When Moorfields Eye Hospital began its major shift from paper-based systems to new digital platforms, the organisation knew one thing for certain: every member of staff needed to feel confident navigating the digital tools that power modern healthcare. As one of the country’s leading NHS trusts, Moorfields was preparing for the roll-out of a new electronic patient record system, while also looking to strengthen the digital confidence of more than 2,500 employees across its services.
That’s where South Bank Colleges stepped in.
We had already been working with the Moorfields team on functional skills provision, and together we spotted an opportunity to expand that relationship. The hospital wanted a supportive, inclusive way to help staff — from nurses to administrators to technicians — build digital skills at their own pace. Our tutors and curriculum leads worked closely with their Associate Director of Education and staff representatives to co-design a programme that genuinely reflected the needs of their workforce.
Designing a programme around real people
Before any teaching began, Moorfields carried out a baseline survey, asking simple but important questions: How confident are you using a mouse? Which systems do you use every day? This honest, back-to-basics approach helped shape a bespoke 14-week digital skills course delivered directly on site by South Bank Colleges.
Our curriculum blended essential digital confidence-building with practical training in Microsoft tools and other systems used at the trust. Importantly, we prioritised staff who reported the lowest confidence scores, ensuring the people who needed the most support were at the front of the queue. Mixed-discipline cohorts helped build peer support and made the learning experience intentional, engaging and inclusive.
Each learner also completed a digital project, giving them a tangible outcome to show how far they had come and giving the trust clear evidence of progress.
A noticeable shift in confidence
The impact was clear. Surveys carried out before, during and after the course showed a steady rise in confidence and competence across all participants. Staff who once felt intimidated by digital tasks were now using systems independently, applying new skills in everyday practice, and encouraging colleagues to get involved.
Both Moorfields and South Bank Colleges have since been recognised as early adopters of workforce digital-skills programmes, with other NHS organisations reaching out to learn from the model. Moorfields is preparing for future cohorts, with a plan to continue tracking long-term impact and sharing best practice across the NHS.
Partnerships that make a difference
This collaboration shows what can happen when a college and a major healthcare trust work together with a shared purpose. By delivering training directly at the hospital, using government-funded adult education provision, we made the programme accessible, relevant and sustainable. Just as importantly, we helped build a culture where staff feel confident, supported and ready to engage with the digital future of healthcare.
We’re proud to have played our part — and we look forward to helping Moorfields and other NHS partners continue this important work.
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