Swinney pledges ‘digital refit’ of public services to plug budget gaps

John Swinney has announced a major tech-powered revamp of Scotland’s public services.

Giving his speech on national renewal at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, the first minister said the “public realm” needed a “near-complete digital refit”.

He said: "We are not going to be able to make the money we have available for public services match the demand for those services unless we ramp up our use of technology".

He pledged to better integrate technology in the health sector in a bid to streamline access to services, allow for earlier diagnosis and deliver better targeted treatment.

“It will be the cornerstone of a more personalised, efficient and cost-effective NHS moving forward. And fundamentally, it is at the heart of my vision for more person-centred health services,” Swonney added.

Artificial intelligence, genetics, data and wearable devices, are among the technologies at the heart of his plans to “revolutionise healthcare”.

He said: “Progress has been made – for example, I think of efforts around digital dermatology – but it is not extensive enough or rapid enough and that must intensify.

“Scotland’s public sector should have a digital doorway that matches the very best in the commercial world. That ambition will drive our actions ahead.”

Business minister Richard Lochhead and public finance minister Ivan McKee will lead the first minister’s plan to bring technology into daily use in the NHS.

He added: “Technology deployed in a way that empowers individuals and communities, that enables our public sector to integrate better, makes it more efficient, and most important of all, facilitates the essential shift to a front-foot focus on prevention as the best means of saving the public purse in the long term.”

His announcement builds on his speech on NHS renewal earlier this year, where he said innovation was key to deliver “smarter and better” care as he confirmed the rollout of the much-anticipated NHS Scotland app, known as the Digital Front Door.

Swinney continued: “I think of the work being done to deliver more targeted public health. That means linking technology, including AI, to local contexts, enabling more effective prediction of risk as well as earlier diagnosis. Technology, including cutting-edge use of genetics, to target interventions more effectively.

“Professor Anna Dominiczak, our chief scientist for health, tells me that we have a generational opportunity to put Scotland at the forefront of deployment of precision medicine – an approach to healthcare that tailor’s medical treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient. It means a move away from a one-size-fits-all model, helping us ensure the right treatment at the right time for each patient.”

The plan forms part of his vision to make Scotland a “forward- looking” and resilient nation.