Health Information Week 2025: Day Five

Published Date: 24th January 2025

The theme for the fifth and final day of Health Information Week is Digital Literacy.

 

Along with the HIW team, we have put together a list of online resources and materials on the topic. Click here for the pdf version, or see below:

 

1. What is digital literacy?

• The BBC’s WebWise is a series of short films introducing topics including using email, using internet and online safety: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p023xv3k
• The complete guide to digital skills put together by FutureLearn introduces what digital skills are and why they are important: https://www.futurelearn.com/info/blog/the-complete-guide-to-digital-skills

 

2. Resources for people to improve their own digital literacy skills

• Learn My Way provides free short courses in a range of digital literacy skills such as using a device, using email and managing money and health online: https://www.learnmyway.com/
• Digital literacy: succeeding in a digital world is a free course developed by the Open University. The course will develop people’s confidence in digital skills. It includes topics such as digital identity, digital well-being, staying safe and legal, finding and using information and online tools, and dealing with information overload: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=105148
• The Lloyd’s Bank Academy is an online learning hub which has lessons on getting started online, learning how to communicate and stay safe and secure online: https://www.lloydsbankacademy.co.uk/

 

3. Guides to using online health services

• NHS England has created a step-by-step guide to help people understand how the NHS app works: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/nhs-app/toolkit/step-by-step-guides
• NHS England has a set of easy read guides to help people use and access GP online services: https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/gp-online-services-easy-read-guides/

 

4. Resources for healthcare professionals, librarians, and information providers

• Libraries Connected offers online learning modules as part of its work on media literacy and digital skills development: https://lc.learningpool.com/course/index.php?categoryid=29
• The Information Literacy Group website supports practitioners and researchers from around the world with an interest in information and digital literacy: https://infolit.org.uk/
• The Department for Education essential digital skills framework defines the digital skills adults need to safely benefit from, participate in and contribute to the digital world. It also includes key statistics on people’s digital skills in the UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/essential-digital-skills-framework
• Your local NHS Library and Knowledge Service also has a digital literacy toolkit available for you to use: https://www.sonhslks.com/digital-literacy-skills.html