Help us build a workforce that’s ready to make the most of digital technology

We’re exploring options for a new tool that’ll help us address the digital skills gap in social care in Wales.

In 2023, we worked with an organisation called Basis to look at how we can best support digital innovation in social care.

We found out that there are gaps in the skills the workforce need to support digital innovation in the sector.

We want people who work in social care in Wales to help us and Basis develop a tool that'll assess the current digital maturity and literacy of the sector.

‘Digital maturity and literacy’ means the ability and confidence of an organisation and its people to use technology effectively and deliver value.

Identifying and addressing gaps in the digital skills of the workforce can help lead to more effective services and better outcomes for people who use care and support.

We’d love to hear your experiences of using digital technology to meet the needs of the people you support.

If you’re happy to share your experiences and work with us to develop an assessment tool, please email us at workforcestrategy@socialcare.wales and we’ll be in touch to arrange a conversation.

Basis have also created a short survey to help us learn more about how we can develop a tool that works best for you and your organisation.

The anonymous survey takes around six minutes to complete.

Your support and input will help make sure that any assessment improves:

• the ability of leaders to make strategic decisions and allocate resources more effectively
• our understanding of the development needs and skills gaps in the workforce
• the recruitment and retention of great people
• the ability of organisations to test innovative digital solutions
• collaboration and holistic support
• equal access to opportunities and support using digital resources
• the ability of the workforce to practice more personalised care under increasing pressures and expectations.