Digital Health Leadership Programme (DHLP) students at Imperial College London can now apply for registration with the Federation for Informatics Professionals in Health and Social Care (FEDIP), allowing them to benefit from the structured professional recognition, esteem and accountability already afforded to established healthcare roles.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Health Leadership has been aligned with the FEDIP professional standards framework, and DHLP alumni can apply to register at the level of Advanced Practitioner.
Andrew Griffiths, CEO at FEDIP, said: “We’re delighted that the Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Health Leadership has been evaluated against our professional standards and has demonstrated that it provides a means of equipping digital leaders with the skills and competencies that are required to ensure digital services are developed and maintained to the highest standards for the safety of the public.
“We need leaders that are professional and can demonstrate that by being assured of their own continued development by undertaking education that meets those standards.”
The FEDIP accreditation is helping to ensure that all change leaders across health and care continue to work with accountability, such as when designing and implementing digital solutions.
Advocates for this structural change have highlighted the importance of ongoing testing and validation to ensure professionals remain updated with the latest practices and maintain a high level of competency.
Establishing FEDIP registration has been supported by six professional bodies sitting under the FEDIP umbrella. They are: AphA (Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts), BCS (The Chartered Institute for IT), CHIME (The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives), CILIP (The Library and Information Association), IHRIM (The Institute of Health Records & Information Management) and Socitm (Society for innovation, technology and modernisation).
The DHLP is a pioneering initiative aimed at equipping individuals with essential digital health leadership skills. It was commissioned by the NHS Digital Academy in 2017 and is delivered by the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College London in partnership with HDR UK and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Ruth Holland, deputy CIO at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: ”The recognition and professional registration for digital and data health experts who participate in the Digital Health Leadership Programme marks a critical milestone.
“It not only ensures accountability but also signifies the commitment to maintaining high standards of practice in the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare technology.”
The recruitment window for the latest upcoming cohort, Cohort 7, is now open until 25 April 2024.
As NHS staff and services feel the strain, digital leaders and teams are stepping up. Digital Health News spoke with Penny Kechagioglou, a speaker on the Leadership and Teams stage at Rewired 2024, about how digital leaders make a real difference.