Digital Health and Care Scotland 2023

Breakout A - Future Proofing Primary Care Through Innovative System and Process Design

Join us to hear from two experienced GPs as they share perspectives on reducing the burden and transforming primary care.

Dr Emma Broughton and Dr Ravi Tomar will explore some of the solutions and considerations for decision-makers when looking to simplify workload, unlock capacity and help people to feel seen.

Insights from YHEC's health economic evaluation will also explain the potential impact of intelligent technologies in the creation of collaborative and equitable models of care that improve triage and manage patient flow, without overwhelming primary care teams.

It is estimated that around 2 million people in Scotland have at least one long-term health condition, many of which result in regular hospital visits or other forms of care.

In this session, we will consider how technology can be used to support people to self-manage and co-manage their long-term conditions, in order to reduce emergency admissions through proactive interventions and improved care coordination. Delegates will also hear how virtual wards are being used across the UK to support early discharge while optimising long-term condition management.

In 2020, approximately one million people in Scotland were aged sixty-five or older. By 2040, this figure is expected to rise to 1.4 million. With these figures in mind, it is vital that we take steps now to encourage and support healthy ageing, and to prevent and manage frailty. 

Panel B will focus on the role that digital solutions can play here and consider the importance of co-design and co-production. 

From motivation and trust to confidence and cost, there are many reasons why some groups and communities in Scotland are - or are at greater risk of becoming - digitally excluded. Although great strides were made to address such barriers during the pandemic, a digital divide remains, and there is a risk that the current cost of living crisis may exacerbate it.

In this session, our panellists will discuss how we can tackle digital exclusion and share examples of programmes already making a difference in the care, housing and health sectors. 

In our final panel of the day, we'll be discussing how we can better equip our health and social care workforce with the digital skills that will allow for the successful uptake and use of digital technologies. At a time of great pressure, we will consider how we can improve access to digital skills initiatives and learning, what cultural changes may be required, and the roles of leaders, individuals, and organisations respectively.