Digital literacy and digital confidence

Digital literacy and digital confidence are essential for delivering safe, effective and person‑centred care.

These capabilities help staff use digital tools well, adapt to new systems, and provide better care for patients.

Improving both is primarily the responsibility of employers. The NHS Digital Academy provides guidance and expertise to help organisations do this well.

What digital literacy means

We define digital literacy as, "those capabilities that fit someone for living, learning, working, participating and thriving in a digital society".

In health and care, this includes:

• Essential digital skills – for example turning on a device, managing passwords, basic typing
• Clinical digital skills – for example running safe and effective remote consultations
• Tool‑specific skills – for example using an electronic patient record or Microsoft 365

What digital confidence means

We define digital confidence as, "An individual’s belief in their ability to use, learn, and adapt to digital tools, systems, and technologies required in their role".

Our evidence shows that self-reported digital confidence is a strong predictor of digital capability. It is also easier to measure, so we recommend using digital confidence as a key indicator when evaluating digital skills and upskilling programmes.

Improving digital literacy and confidence

Improving digital literacy and digital confidence is an employer responsibility and a key contributor to the overall success of an organisation. High digital literacy correlates to a 33% productivity increase for NHS trusts in England (NHSE Digital Maturity Assessment, 2025).

Employers are responsible for:

• Understanding the digital skills needs of their workforce
• Putting in place appropriate training and support
• Creating environments where staff feel safe to learn and develop digital skills
• Evaluating whether their interventions improve confidence and capability

How the NHS Digital Academy supports organisations

We provide evidence-based tools and frameworks to help organisations improve digital literacy and confidence. These include:

• Guidance on effective digital champion models
• The Digital Skills Assessment Tool
• Digital capabilities frameworks for professions and services