At last week’s East of England Digital Skills Development Network conference, one phrase seemed to echo through nearly every session:
“The NHS is not short on technology. It’s short on digital confidence.”
Something James Freed, Deputy Director at the NHS Digital Academy, said during his session confirmed what many of us have suspected for years: we’re still relying on a training model that doesn’t reflect how people learn in real clinical settings.
Let’s be honest, rolling out a new EPR system is only part of the job. What happens six weeks later, when a busy clinician can’t remember how to log a referral or access a discharge summary? For most, there’s no follow-up, no ongoing support, and no space to ask. And the impact is tangible:
- 44% of staff receive no ongoing training
- 63% of implementation failures are due to culture and skills
- Burnout and turnover are rising, and EPR frustration is cited as a top cause
So why haven’t we changed the model?
Rethinking Software Training for a Modern NHS
At Hurdle, we’ve long recognised that traditional, one-off training doesn’t meet the realities of clinical tools. For over four years, we’ve worked with NHS teams to deliver training that’s embedded, flexible, and shaped by real-time needs.
What sets our approach apart is the live connection: trainers can see what learners see, respond instantly to hands-up signals, and offer in-the-moment guidance. Whether it’s through private chat, on-screen annotation, or temporary remote control, trainers can support learners in the moment they need it most – something that’s often difficult to achieve through eLearning or webinar-based instruction alone.
We know that confidence isn’t built by simply watching someone else click through a system or working through an online module. It’s built through doing, with the reassurance that if you get stuck, an instructor is right there by your side, ready to help in the moment. That’s the kind of learning experience that leads to long-term skill retention and trust in the tools at hand.
This isn’t just another tool or a piece of software. It’s a whole new approach to training, built from the ground up to instil confidence in learners. And the impact? NHS teams that feel more confident using digital systems, experience fewer workflow disruptions, and deliver safer, more efficient patient care.
A Call for Continuous Support
The data is clear: demand for support keeps rising. Before partnering with Hurdle, many frontline staff told us they lacked confidence in the digital tools they use every day; after our live, hands‑on coaching, that confidence consistently grows. Yet despite 60 % of physicians and 70 % of nurses actively seeking more software training to become more efficient, most organisations still rely on a single “train once, hope for the best” approach.
We need to build a long tail of support – not just pre-launch webinars and PDF handouts, but embedded, ongoing, practice-driven learning. It should be easy to access, visible to managers, and integrated into how people actually work.
Final thought
In my view, the NHS doesn’t just need new tools, it needs a new approach to learning that supports people long after the rollout dust has settled.
If you’re navigating this in your own organisation, I’d love to hear how you\’re approaching it and where you think the gaps still are.
Let’s not wait for another year of workforce data to tell us what we already know.
Ben Woodthorpe
CEO, Hurdle
