Read on Twitter
At @wearemHabitat we believe a digitally-enabled health and care system should work for everyone. #Covid19 has brought into sharp focus the benefits of digital but has also highlighted why it is so important to recognise and tackle the social and digital divide.
According to the @LBGplc UK Consumer Digital Index >11.9m (22%) people lack 'essential digital skills' and 4.1m (8%) people are offline. https://www.lloydsbank.com/banking-with-us/whats-happening/consumer-digital-index/key-findings.html#dd
Of the 4.1m people who are offline, 48% are 60+ and 47% come from low income households. People with disabilities are 33% less likely to have essential digital skills and people with impairments are twice as likely to be offline.
Evidence shows that these people are also more likely to have poor physical and mental health and to need health/care support. Egs: Older People > https://www.ageuk.org.uk/globalassets/age-uk/documents/reports-and-publications/reports-and-briefings/health--wellbeing/age_uk_briefing_state_of_health_and_care_of_older_people_july2019.pdf People living in poverty > https://www.health.org.uk/publications/reports/the-marmot-review-10-years-on People living with disabilities > https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/being-disabled-in-britain.pdf
There are many barriers to digital inclusion for these groups, including skills, confidence, motivation, access to devices and the internet, accessibility and design of digital resources all set against the wider context of our lives
So without action a digitally enabled health/care system will compound inequality & exclude some of the people who most need services. The good news is that we can do something about this. Spurred on by #Covid19 people are working hard to tackle this problem. Here's some egs...
Check out @goodthingsfdn @CitizensOnline1 @digiscot @DC_Wales @AbilityNet for digital inclusion programmes and initiatives including @NHSDigital funded Digital Health Champions https://www.digitalunite.com/digital-health-champions-network
Follow @L12_W and @futuredotnowuk to find out about the #Devicesdotnow initiative to get devices to the 1.7m households who don't have access to the internet https://futuredotnow.uk/devicesdotnow/
Follow @rachalate and @JasonTutin and #DigiConnectedLeeds for the latest #100%DigitalLeeds info https://digitalinclusionleeds.com/ A great example of place based digital inclusion.
Have a look at @ParsonXForum for a lovely example of an online memory cafe and @DementiaVoices for their virtual cuppa sessions
Follow @johnpopham who has been collecting stories of digital inclusion via his twitter timeline.
And check out out our very own @Anniecoops blog on keeping connected with her parents. https://wearemhabitat.com/blog/keeping-connected
From the big national initiatives through to individual action we can all help overcome the digital divide. We would love to hear more about how you and your organisations have been tackling digital inclusion through the #Covid19 lock down and we will continue to share on here!