Caroline Wilson, Wider Network Manager at Tinder Foundation, spoke at the Older People and Digital Inclusion Day hosted by Connecting Cheshire on 1st October 2015, about the Widening Digital Participation programme run by Tinder Foundation in partnership with NHS England. The Widening Digital Participation programme has seen 235,465 people have been reached by the programme to date, reducing health inequalities among older people, disabled people and those on low incomes.

1. 3 year programme funded by NHS England
235,465 awareness raised
140,892 learnt to use health resources
Widening Digital Participation
Programme

2. Widening Digital Participation
Programme

3. Unemployed Older People
People on low incomes Disabled people
People with poor mental health BAME groups
Learners supported

4. • Embedding digital health in digital inclusion
• Digital surgeries
• Community outreach events
• Embedding digital health in informal learning
• Training health and care professionals
• Social prescribing
• A flexible approach
Successful models of intervention

5. Jobcentres • social housing providers • cancer support
services • GP practices • libraries • carers’ groups •
places of worship • mental health support services•
hostels• pharmacies• refugee support organisations •
care homes • schools and colleges
Partnerships are key

6. Learn My Way - Being Healthy

7. An increase from 65% to 87%
Learners who have the information and skills to manage
their health through participation in the programme.
48% of learners have saved time
by doing something health-related online
32% reported saving money
mostly through avoided travel costs
Benefits identified

8. Our Learners - Customers’ Experience

9. • 3rd year of NHS Widening Digital Participation
• 276 UKOL centres participating in Digital Health
Information Network
• 8 Pathfinder centres
• Developing a new programme to continue our health
work - watch this space!
Going Forwards

10. “The project has had the greatest
impact where there’s been a
passionate champion for the
project in the partner organisation.”
the need for a tailored, flexible
approach to training that is
responsive to learner needs and
interests
Hints and Tips:
Embedding digital health in digital inclusion
“Health is often a conversation
starter for our clients. This
programme has given the
conversation somewhere to go.”
Checking the ratings of local
hospitals proved really popular.

11. centre staff have taken tablets and
laptops to community group
gatherings such as coffee
mornings
The portability of tablets, laptops
and MiFi devices has proved
critical for many centres working to
engage hard-to-reach populations
and new audiences
Hints and Tips:
Community Outreach
involves partnerships with
specialist service providers (e.g.
disability service providers)

12. Get endorsement by the local
Clinical Commissioning Group
(CCG).
Hints and Tips:
Social Prescribing
establishing a referral pathway
from GPs to UK online centres, for
support of various kinds including
digital health skills

13. Careful training of staff or
volunteers is important for
ensuring GPs and practice staff
have confidence in welcoming
digital health trainers
Hints and Tips:
Digital Surgeries
GPs often refer patients to
UKOLCs who visit for a chat as
much as for health advice
Running one-to-one drop-in or
scheduled sessions in the GP
practice - Privacy for patients
needs to be considered

14. Careful training of staff or
volunteers is important for
ensuring GPs and practice staff
have confidence in welcoming
digital health trainers
Hints and Tips:
Training health and care professionals
delivering tailored presentations
that demonstrated online content
specific to the group of
professionals being targeted
through local professional groups.
Existing local networks were
helpful in establishing contact.

15. improve their diet, take up more exercise, reduce
alcohol and tobacco consumption and find new ways
to manage stress and anxiety
empowers them to take greater control over self-
management of their own health and engage in a
more informed dialogue with health professionals.
Outcomes

16. “Technology is the key to the
future of the NHS. Tinder
Foundation is helping us realise the
potential of digital health for
everyone – particularly those most
in need of our services”
Bob Gann
Programme Director NHS England
Outcomes

17. Find out more at
http://nhs.tinderfoundation.org/
Thank You
Caroline Wilson
caroline@tinderfoundation.org