SCTT Strategic Framework
In August 2009, the Scottish Government Health Department (SGHD) published a review of the work of the Scottish Centre for Telehealth (SCT) covering the first three years of its existence. The authors consulted with users and potential users of the SCT on the value of telehealth and the future of the SCT as an organisation.
In terms of governance, the SGHD Review made recommendations on repositioning the Scottish Centre for Telehealth within NHS 24, which offers SCT the opportunity to be part of a national delivery organisation. This move took place on the 1st of April 2010.
With the transition of SCT into NHS 24, it is appropriate to consider how the SCTT Strategy aligns with the strategic direction of NHS 24. In ‘Delivering and Moving Forward’, the NHS 24 Strategic Framework to 2012, NHS 24 is committed to delivering and moving forward three areas of work:
- Improving Health
- Unscheduled Care
- Improving Access to NHS Services
In all three areas, there is very clear alignment between the direction of NHS 24 and the ambitions SCT has for telehealth deployment. There is a very strong evidence base for the adoption of telehealth solutions in the areas of unscheduled care and improving access to NHS Services. In addition to SCTT’s national role in assisting Health Boards, telehealth will offer NHS 24 additional delivery channels for service provision to patients.
The SCTT Strategy sets out the strategic framework that will govern all SCTT activities over the next two years to support the mainstreaming of telehealth across Scotland. At its meeting in April the NSH 24 board approved the Strategic Framework along with an update to the NHS 24 strategy (to be posted on www.nhs24.com).