A leaked report from NHS England has highlighted a critical shortage of digital nurse specialists that could hinder the healthcare system’s technological progress.
According to Nursing Times, the delayed Phillips Ives Review, initially set for publication in 2023 after its launch in 2022, emphasizes the urgent need for more investment in the digital specialist workforce and enhanced digital training.
The review, which aimed to assess the digital readiness of nurses and midwives, revealed a significant lack of digital specialists capable of driving the digital transformation in healthcare.
Consultations with nurses and midwives across the UK underscored the necessity for acquiring new skills to match the rapid technological advancements in healthcare, such as genomics, artificial intelligence, and data science.
Furthermore, the review highlights the need for nursing and midwifery roles to evolve over the next two decades to fully leverage the benefits of technological advancements.
Existing nursing and midwifery education programs were found to inadequately address digital literacy, leading the review to recommend reforms that would better support a digitally-enabled workforce.
The report also points out a lack of worldwide consensus on the roles of specialist digital nurses and midwives, affecting factors like seniority, pay rates, recruitment, and retention within the specialization.
As of now, NHS England has yet to respond to requests for comment from Digital Health News regarding the findings of the report.
