Introduction to Informatics project completion

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) has completed a commission by the Digital Academy to develop the raw content for an online, interactive learning resource that introduces Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) to health informatics and shows how technology can support their work.

The CSP worked collaboratively with Keele University and other Allied Health Professional (AHP) professional bodies to deliver the content, which builds on exploratory work it conducted as part of the CSP’s Physiotherapy Health Informatics Strategy (PHIS).The strategy identified the need for accessible online learning made up of bitesize content to support clinicians to meet this requirement.

Relevant to all AHPs

The course content is supported by examples of good practice across AHP healthcare. CSP worked with 12 of the 14 AHP professional bodies and their representatives to ensure content and delivery were relevant to all professions. Once the design phase commences, the plan is for the learning to be hosted by NHS England but to be accessible to all AHPs in the UK regardless of where they are based, their employment sector, and their experience.

The platform will allow users to access the learning when it is appropriate for them, with each learning byte taking no more than 15 minutes at a time. The course has been designed for anyone involved in AHP services who is new to digital and informatics to support the delivery of their services.

The role of digital in health and social care

When used appropriately, digital technology can have a positive impact on health and social care service provision and patient experience. Both the 2016 Wachter Report and 2019 Topol Review commented that gaps in AHP competence, reinforced by a lack of specific and relatable clinical examples are among the reasons for it not being mainstream in the delivery of healthcare.

NHS England’s Long Term Plan (2019) identified the need for AHPs to develop competence, confidence and motivation in the use of digital technology, a focus repeated in the digital framework for AHPs in England (2019), the AHP strategy for England (2022) as well as the digital strategies of Northern Ireland (2016), Scotland (2021), and Wales (2022).

Publication of the resource

This phase of the work is now complete with the next phase to design the online, interactive platform expected to start in early 2024.