Care in the Digital Age: delivery plan 2025 to 2026

Digital Skills and Leadership

Digital skills are seen as core skills for the workforce across the health and care sector.

What we will deliver:

Provide a Post-graduate qualification in Leading Digital Transformation in Health and Care.

Why we are doing this:

Support and develop our current and future leaders to drive, deliver and embed digital transformation across Scotland’s health and care service.

Cohort 1 Diploma completed May 2025, MSc Year starts September 2025.

Cohort 2 completed Certificate May 2025.

Cohort 3 Post-Graduate Certificate starts September 2025, applications opened May 2025.

Who is leading this work:

• Scottish Government Digital Health and Care
• COSLA
• NES
• University of Edinburgh

When it will be delivered and progress:

• March 2026
• On Track

What we will deliver:

A refreshed programme supporting digital data leadership and skills consisting of:

• Digital and Data Capability Framework and self-assessment tool
• Learning Pathways – generic and specialist. Four stages aligned to varying responsibility.

Why we are doing this:

To further develop the core skills and digital confidence of the current, future, and specialist workforce in health and social care.

Digital and Data Capability Framework launched July 2024. Four Learner Pathways published September 2024. AI and Cyber Security pathways published March 2025.

Who is leading this work:

• Scottish Government Digital Health and Care
• COSLA
• LGDO
• NES
• Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC)
• DHI

When it will be delivered and progress:

Completed

What we will deliver:

Support the development of our specialist Digital, Data, and Technology (DDaT) professional workforce.

Why we are doing this:

Inform recruitment and retention and ensure the appropriate level of leadership, skills and capacity, with an initial focus on the DDaT Capability Framework within NHS Scotland Boards.

We are exploring how the Capability Framework can support DDaT workforce development, undertaking a review of roles, skills and career pathways. We will outline findings and recommendations from our pilot plans to inform next steps for recruitment, retention and development.

Who is leading this work:

• Scottish Government Digital Health and Care
• NHS Boards
• NES

When it will be delivered and progress:

• December 2025
• On Track

What we will deliver:

Digital Maturity Assessment to provide and support use of a standardised tool for measuring progress and improvement in digitising health and social care. Promoting use of results to inform organisational and national priority setting and planning.

Why we are doing this:

Develop ongoing understanding of organisational digital maturity which will be used to drive planning and priority setting of local health and social care systems and national plans.

The Festival of Transformation is a new digital multi-media learning and development platform bringing together people to share experiences and insights about digital transformation in delivery of health and social care.

Delivering monthly, live events on specific topics and detailed analysis and fortnightly support sessions for Digital Maturity Assessment Coordinators.

Who is leading this work:

• All NHS Boards
• All HSCPs
• Local Authorities

When it will be delivered and progress:

• Annual organisational update each July
• On Track
• Summary Report published January 2025

What we will deliver:

Digital Mindset Masterclasses to increase knowledge and awareness of digital health, governance and leadership skills.

Why we are doing this:

Develop leaders’ understanding of the digital agenda, build confidence and competence to harness and exploit opportunities of digital transformation in health and social care services.

Sessions are available for managers, Non-Executives and teams.

Who is leading this work:

NES

When it will be delivered and progress:

On Track