Digital Maturity Assessment 2023 – Section Nine
Digital access to healthcare and social care services is not yet well developed
Making services accessible to those who use them via digital channels wherever appropriate is a strategic objective for the healthcare and social care sectors in Scotland. Most participating organisations have made inroads into their digital service offerings, but for many, there is still some way to go before those objectives are met. Quantitatively, only a small proportion (15%) of service users access digital channels; qualitatively, most organisations currently only offer static information digitally. While there are some positive outliers, many are currently not able to offer interactive/personalised digital services.
Most digital management groups are aware of needing to operate sustainably
Awareness of the environmental impact of digital operations and digital solutions to managing organisations’ overall impact are beginning to emerge, although adoption is currently not consistent across Scotland. Our data shows that more organisations’ initial concerns were with travel reduction, and the amount of paper and energy their digital processes consume.
Some have also turned to digital solutions to manage their organisations’ overall intake of supplies and materials; others have embedded sustainability within their governance system for digital projects.
