The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the move to virtual and remote consultations in
clinical practice with digital technologies widely implemented. eHealth
interventions and use of applications in a variety of conditions means that
patients and their families, as well as healthcare professionals, can access and
interpret data in real-time, as well as providing trends in various clinical
parameters including blood pressure for instance. Despite the aim of digital
transformation in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, this has
not been fully realised and there is no consensus on the skills and competencies
required for allied health professionals (AHPs). This qualitative study
undertook two focus groups with twelve AHPs to evaluate the AHP Digital
Competency Framework in the UK. The participants recognised the importance of a
digital technology in their clinical practice and perceived digital literacy as
essential for AHPs. In relation to the AHP framework, participants agreed that
competencies in digital technology were clinically relevant, and assessment of
these competencies should be performed regularly in practice. However, the
majority were unaware of the AHP digital competency framework and suggested
improvements to optimise its use in practice and identified areas for
improvement. Overall, the AHP Digital Competency Framework has the potential,
with better dissemination and further refinement of the wording, to become a
useful tool to support the enhancement of digital competency in AHPs and improve
the delivery of patient care.