Digital Health and Social Care (SCQF level 11) CPD Award

What is special about this course?

The use of IT in health and social care is driven by the demand led by patients, clients, consumers and professionals alongside evolving technology. It has become increasingly necessary for healthcare professionals to acquire skills in the communication of information across a multitude of disciplines, for the safe delivery and steady advancement of health and social care in a digitised environment. 

There has been a rapid rise in the adoption of digital technologies, with the potential for permanent transformation of the ways in which we operate, communicate and transfer knowledge. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this progress ahead of all expectations, highlighting the need for flexibility and drawing attention to the widening digital skills gap, one that needs to be swiftly reduced in order to stimulate economic recovery and prevent social exclusion. 

Connectivity and digitalisation will play a hugely important role in our future, with data protection and online security requiring more attention than ever before: trained and competent professionals will ultimately provide the foundation that underpins this progress. This Digital Health and Social Care (SCQF level 11) module will help you play your part in this development, providing you with the opportunities to explore how digitisation is used to improve health and social care delivery systems, through examples such as videolinks for remote consultations, monitoring systems, apps, and software to support rehabilitation. You will learn about data security, legislation, patient confidentiality, and the impact of digital connectivity, especially in relation to improving access for those in remote and rural areas. 

On successful completion of this module, you will have developed the agility and flexibility needed to keep up with the accelerating pace of technology, with the aim of improving both health care and social care outcomes in the digital environment.

Special features

• Online
• The module is suitable for students from backgrounds such as health and social care as well as computer-related disciplines
• The module leader is a member of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre
• You will be encouraged to create a Europass profile, a useful employability tool where you can list and organise your digital skills (including tools and software you can use), as well as projects and achievements you are proud of

Entry requirements

• Evidence of being able to study at SCQF level 9 and/or 10 is required
• Applications will be assessesed on an individual basis

CPD Award

You will study the following topics:

• Development of health and social care in a digital environment: Explores the past 25 years of practice-altering changes in technology for: administrative and clinical applications; evidence based practice; information retrieval; decision support systems; data security; and confidentiality. 
• Emerging technologies and innovation: Highlights emerging technologies, regional information organisations, personal health records and national and local level health surveillance. Includes an overview of privacy issues, legislation, regulations and accreditation standards pertinent to health and social care in a digital environment. 
• Health information systems: Health information systems in health and social care are examined, with emphasis on risk, security, confidentiality and trust. Based on the patient-centred approach, key issues such as patient confidentiality and user authorisation are included. Key principles and policies in relation to patient confidentiality are discussed (secure access to patient records; retrieval, navigation and documentation of patient data; and how to report appropriately). 
• Social determinants - "the right to health": The application of social media to mobile health is explored in terms of reshaping the potential benefits and challenges, using the Triple AAAQ framework for the promotion of health and wellbeing in remote and rural and urban settings. 
• Drivers of and barriers to health and social care in a digital environment: digital health and digital care is an emerging multidisciplinary profession and governments, educators and practitioners recognise a need to advance its formalisation and development. Drivers and barriers are discussed in healthcare settings (adherence to medicine, programmes for self-management) and mass media communication (as a supplementary information to primary source). 

Fees

Find out more about fees, fee waivers and funding options.

Funding

UHI has a number of scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.

Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.