Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the role of digital technology in NHS (a) training and (b) professional development.

‘The Topol Review: Preparing the healthcare workforce to deliver the digital future’ published by Health Education England (HEE) in February 2019, assessed how to prepare the healthcare workforce through education and training. The review has strengthened ongoing workforce training and education while making further recommendations. Since its publication, HEE has engaged with system partners to implement the educational recommendations to support a digitally enabled health system.

In addition, HEE is addressing education and training needs through a range of digital and technological projects, programmes and services, including Digital, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Technologies in Education, Blended Learning, Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL), Virtual Hybrid Learning Faculty, the eLearning for healthcare Hub and TEL Simulation and Immersive Technologies Portfolio.