• Apps guide, 6th edition (Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE))

See: Data security and information governance training

A general digital literacy/IT skill training opportunities was made available at:

• Matrix of digital training opportunities (Health Education England). See ‘Existing Educational Resource Mapping and Analysis’, section 6, HEE Appendix 2 Resource database.

Additional training and assessment

• Digital Eagles (Barclays)
• Digital literacy training including basic IT skills (Microsoft)

Health Education England (HEE) resources: Digital capabilities

Health Education England (HEE) are supporting the promotion of digital capabilities amongst healthcare staff. HEE may also support the community pharmacy sector to develop some new digital training opportunities in the future. A number of papers have been produced on their website which explore what is meant by digital literacy and how pharmacy teams can get more out of developing their digital literacy.

HEE have said that:

• personal digitally capabilities can involve personal development across a range of domains. Reaching proficient levels may help people to more easily acquire and use other skills and competencies.
• becoming a digitally-literate person involves developing those function skills, plus attitudes, values and behaviours that can be categorised under the elements or domains seen in the image below.

HEE published the Topol Review Preparing the healthcare workforce to deliver the digital future back in 2019. It made recommendations to enable NHS staff to make the most of innovative technologies such as genomics, digital medicine, artificial intelligence and robotics to improve services. These recommendations were intended to support the aims of the NHS Long-Term Plan, and the workforce implementation plan.

See the ‘Training’ section of Preparing or improving EPS.

NHS Digital Academy are accepting applications during April 2021 (for courses starting from Sept 2021).

The NHS Digital Academy  (NHS DA) is a virtual organisation set up with the intention of developing a new generation of digital leaders who can progress the digital technology transformation.

NHS DA’s flagship ‘Digital Health Leadership’ programme will be open from 1st April 2021 to 30th April 2021, for Cohort 4 delegates to commence their learning in September 2021.

NHS DA has trained hundreds of people during recent years across three past cohorts. The new NHS DA website provides details about the course, the application process and how to apply. The website also enables you to book onto a webinar to learn more so you can ask past alumni about the programme (webinar slots are listed from April 7th 2021 onwards before the 30th April 2021 deadline). Given the ongoing pandemic, much of the learning may be virtual depending on conditions.

The syllabus will include modules on: implementing change, understanding user-centred design, using data, and digital leadership.

The NHS DA website explains more for those considering applying or recommending and there is criteria such as you will have:

• 3 to 5 years of relevant experience in digital health;
• approx. up to three days per week to be made available for study and learning; and
• board-level support from a relevant organisation [or equivalent].

For timelines related to the current cohort and past cohorts see the table below:

The first cohort of 100 delegates from around the health and care system in England commenced in 2018 and included those who may be charged with leading digital change, from both clinical (e.g. pharmacy professionals) and non-clinical backgrounds. Since then further cohorts have worked through the programme each year. So far, several community pharmacists have worked through the programme.

Learn more about NHS Digital Academy:

• read all the most up-to-date info at: NHS Digital Academy and applications (webpage);
• consider speaking with a pharmacist that has been through the programme in the past, if possible;
• follow the HEE Digital Readiness Team Twitter account; and
• follow the NHS Digital Academy Twitter account.

If you are a community pharmacist who would like some further information (not answered by NHS Digital Academy website or the NHS Digital Academy team) about how to proceed with applying then please contact it@psnc.org.uk.

Establishing the NHS Digital Academy is a workstream within the HEE Digital Readiness Programme. The programme was commissioned by NHS Transformation Directorate (which is part of NHSE&I).

• Webinar: ‘Making the most of social media’ (PSNC).

• See the ‘Training’ section of Summary Care Record (SCR).

• E-learning Health Informatics (NHS Digital)

These include those listed below. You may speak with them about their future digital-related training opportunities.

• Buttercups
• E-learning modules (Training matters for Professional Assistants)
• E-learning for healthcare (Health Education England)

Information about Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) accreditation can be found here.