Understanding the Digital Capability Framework: Learning and Leadership
This article is the first instalment of a six-part series on the Digital Capability Framework (DCF). The series aims to provide an overview of the DCF, delving into each of its domains to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Why was the DCF created?
Digital transformation is a high priority for NHS Wales. It has been recognised that there is a significant gap in health and social care between advancements in healthcare technologies and the workforce's ability to integrate these changes into services. This gap is thought to be due to the digital literacy and capability of the workforce, as well as socio-economic challenges.
As part of the Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care, Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) created the Digital Capabilities Framework (DCF). The purpose of the framework is to support healthcare professionals in identifying and developing the necessary skills, attitudes, and behaviours needed, to thrive in the digital health environment.
What is the DCF?
The DCF is made up of six domains and a self-evaluation tool which helps healthcare professionals understand the importance of digital technology and identify areas of digital development
The six domains provide a structured approach to identifying and developing the necessary skills, attitudes, and behaviours needed to thrive in a digital environment. Each domain represents a specific area of capability, allowing individuals and organisations to focus on particular aspects of digital literacy and competency. The domains are:
- Learning and leadership
- Working with others
- Safety and wellbeing
- Using technology
- Data literacy
- Research and innovation.
The first in the series, this introductory article focuses on the Learning and Leadership domain, alongside its three sub domains:
- Digital learning
- Supporting others with digital
- Digital leadership
Collectively these domains are essential considerations for fostering digital literacy and empowerment within both individual and organisational contexts. Helping healthcare professionals improve their digital literacy supports them to effectively use digital tools and technologies in their daily work. By developing digital capabilities, healthcare professionals can enhance patient care through better coordination, communication, and access to information.
The framework supports continuous professional development by providing access to a self-evaluation tool. which helps individuals identify their strengths and areas for improvement. This empowers healthcare professionals to take ownership of their digital transformation journey.
Learning and leadership
The Learning and leadership domain emphasises the importance of staying current with digital health technologies, effectively utilising digital tools for professional growth, and leveraging technology to enhance practices. Additionally, it highlights the role of supporting others in accessing and using digital health technologies, facilitating learning, and promoting digital innovation within organisations.
Digital learning
Digital learning focuses on personal and professional development in digital health. It highlights the importance of keeping up with the latest advancements in digital health technologies. By continuously updating knowledge and skills, professionals can use technologies to improve their work and encourage innovation.
Additionally, this sub-domain encourages the effective use of digital tools to enhance one's capabilities and promote digital skills in the organisation. It's all about using technology to support ongoing learning and improvement.
Supporting others
The Supporting others sub-domain focuses on individuals accessing and utilising digital health technologies to enhance well-being. It underscores the importance of using digital tools to facilitate learning and proactively engage in peer-to-peer education. By leveraging digital tools, a more inclusive and supportive learning environment that promotes continuous improvement and innovation can be created.
It also highlights the importance of empowering citizens, patients and service users with accessing and using digital health technologies, to enhance their well-being. Empowering citizens, patients and service users with digital skills is crucial as it helps bridge the digital divide, ensuring that everyone can benefit from technological advancements regardless of their socioeconomic status. This empowerment fosters greater health literacy, enabling individuals to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.
Digital leadership
Digital leadership emphasises how leadership, at all levels, can drive the adoption and integration of digital health technologies within organisations. This sub-domain focuses on championing digital innovation, guiding teams and departments in exploring new digital capabilities, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement through technology. By promoting digital tools and practices, leaders can enhance service delivery, support the development of digital skills, and enable transformative changes in healthcare settings. The goal is to empower individuals and organisations to navigate the digital health landscape confidently and effectively.
It’s your turn to progress
Improving the services you provide by learning more about digital tools and supporting others through peer education can feel daunting.
A great first step is to complete the Digital Capability Framework (DCF) self-assessment tool.
The tool will help prompt you to consider your current digital skills and there are also bite-size resources available to help kick start your development.
It takes approximately one hour to complete the DCF and you can do at a time to suit you. Many professions provide an hour of certified CPD for completing it too.
Visit the HEIW website to learn more.