Spotlight on Careers in Digital Health and Care: Addressing Future Workforce Development Needs in Digital Health and Care

One of the fastest growing economic sectors globally is Digital Health and Care, spearheading the digitisation of health and care services. A recognised factor restricting the growth of the Digital Health and Care sector in Scotland is the lack of suitably skilled workers. In the Digital Health and Care sector, based on research carried out by the DHI, staff is most urgently required in the following six occupational categories: Software Developers, Product Owners, Implementation Facilitators, Knowledge Engineers, Health Data Analysts and Cyber Security Specialists. This report, produced in partnership with Skills Development Scotland, probes into the nature of these roles, the required skills and capabilities of people employed in these roles, the education and career pathways taken by professionals currently engaged in these roles, and the currently available educational pathways into these roles. The main purpose of this study is to highlight issues underlying the lack of clear career pathways and offer pointers for organisations involved in planning the education and training provision for the (Digital) Health and Care sector in Scotland.