About our programme

Background to the Health and Social Care Data Driven Initiative Talent programme

Data science and digital skills gap

The UK and Scottish Governments in association with organisations such as the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI), the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) ,  the Scottish Social Services Council  (SSSC) ,and the Topol Review identified a capability gap in data and digital skills in the Health and Social Care (HSC) sector. The Scottish Government recently updated its Digital Health and Care Strategy focusing on the need to tackle digital exclusion.

Our programme aims to address this gap with an ambitious target to train 20,000 students and HSC professionals in the application of data to benefit the health and wellbeing of citizens. 9,000 of our students will attain certification in transferable data skills.

We have developed a learning structure involving 

• Engagement with regional colleges 
• Enhancing the data science capability of the undergraduate medical degree 
• Provision of a portfolio of online masters degrees 
• Continuing professional development in the form of stand-alone modules, both Credit and non Credit-bearing

The City Region Deal and Data Driven Innovation

Data-Driven Innovation is a major part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, a UK and Scottish government-led investment in the region where 24% of Scotland’s population live, designed to accelerate productivity and inclusive growth through the funding of infrastructure, skills and innovation.

The Data-Driven Innovation (DDI) Talent programme delivers education and training to provide new data skills capability for the Health and Social Care (HSC) sector. We aim to create a vibrant learning environment that enables students and health and social care professionals realise the value of data to benefit the health and wellbeing of citizens in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland region and beyond.

The Usher Institute

Based in the University of Edinburgh Medical School Department of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences, the Usher Institute, with its core focus on research, teaching and knowledge exchange, provides an excellent base to deliver and lead the new DDI Health and Social Care Talent programme.