online consultations.
During the pandemic Digital Health Champions training has continued to be delivered virtually with Social Prescribing teams, supporting patients to overcome barriers to digital inclusion. Many of the services and activities the social prescribing team’s signpost patients to are now online. Digital champion training has increased access for patients to online resources to support their health and mental wellbeing.
Digital Health Champions Training is also delivered with third sector organisations who are supporting their service users with long-term conditions. Where motivation is the most challenging barrier to overcome for digital inclusion, this training has enabled a positive shift for many older people and people living with long-term conditions in embracing digital technology and supporting them to live well whilst in isolation.
Promoting non-traditional approaches for healthcare professionals and patients with digital health has been key. It has aligned with the priorities of Shared Decision making, Better Conversations and Collaborative Care and Support Planning, ensuring the offer and patient plan is person-centred.
Digital support for health professionals is helping with early interventions, having positive digital inclusion conversations at appointments, diagnosis of long-term conditions and annual reviews to determine the barriers patients may face to digital and how to overcome these at this early stage.
This may include recommending a patient start their digital journey using a game app (linked to their hobbies and interests) which then enables them to develop their digital literacy skills and confidence to eventually self-manage their conditions via digital tools, saving time using online NHS services and taking control of their own health and wellbeing.
Expanding the Digital Health Champion training offer across the staff training platforms within Leeds Community Healthcare, Primary Care and with the wider Social Prescribing teams, Community Link Workers and Community Builders is a priority.
Embedding this training within Health and Care for the health workforce is increasing opportunities for patients to overcome barriers to digital inclusion and increasing uptake and access to online NHS resources.
Teams are also building wider networks of digital support around ordering prescriptions and making appointments online, increasing support for self-managing health and wellbeing amongst patients.
If you would like us to deliver Digital Health Champion training with your practice or organisation get in touch with us via the form on our Digital Champions page.