The latest learning and education strategy from NHS Education for Scotland (NES), set to run until 2026, shares a number of plans with a digital focus including updating its digital platform and holding a review of existing data architecture.
Within the strategy, NES states that its purpose is to be an innovative and collaborative learning organisation providing “high quality education, training, workforce development, workforce data and technology for Scotland’s health and social care workforce”, with particular focus on using tech to “enable staff to be skilled, confident, and motivated to provide better outcomes”.
NES sets out seven principles for learning and education, with one of those principles placing emphasis on the need to adapt for innovation and new ways of delivering health and social care; here, NES states that its learning and education offer is shaped by new and existing technology and tools that can “positively impact the workforce” and pledges to foster a culture of continuous learning to enable the organisation to adapt with technology advancements. AI is highlighted as having a particular role here, with NES also noting opportunities around simulation and virtual or augmented reality.
The strategy also shares priority actions such as enhancing learner-centred delivery of education. As part of this work, NES plans to hold an independent review of existing technology and data architecture and use improved workforce data to refresh its digital platform, Turas, with the aim of delivering personalised learning and a portable record of achievement. A key feature of this work will be to “consider how it can support greater transferability of learning resources and records across the system (including mandatory learning) with a view to reducing duplication and driving efficiency.”
Additionally, NES notes a need to consider “wider enterprise architectures in operation across the sector and how best to achieve joined up and effective data flows”, along with building on ongoing work to understand user requirements, technology and data architecture in order to streamline learning resources, courses and programmes. The overall aim here is to combine these resources with learner profiles to create a “personalised presentation of learning opportunities” through technology that supports skill development and progression for individual learners.
Another priority is to develop “new, future-focused learning pathways”; here, NES acknowledges the need to embed digital skills within these pathways, “recognising that they are critical for inclusive access to learning and education and will increasingly underpin service delivery and transformation.”
The strategy can be found in full here.
In other updates from Scotland, we reported that Scottish Government announced the expansion of data and analytics platform Seer, with the next phase (Seer 2) to see cloud technology utilised in addition to providing the healthcare workforce with a more “advanced” version of the platform to increase opportunities and flexibility.
Earlier in the year, we also covered the news that NHS National Services Scotland published a prior information notice for the development of a “once for Scotland” digital heart failure system.
