Digital skills to widen par1cipa1on and increase health literacy
Bob Gann, Programme Director, Widening Digital Par1cipa1on, NHS England
22nd International Conference on Health Promoting Hospitals & Health Services Barcelona, Spain 25 April 2014
A significant increase in the use of technology to help people to manage their own health and care
An NHS for everyone regardless of income, gender, loca<on, age,
ethnicity or any other characteris<c
NHS England Mandate, 2013
National Health Service commitments
Those in old age
Those out of work
Those who are physically and socially isolated
Those who don’t have English as 1st language
Travellers and transient popula1ons
Those who are disabled
Those living in rural and remote areas
Digital literacy & health inequalities
• Those who are least likely to be online are those who most need health services
• Information & services are increasingly digital - digital skills are increasingly essential to health literacy
• Low health literacy closely linked to poorer health outcomes & mortality
Bostock,s & Steptoe, Association between low functional health literacy & mortality in older adults. British Medical Journal 2012; 344
Reducing inequali<es: training 100,000 ci<zens a year in basic online skills to boost health literacy
Widening Digital Par1cipa1on Programme
Online training programme in basic digital skills for health
Digital health events & marke1ng campaign
Digital health informa1on training network in 175 centres – public libraries, community centres, primary care, care homes
Digital health flagships
Innova1ve approaches working in local communi1es including: • Bromley-‐by-‐Bow Healthy Living Centre – social prescribing • Southampton Libraries – working with cancer support groups • e-‐Learning in Leicester – digital skills for Asian community • Mayfair Centre in Shropshire – rural communi1es • Inspire in Hull – social isola1on & poor mental health • Heeley Trust in Sheffield – digital skills surgeries in GP prac1ce • Breezie – easy to use tablet for older people • 68 York Street, Leeds – working with homeless
Celebrating community achievement
Mayfair Centre, Shropshire won GSK/ Kings Fund Impact Award
68 York Street, Leeds won NHS Excellence in Par1cipa1on Award
Cooke e-‐Learning, Leicester showcased on YouTube
Tackling inequalities: reducing isolation & loneliness
Social isola1on & loneliness is a public health challenge. Helping older people get online enables them to keep in touch with family & friends
Tackling inequali1es: improving access & reducing s1gma
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People with some condi1ons & from some groups in society can face s1gma when accessing services. Online access can be more anonymous and less embarrassing
Tackling inequalities: improving self reliance & reducing dependency
Developing digital skills, including through social prescribing, can increase health literacy & empowerment, and reduce dependence on health professionals
Early evaluation findings
• 76% of people trained now feel more confident managing their health using online tools
• 18% of people trained now feel more self reliant and have reduced their use of the NHS
“Doing the digital skills health course has given me the confidence to register online with my local GP surgery, to make appointments online, to check what medicine I'm on and when it’s due for renewal... Before this, I’d have needed to travel to the doctors and stood in a queue just to make an appointment. With this it’s just ‘click’ and it’s done. It’s fantas<c.”
Thank you Please contact me if you would like to know more: Email [email protected] Twi`er Bob_Gann
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