Why digital skills matter: Meet the Care Technologist and Digital Leader

Lynne Horton, Digital Skills Development Lead, National Care Forum tells us more about the new Care Technologist and Digital Leader roles.

Have you ever wondered how to upskill yourself or your colleagues in line with the evolving role of technology in social care and support? The landscape is changing fast, and in the real world of care, what matters most is making technology work for people – not the other way around. That’s where Care Technologists and Digital Leaders come in and that’s why at the National Care Forum (NCF), we are proud to offer training that is co-designed by the sector and people who draw upon care and support.

What is a Care Technologist?

A Care Technologist is a practical, problem-solving care professional. The role has recently been added to the Care Workforce Pathway, the first ever universal career structure for the social care sector. The role of the Care Technologist is not simply about knowing what gadgets are out there – it’s about understanding real lives and real needs of people, and matching people with technology that will support their independence, choice, wellbeing and ability to make connections. Care Technologists help individuals find and use both everyday technology and more specialist equipment: maybe a smart speaker to help around the home, an app to support mental health, or ways to stay in touch with friends and family. The goal is to empower people to do as much as possible themselves and help care teams feel confident with digital tools. The important part is that the technology fits the person, not the other way round.

What does the training involve?

The Care Technologist Training Programme is practical, inclusive, and directly relevant to the people delivering and drawing on care. The training is delivered both online and face-to-face and takes a blended learning approach. Participants work through case studies, group challenges, and role play – because understanding technology is as much about teamwork and communication as technical skills. Key parts of the course cover:

• Getting to know what digital and assistive technology can do in care.
• Conducting detailed, person-centred assessments – starting with people’s own goals and barriers and matching technology to the person, not just their diagnosis.
• Building confidence to overcome worries or common challenges with technology.
• Staying safe and ethical, with a strong focus on privacy, consent, and safeguarding.
• Tackling real-world challenges like troubleshooting devices and digital inclusion.

Participants will gain skills in support planning, ethical decision-making, and partnership working with families, colleagues, and other professionals. Sessions for the pilot run on 4, 11, and 18 November (10am–3pm) and 25 November (10am–2pm). You can visit our webpage to express interest and find out more.

The Digital Leadership Programme (DLP): building confidence in digital change

For managers, deputies, and anyone leading digital transformation in their workplace, there’s the Digital Leadership Programme (DLP). This programme is recognised by Skills for Care as quality-assured learning. The DLP focuses on giving leaders the confidence and understanding to guide their teams through the practical realities of care technology.

Course content includes:

• Digital care, data protection, and cyber security.
• Understanding new solutions, governance, and informed decision making.
• Tools and skills to help teams and individuals adapt to changing digital practice.

Cohort dates for the year ahead are:

• October - November 2025: 23, 30 October, 6, 13 November
• January 2026: 6, 13, 20, 27
• March 2026: 3, 10, 17, 24

Booking is open now and all the details are on our Digital Leadership Programme page.

Why now: supporting the Skills for Care Workforce Strategy

The Workforce Strategy for Adult Social Care in England is now one year old. Over half of the 56 recommendations and commitments are already complete or in progress. This is a huge collective effort from across the adult social care sector and continues to set the direction for a confident, skilled, and values-led care workforce. Digital confidence and leadership have never been more important, which is why both the Care Technologist and Digital Leadership Programmes have such a direct role in making the strategy a reality.

Our training supports the strategy’s call for better digital skills across all roles in adult social care. Care Technologists are about person-centred, practical support and giving people and teams a grounding in care technology they can trust. The DLP ensures that at every level, care services have the leadership needed to navigate new challenges confidently.

Connecting strategy, learning, and innovation

NCF are currently in an innovative Adult Social Care Testbed in the Liverpool City Region, working with colleagues in the Civic Health Innovation Labs, University of Liverpool, and across Liverpool City Region. Our approach is to discover what our testbed members need, tailoring learning to skills-based education that helps the workforce adapt and rise to the opportunities technology and data can provide for adult social care. This on-the-ground, demand-led approach means the curriculum is always connected to the realities of care – not just what’s possible, but what makes a real, positive difference.

The programmes I help lead reflect the new skills required for care: skills to use technology confidently, a learning culture that adapts as things change, and support for staff who are genuine champions for digital transformation.

If you’re interested in our training courses, want to discuss digital learning in care, or want to find out more about what we’re doing in Liverpool and beyond drop us a message at training@nationalcareforum.org.uk – we’re always happy to share what we’re learning.

Understanding Digital Leadership in Adult Social Care qualification

The new Level 5 Understanding Digital Leadership in Adult Social Care qualification intends to support adult social care leaders and managers to have greater confidence and capability to lead the use of technology in the delivery of care, and to improve the quality of life and outcomes for people who draw on care and support. This qualification is useful for managers and other decision-makers in social care working alongside or managing care technologist professionals.

Find out more about how digital technology is being used in social care with our #DigitalEmpoweredCare spotlight.

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