This webinar will review the digital skills and capabilities expected of modern clinician, and provide clinicians with an overview of the opportunities for developing these capabilities, the routes to do so, with guidance on how to develop an upskilling strategy for healthcare teams and organisations – empowering them to leverage emerging technologies, enhance patient care, and drive organisational transformation at all levels of healthcare delivery.

Experts:

• Claire Dellar, Lead product manager & accessibility ambassador, NHS England
• David Farrell, Head of product, NHS Digital Academy
• Liz Ashall-Payne, Founder, Orcha Health

Why Digital Literacy Matters More Than Ever

• Digital transformation is here to stay—but only 48% of UK working-age adults can complete basic digital tasks.

• Over 50% of NHS staff lack essential digital skills, including simple tasks like using email or accessing payslips online.

• Poor digital design and lack of accessibility directly impact patient safety, clinician burnout, and inefficiencies in care.

Speaker Highlights

Claire Dellar 

• Shared powerful personal insight as a neurodivergent, disabled clinician.

• Accessibility is not optional—it's a clinical risk if ignored.

• 1 in 4 UK citizens has a disability; 1 in 7 are neurodivergent—design for them, and everyone benefits.

• Advocated for universal design: accessible forms, clear language, screen reader compatibility, and inclusive procurement.

• Bonus: Shared practical tools and ChatGPT prompts for making content accessible.

Liz Ashall-Payne 

• There are over 365,000 digital health apps—yet only 20% meet safety and quality standards.

• Clinicians aren’t trained in digital tools, and current app store ratings are not reliable indicators of quality.

• Emphasized building trust through validated assessment frameworks like NHS DTAC.

• Shared model for integrating digital tools into personalized care pathways, not just single-use apps.

• Key message: “Think pathways, not products.”

David Farrell 

• Reinforced the massive gap in digital confidence—including among high earners and even tech sector workers.

• Digital illiteracy is not just about older age groups—1 in 2 young adults can’t complete basic digital work tasks.

• Lack of skills and poor design are among the top reasons 70% of digital transformation projects fail.

• Advocated for user-centred design and scalable digital skills programs across the NHS.

Practical Tools Shared

• Hemingway App – Simplify language in patient communications.

• Silktide Accessibility Checker – Instantly flag accessibility issues.

• NHS Digital Service Manual – Clear, actionable accessibility standards.

Top Takeaways

• Accessibility isn’t just for patients—it’s for clinicians and systems too.

• Digital health needs consistent standards, smarter evaluation, and equitable access.

• One-size-fits-all doesn’t work—solutions must be adaptable to individual patient needs.

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