Welcome

Welcome to the Practice Guide for Digital Inclusion in Health and Social Care.

This practice guide has been produced for practitioners working in all sectors providing health and social care services or who are supporting people using these services. It has been developed in Scotland based on learning from co-production sessions with people working in health, social care, housing and related services and people with lived experience of accessing health and care support. The aim of this guide is to help practitioners think about the role digital plays in the services and support you provide, and what practitioners can do to help people access digital supports and services.

The practice guide is a companion to the Digital Champions training for health and social care. This 2-hour online training session is free to attend and is delivered by Mhor Collective.

Illustration credit: Tessa Mackenzie

Using technology or digital services can feel scary for some people, including health and social care practitioners. We may use digital in our personal lives, but it can feel daunting when we think about how we use it to provide care and support. However, many of us know more than we realise. The biggest challenge is feeling reassured that the digital skills we already have are transferable to our work.

Throughout this guide, we'll give you some hints and tips on actions you can take to build your confidence to help people access digital health and care services. No one knows everything, and no one expects you to be an IT specialist. Small actions can have a big impact. This guide is more about integrating digital inclusion as part of person-centred care than it is about technical knowledge.

You can find out more about how this guide was produced in the 'About this Guide' section.