Scotland is set to enhance collaboration and innovation in its health and social care system through the expansion of Seer, a world-leading data and analytics platform. Seer has been instrumental in providing staff with easy access to data for decision-making in patient care and resource planning, particularly in areas such as cancer intelligence, blood stock monitoring, and the flu vaccination programme.
The upcoming Seer 2 platform, leveraging cloud technology, will offer the health and social care workforce an advanced version, providing increased flexibility and access to new tools and technologies. Already, these features have been used to develop new dashboards for capacity management during winter.
Health Secretary Neil Gray highlighted these advancements at the Digital Health and Care Scotland Conference 2024. He also announced the Scottish Government’s plans to update Scotland’s first Data Strategy in spring, along with an updated Delivery Plan for the Digital Health and Care Strategy to be published in April.
Mr. Gray emphasized the importance of digital and technology-driven services in enhancing health and social care. He noted that leveraging data and digital technology is critical to driving improvements in healthcare and is key to service reform plans. The Seer 2 platform, described as world-leading, is facilitating collaboration and innovation across government and the NHS by providing near real-time intelligence for decision-making, generating new insights, and improving outcomes.
In addition to the Seer platform, Mr. Gray visited Boroughloch Medical Practice, known for embracing technology. There, Dr. Abhayaratna demonstrated an online consultation and workflow system that aids GP practices in managing patient caseloads through digital triage and operational change.
Dr. Abhayaratna highlighted the practice’s success in digital access, with around 80% of patients making online requests since October 2019. This system has optimized the practice’s multi-disciplinary team’s skills, ensuring each patient receives the best care. Patient feedback has been positive, with 75% reporting that the digital service is better than previous arrangements.
These developments showcase Scotland’s commitment to leveraging technology and data to address challenges in healthcare, such as funding pressures, inequalities, and workforce issues. By embracing digital innovations, Scotland aims to enhance patient care, streamline workflows, and improve overall efficiency in the health and social care sector.
