Kate Nightingale, Information Solutions Support Lead for the RAIDR team at NECS, weighs up the pros and cons of unlimited access to information and the impact this has on younger generations.
“Youth Mental Health Day (19 September) was created to raise awareness of the issues younger generations face that may impact their wellbeing. This year’s theme is #ControlYourScroll, to ensure a positive and safe online experience.
“Young people are growing up in a world steeped in digital technology with access to everything the world has to offer at a mere click or tap of a finger. Connection can happen in an instant, digital apps and algorithms bringing people together in ways we couldn’t have fathomed, even ten or fifteen years ago.
“The possibilities are endless – information flowing fast and free; on-demand entertainment and social networking at our fingertips.
“Consider how vital the sharing of data is in terms of improving access to, and the delivery of services. The NHS is a great example – the electronic shared care record is a safe and secure way of bringing all your data from different health and care organisations together digitally in one place. This means that patients can be given the best treatment possible and ensure the best possible outcome.
“Working in the RAIDR team, I know first-hand how joined up data can be pivotal to helping health organisations improve services and identifying people who need more personalised care. The right data in the right hands is truly invaluable.
“The flip side to this, is that it is becoming alarmingly easy to lose sight of the real, physical world lying outside the digital walls we have built. In a recent stem4 survey of 1,025 young people, 93% said they had been scared by online content and were worried about being fed misinformation, being bullied or exposed to inappropriate images. There is no doubt that beneath the glossy exterior of filtered Instagram snaps lies a murky layer full of potential harm, particularly to younger generations, to our own children and loved ones.
“The solution lies in trying to find a very fine balance between physical and digital reality. Try and understand if what you are accessing online, is benefiting or harming you. If you find that reading others’ Facebook status updates is damaging your self-esteem or you equate the amount of likes on your latest post to your sense of self-worth…take a break, deactivate, delete, disconnect. Easier said than done, trust me… I know.
“There is no doubt that we are in the midst of a mental health crisis, and the new government have pledged to address this by recruiting more specially trained staff, establish Young Futures hubs, reduce waiting times and improve access to professionals and services. Again, sharing information across organisations has a huge role to play in the success of this.
“RAIDR’s Patient Activity dashboard collates data from secondary care services, including those in the community, to present the breadth of activity and cost at a system wide level. Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) can utilise the digital tool to look at how long younger cohorts have been waiting, from first contact to discharge by service offered, and to identify gaps or address inequalities in access. Again, this highlights the power of sharing information at a cross-organisational level for the benefit of our population.
“In the meantime, look after yourselves and the younger people in your lives. Check in on them, find connections and common ground away from your mobile devices and most importantly, find ways to control your scroll!”