Does the Digital Inclusion Framework make a difference?

The framework and assessment tool has now been used by various NHS Sussex commissioners, providers, and programmes. They are being used to support equality and quality impact assessments as new digital services and pathways are designed, and to review existing pathways and services, considering the barriers and enablers to digital inclusion and how to mitigate against them.

Between June 2023 and August 2023, we conducted a service evaluation involving nine users of the Digital Inclusion Framework (DIF) from various locations in NHS Sussex. Key findings from this evaluation include:

The current DIF users expressed substantial support for the framework. They said that the DIF has helped them to understand and highlight potential inequalities in digital health and care. Additionally, it has provided them with an accessible, evidence-based tool for effective mitigation.
Evaluation suggests that for meaningful and sustainable implementation the DIF guidance should be integrated into existing policies. The participants also asked for a digital and interactive version of the framework which has now been developed.

We are planning to undertake further evaluations beyond the local context to inform continuous improvement and build on these recommendations to ensure the successful adoption and sustainability of the framework across policy, strategy, programmes of work, and populations.

“Anyone who is a part of change or service delivery should use this framework and it should be integrated in health and care management training.”

DIF Service Evaluation Participant from NHS Sussex, 2023
“The framework has massively raised my awareness to be able to refer people to the framework and to the support team.”

DIF Service Evaluation Participant from NHS Sussex, 2023
“In addition to targeting commissioners and strategic leads, I can see how the framework could support clinicians in the onboarding of, for example, patients onto virtual wards."

DIF feedback from NHSE, 2023
“The framework got us in the mindset of digital inclusion more broadly and how does the strategy around digital inclusion get embedded across processes that already exist.”

DIF Service Evaluation Participant from NHS Sussex, 2023

Does the Digital Inclusion Framework make a difference?

“Anyone who is a part of change or service delivery should use this framework and it should be integrated in health and care management training.”

“The framework has massively raised my awareness to be able to refer people to the framework and to the support team.”

“In addition to targeting commissioners and strategic leads, I can see how the framework could support clinicians in the onboarding of, for example, patients onto virtual wards."

“The framework got us in the mindset of digital inclusion more broadly and how does the strategy around digital inclusion get embedded across processes that already exist.”