Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government published new guidance on the provision of equipment and adaptations in January 2023, this includes advice on the use of Technology Enabled Care (TEC) and assistive technology. The guidance recommends that Health and Social Care partners, with their Housing colleagues, work together to maximise the opportunities provided by TEC, developing local strategy and policies, which help people to choose their own digital solutions as part of self-management and earlier intervention approaches, as well as utilising technology to address issues of isolation and frailty.

Officials are now in the process of setting up a guidance Implementation Group, with the aim of working with the sector to ensure the guidance is fully embedded across Scotland. This will include making use of the new Baseline Assessment Tool to benchmark services against the Key Actions within the guidance. We expect the evaluation work to commence in the Spring of 2024, once we are through the pressures of winter.

Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Strategy also outlines how technology will be used to reshape and improve services, support person-centered care, and improve outcomes.

Furthermore, the procurement and funding of our Connect Me digital platform has enabled access to this remote monitoring system for all Territorial Health Boards and Partnerships. The Connect Me programme provides the opportunity for IJBs to consider redesign of care pathways to incorporate digital solutions thus releasing resource capacity in their delivery services.

Running parallel to the Connect Me programme is the Digital Health and Care Directorate’s programmes for Social Care and Telecare. Both programmes work to support the social care sector (from IJBs and local authorities, to support and care provider organisation) in embedding the use of digital solutions for citizens.