NHS Code4Health to improve clinician digital literacy

NHS England is supporting frontline staff and healthcare professionals to develop apps and other digital tools to become the centrepiece of an unprecedented initiative to harness the information revolution and make a real difference to patient care.

National Director for Patients and Information Tim Kelsey launched the NHS Code4Health programme on Tuesday 3 March at the UK e-Health Week event at London Olympia. NHS Code4Health provides doctors, nurses and care staff with specialist training and support to create and deliver their own IT programmes and products to increase their involvement in the development of online tools that will directly lead to improved care.

NHS staff can apply for programmes including ‘App in a day’ which takes delegates through the entire process of App development from design to delivery in just one learning session.

Beyond the training, the aim of the programme is to bring together like-minded individuals and organisations of all sizes to form communities where they can share ideas, insight and tools on how to improve healthcare through the adoption of technology.

Local Code4Health communities will belong to a wider Code4Health network and be encouraged to share their successes, becoming a powerful vehicle for spreading knowledge and innovation across the NHS.

Stimulation will be provided through innovation prize funding and access to the Code4Health development platform where users can learn about NHS IT systems, explore available interfaces and build and test Apps.

NHS England will continue to drive the initiative, supporting collaboration and the growth of communities by providing resource, expertise and access to the full community network.

Tim Kelsey, National Director for Patients and Information, said: “Finding the best innovations in health and social care and spreading them to every corner of the system is crucial to ensuring services evolve to meet the changing needs of patients.

“The Code4Health programme will not only encourage those who work in the NHS to engage with technology but also empower them to shape it into digital solutions which are meaningful to them and their work.”

Code4Health is a key part of the National Information Board’s Framework for Action, Personalised Health and Care 2020.

The initial programme of training is delivered by Livecode, a UK company experienced in open source technology and teaching digital literacy, and beyond that we expect a wide range of large and small organisations to support the communities. The training pilot was oversubscribed with more than 100 clinicians from 17 care providers taking part.