Digital NHS and AI

In the 1980s, I completed courses on using computers. Back then, we were told that computer literacy would become a key skill  and classified as essential in the same way as reading, writing and arithmetic. 

I would like to see the government fund or subsidise computer literacy and smartphone courses in libraries, local colleges and schools, to teach adults who for whatever reason have missed out. In my own area, courses such as these have been taking place for years. 

NHS services online are working very well in my area. I can order prescriptions online or through the app. The app also notifies me of upcoming hospital appointments, and blood results.

We had a woman who'd go round libraries teaching smart phone and basic computer skills, I went to see her and she was absolutely useless! I wanted help to buy one as I've no idea where to start, they all seem equally confusing, she started with the usual spiel about Apple or Android, I know one is apple and the other google and thats all I know about the difference, so her solution was to go to a shop and ask their advice, she was totally flumoxed by the idea that these are sales people and thier job is to sell you the most expensive phone in the shop. She also couldn't get her head around me being ND or having memory problems, she didn't want to talk to me, it was like she had a set program that she was going to use regardless of who was sat in front of her. 

I've tried smart phones for dummies and didn't get on with that, it seemed to thnk everyone wants to be on FB and other social media platforms and obviously can't tell you anything about things like local NHS app's.

Like I say, I'm glad I live in Wales where there's less of this stuff being foisted on us, maybe it's partly an acknowlegement that Wales is mostly very rural with hills, forests and mountains that don't allow signals to travel very well.

A lot of this has started since covid, changes that would have taken a decade or more to come along are being hurried along leaving many behind, not just with skills but infrastructure too.

TheCatWoman said:

She also couldn't get her head around me being ND or having memory problems, she didn't want to talk to me

The fact she knew nothing about neurodivergence of your specific issues is pretty normal in my experience - it seems unreasonable to expect those who deal with the public to have knowledge of every minority group and the possible niche issues they have.

I'll be blunt with this next but but it is not intended as an attack. I have offered you help in the past and seen others do the same yet we often receive what feels like a hostile response, that you have had bad experiences before and we will only repeat the mistakes so stop wasting our time.

I appreciate this may come from a place of experience and past trauma but to lash out at those who do try to help hurts us as much as it frustrates you.

There can be approaches that work for your particular mix of conditions and I feel that if you can try to find this then it could offer you a lot of benefit. It may be as simple as writing down the steps to do a particular task so your memory is not a factor or trying to be as specific as possible in what you want to achieve when asking for help.

TheCatWoman said:

I've tried smart phones for dummies and didn't get on with that,

Can you be more specific about what "didn't get on" means? Is it that you don't understand what you are looking at, that you don't remember the instructions on how to use it, that you experience confusion when using it or whatever - knowing where the issue lies allows anyone helping to focus on the area to find solutions that can work for your situation.

Sometimes admitting to vulnerabilities can be painful but it is really the best way to deal with these sort of challenges.

Iain, this thread was meant to be about digital stuff in general and a digital NHS in particular, but somehow it seem to have become about me which was not the intention.

I actually find it quite hard to learn from people on screens and I'd love an Iain in my life who could help me with stuff like this and if you my problems with tech frustrating how do you think I feel? I know you love to help and teach people, but for me this isn't something that can be done remotely.

When I look at instructions or books like the dummies series, my brain glazes over, mayb the result of trying to assemble to many IKEA flatpacks, lol.

Iain, this thread was meant to be about digital stuff in general and a digital NHS in particular, but somehow it seem to have become about me which was not the intention.

I actually find it quite hard to learn from people on screens and I'd love an Iain in my life who could help me with stuff like this and if you my problems with tech frustrating how do you think I feel? I know you love to help and teach people, but for me this isn't something that can be done remotely.

When I look at instructions or books like the dummies series, my brain glazes over, mayb the result of trying to assemble to many IKEA flatpacks, lol.