The Digital Health and Social Care Team works with partners, stakeholders, organisations and citizens to improve the access, quality and design of digital tools and services.

Often from mainstream media, we hear about the benefits of digital health and social care tools and services in relation to ‘budget savings’ or ‘reduction of face-to-face services’. This paper is a part of our Digital Health and Social Care Learning Series, which focuses on the benefits digital can have on a person’s life, health and social care experiences or their ability to prevent, manage or improve a health condition. The content has been compiled from evidence gathered from our own projects within the team, including Discover Digital, Digital Citizen Panel and the Digital Links Project– where access to digital has been supported.

This paper is kickstarting a review of our existing Digital Health and Social Care Human Rights Principles. These were coproduced and designed in partnership with Voices of Experience (Vox Scotland) and Scottish Care back in 2021. As the pace and growth of digital services continues, we want to ensure these principles are embedded into service delivery- ensuring digital is a choice and there is an equity and fairness of services.

As part of this review, we would like to invite you to our engagement event, to hear your views on the existing principles and to explore if we need to edit, improve or tweak our messaging to ensure services adopt a human rights based approach.

If you would like to join us at The Social Hub, Glasgow on Tuesday 24 June from 10.00am-12.30pm,

Please email charlotte.roberts@alliance-scotland.org.uk to book a place.

[This news item was first published on 7 May 2025 by the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland]