Digital Health Leadership skills framework

Knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences required by a senior digital health leader.

This framework has been developed to demonstrate the full breadth of knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences required by a senior digital health leader who is able to influence digital change and transformation at an organisational level. It is not anticipated that candidates applying for Digital Health Leadership Programme (DHLP) will have substantial evidence of meeting all these skill areas but must be able to demonstrate a good level of experience to build upon. Candidates are encouraged to consider how ready they are for this course based on this skills framework and will be required to undertake a skills self-report questionnaire as part of the application process.

Competency based dimension

Creating a new vision and innovative ideas that are positively related to structural changes to organisational level digital approach for example, updating digital tools, business processes, operating procedures and planned digital transformation.

Skill areas and definitions

• Strategic vision - Digital health leaders can see the bigger picture and opportunities to integrate digital ways of working into the strategic planning and implementation of the organisation. This includes being able to critically analyse and recognise patterns, opportunities from disparate bits of information to create a cohesive vision that will influence key stakeholders.
• Learning dissemination - Digital health leaders can recognise the knowledge, skills and abilities that are required for digital change and transformation. They can translate this into solutions that may need to be implemented at organisational, team and/or individual level to build knowledge and skills maturity.
• Innovation and change management - Digital health leaders can generate ideas and connections that bring a fresh perspective to common challenges. They can be adaptive, willing to try new ways of working and able to empower, enable and support others through organisational digital change and transformation.  
• Outcomes orientated - Digital health leaders can recognise the importance of user-centredness for enhancing the quality of experience and outcomes for both the workforce and service users in the design and implementation of digital solutions. They can use a range of data and evidence in the continuous development and improvement of approaches to digital.
• Communication and influence - Digital health leaders can create a narrative and key messaging that clearly articulates meaning, definitions, benefits and the value of digital change and transformation for key stakeholders. They can explain the rationale, purpose, processes, and outcomes of change. Ensures that communication is a two-way process. 

Person-centred dimension

Empowering, influencing, engaging, and motivating others to create a digitally innovative climate which improves performance, readiness for change and collaboration. Understanding self and responsibilities as a leader to maintain confidence, trust and reputation in self, teams, and organisation.

Skill areas and definitions

• Culture development - Digital health leaders can create, manage, and pioneer environments and mindsets open to digitally enabled transformation. They can cultivate a positive organisational culture and climate, recognising the contribution of all employees and understanding the readiness for change and level of support they need to manage uncertainty. They utilise their power and influence effectively and proactively to build shared assumptions, beliefs, and values to foster cooperation and integration in change. They set expectations about behaviours and approaches to create stability and continuity.
• Team development - Digital health leaders recognise that digital change and transformation requires the creation of multi-disciplinary teams with a breadth of skills not just digital expertise. They can bring together workforce with the right skills and resources to support the design, delivery and on-going monitoring and evaluation. They develop potential leaders and digital MDTs to have the skills for sustainability of future workforce.
• Growth mindset - Digital health leaders approach transformational change with interest and curiosity, identifying opportunities for learning new things, using imagination and trial and error to test and develop new ways of working. They are open to being challenged and experiencing alternative approaches, utilising both scepticism and intuition to guide their approach. They can persevere even when things aren't going to plan and can adapt to changes and setbacks.
• Integrity - Digital health leaders demonstrate integrity and honesty, with the ability to take responsibility and accountability for situations or actions that may not go as planned. They are trustworthy and reliable, following through on their commitments and acting in accordance with what they say they will do. They are honest about any mistakes that have been made without blame or excuses.
• Insightfulness - Digital health leaders can critically appraise opportunities for self-development, adapting to different contexts and practicing selected interpersonal and team-working skills. They actively consider the implications of their leadership style and behaviours on situations and people. They formulate personal action plans to establish how you will approach future digital transformation challenges in healthcare.