Digital Health and Social Care (SCQF level 11) CPD Award
Course code: B9DH
Study mode: You take fewer course units/modules per week compared to full time.
Course type: CPD Award
International: Available to study online
Study at: North, West and Hebrides
Start in: January
Learning mode: You access classes and/or materials digitally.
Duration: Part-time: one semester
How: You attend classes at scheduled times, shown on your timetable., You complete course tasks independently. These may be set by your lecturer or chosen by you.
What is special about this course?
The use of IT in health and social care is driven by the demand led by patients, clients, consumers and professionals alongside evolving technology. It has become increasingly necessary for healthcare professionals to acquire skills in the communication of information across a multitude of disciplines, for the safe delivery and steady advancement of health and social care in a digitised environment.
There has been a rapid rise in the adoption of digital technologies, with the potential for permanent transformation of the ways in which we operate, communicate and transfer knowledge. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this progress ahead of all expectations, highlighting the need for flexibility and drawing attention to the widening digital skills gap, one that needs to be swiftly reduced in order to stimulate economic recovery and prevent social exclusion.
Connectivity and digitalisation will play a hugely important role in our future, with data protection and online security requiring more attention than ever before: trained and competent professionals will ultimately provide the foundation that underpins this progress. This Digital Health and Social Care (SCQF level 11) module will help you play your part in this development, providing you with the opportunities to explore how digitisation is used to improve health and social care delivery systems, through examples such as videolinks for remote consultations, monitoring systems, apps, and software to support rehabilitation. You will learn about data security, legislation, patient confidentiality, and the impact of digital connectivity, especially in relation to improving access for those in remote and rural areas.
On successful completion of this module, you will have developed the agility and flexibility needed to keep up with the accelerating pace of technology, with the aim of improving both health care and social care outcomes in the digital environment.
Special features
- Online
- The module is suitable for students from backgrounds such as health and social care as well as computer-related disciplines
- The module leader is a member of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre
- You will be encouraged to create a Europass profile, a useful employability tool where you can list and organise your digital skills (including tools and software you can use), as well as projects and achievements you are proud of
Entry requirements
- Evidence of being able to study at SCQF level 9 and/or 10 is required
- Applications will be assessesed on an individual basis
You will study the following topics:
- Development of health and social care in a digital environment: Explores the past 25 years of practice-altering changes in technology for: administrative and clinical applications; evidence based practice; information retrieval; decision support systems; data security; and confidentiality.
- Emerging technologies and innovation: Highlights emerging technologies, regional information organisations, personal health records and national and local level health surveillance. Includes an overview of privacy issues, legislation, regulations and accreditation standards pertinent to health and social care in a digital environment.
- Health information systems: Health information systems in health and social care are examined, with emphasis on risk, security, confidentiality and trust. Based on the patient-centred approach, key issues such as patient confidentiality and user authorisation are included. Key principles and policies in relation to patient confidentiality are discussed (secure access to patient records; retrieval, navigation and documentation of patient data; and how to report appropriately).
- Social determinants - "the right to health": The application of social media to mobile health is explored in terms of reshaping the potential benefits and challenges, using the Triple AAAQ framework for the promotion of health and wellbeing in remote and rural and urban settings.
- Drivers of and barriers to health and social care in a digital environment: digital health and digital care is an emerging multidisciplinary profession and governments, educators and practitioners recognise a need to advance its formalisation and development. Drivers and barriers are discussed in healthcare settings (adherence to medicine, programmes for self-management) and mass media communication (as a supplementary information to primary source).
How will I study my course?
- Part-time (unstructured)
- You will learn through a combination of video-conference lectures and tutorials, and online study via the university's virtual learning environment (VLE), with support from your tutors.
How long will my course last?
- Part-time (unstructured): one semester (approximately 14 weeks)
- North, West and Hebrides
Start date
- January
Fees
For students normally domiciled in Scotland, with a term-time address in Scotland, the following fees apply:
This includes
- EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status in the UK,
- EEA/Swiss nationals with settled status in the UK
- EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
| CPD award (20 credit module) | £584 | £610 |
For students normally domiciled in the rest of the UK (England, Wales and N. Ireland) or assessed as rest of the UK for fee status, the following fees apply:
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
| CPD award (20 credit module) | £780 | £840 |
Fees are payable in advance each academic year unless otherwise agreed.
Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, the Scottish Government confirmed that EU/EEA and Swiss nationals, who do not have settled or pre-settled status, will be considered as international for fee purposes. These students will get an automatic fee scholarship.
This includes EEA/Swiss nationals with pre-settled status who are not self-employed or migrant workers in the UK.
|
|
With scholarship | 2025-26 | With scholarship | |
| CPD award (20 credit module) | £1,110 | £833 | £1,200 | £900 |
For students who do not normally reside in the UK or European Union, studying online from their home country, or assessed as international for fee status, the following fees apply:
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
| CPD award (20 credit module) | £1,110 | £1,200 |
A no fee increase guarantee is available for self-funding full-time and structured part-time rest of the UK, EU and international postgraduate students for continuous study for the same award, up to the permitted standard time limit for the relevant award.
This course is not available for international students requiring Student Route visa sponsorship to study in the UK.
Funding
UHI has a number of scholarships, bursaries, awards, and discretionary fund opportunities available to new and current students. Please use the A-Z of funds or use the filter to see which ones may be relevant to you. All students are welcome to apply.
Further information on funding your studies is also available, please see the attached link or contact the relevant UHI partner.
What can I do on completion of my course?
Once you have successfully completed this CPD Award Digital Health and Social Care (SCQF level 11), you might like to consider careers in:
- NHS, social care, public, private and third sector e.g. clinical roles, support roles, management roles
- Upskilling and reskilling opportunities for career changers to work in digital health and care e.g. technical roles, production and delivery roles, user centred design roles, data knowledge and intelligence roles, IT operation roles, cyber security roles
- Education in primary, secondary and tertiary environments
Can I progress into further study?
You may wish to progress from CPD Award Digital Health and Social Care (SCQF level 11) to the following course:
Apply for Digital Health and Social Care (SCQF level 11) CPD Award
We are delighted that you are thinking about studying at the University of the Highlands and Islands. We operate a fair and open admissions system committed to equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. We consider all applications on merit and on the basis of ability to achieve, without discrimination on grounds of gender, age, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic background. We welcome applications from all prospective students and aim to provide appropriate and efficient services to students with disabilities.