Key messages:

• There is an urgent but often unmet need to ensure Europe’s health and care workforce have the right digital skills and competencies.
• Providing appropriate education and training is central to digitizing health systems
• The EU is an important player in terms of policy direction, technical support and funding for digital up-and-reskilling.
• Competency frameworks guide core training and education needs and – although they must be adapted to different groups and contexts
• All competency frameworks, and education and training curricula, require regular review to ensure that they keep up with the rapid pace of change of digital technologies and are responsive 
• A set of “enablers” improve the availability of digital skills education and training
• Structural barriers such as staff shortages and technological issues can reduce time and motivation 
• National and regional policy-makers can support digital skills 
• Policy-makers also need to plan for new digital roles in areas like genomics or personalized medicine
• New roles will enable successful implementation and offer career development opportunities