A new strategic plan has been developed for Lanarkshire entitled ‘Empowering people to enhance care for everyone’. The 2023-28 digital plan reflects the wide-ranging needs and potential for digital technology across NHS Lanarkshire, and seeks to make digital topics easier to understand. The new digital plan has been developed in close alignment with the ‘Our Health Together’ Lanarkshire healthcare strategy.
Donald Wilson, director of information and digital technology, said: “Several factors resulted in a new plan being needed, not least the Covid-19 pandemic, continued service pressures and publication of Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Strategy in 2021. These factors resulted in a need to review our long-term plans and ensure we are closely aligned with the new healthcare strategy”.
“We’ve taken a completely different approach this time, by better representing the voice of services and settings across our community. Working with the public, clinicians, operational staff and our partners, we’ve co-created something we can all relate to and deliver together.”
Over 400 stakeholders and 44 authors collaborated for over 20 weeks to deliver the plan. You can read the digital plan here: NHS Lanarkshire 2023-28 digital plan.
Dr John Keaney, divisional medical director for acute, commented that: “When reading this plan, I had in mind the challenges my colleagues face to deliver care on a day-to-day basis and how digital solutions will help. The challenges we face are unprecedented and call for a different approach. In the past, the IT department has felt separate to some of our clinical work. This needs to change so that every service is involved and supported by digital tools and technology.”
Barry McAlister, head of digital transformation, added: “NHS Lanarkshire is entering a new phase on our digital journey. The closer we work with our clinical colleagues, the public, services and staff, the better we will understand how digital can help. We want to remove barriers and reduce frustrations associated with technology, so we can co-deliver digital improvements and innovation that make a real difference.”
Reference material
For any questions, or to provide feedback, please email digital.plan@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
