NHS Education for Scotland has launched a National Digital Platform (NDP) for the building of digital services and apps in health and social care.
It said it has developed the platform with multiple partners as a major element of the Scottish Government’s Digital Health and Care Strategy.
The platform will provide a standard infrastructure and re-usable components to support the connectivity of systems used in digital services and developers in deploying cloud software.
It is also intended to make it easier for health and care practitioners and citizens to access information.
Key features include an infrastructure for deploying and monitoring solutions, an API capability, a development framework, a service catalogue and storage.
Existing services
A few services have been built on the platform before its formal launch, including a Covid vaccination management tool, a stroke assessments tool, ReSPECT emergency patient care summaries and the Open Eyes ophthalmic electronic patient record.
Humza Yousaf, the Scottish Government’s cabinet secretary for health and social care, said: “Within our health and social care system, services are steadily becoming available on digital platforms for those who wish to use them. It is important that these digital platforms work seamlessly together to ensure that people are able to access the right care, at the right place, at the right time.
“I welcome the launch of the National Digital Platform’s website which will offer useful information on using digital platforms and how the NDP can bring together multiple services in one place.”
Karen Reid, chief executive of NHS Education for Scotland, commented: “This project should have massive benefits for the people of Scotland. As an open platform just like you’d get on your phone, we’re making it possible for developers everywhere to come up with innovative apps to help us all.
“Ultimately, the platform will make it simpler to deliver technology that improves the care and wellbeing of people in Scotland. We’re grateful to the massive range of stakeholders who have worked closely with us to make this a reality.”
