Harnessing data and technology to revolutionise public services

First Minister: “Scotland ready for new phase of digital innovation”.

Scotland is taking a major step towards becoming a digital-first nation with plans to join public services together through a digital platform, First Minister John Swinney has said.

The Scottish Government is building technical infrastructure to lay the groundwork for innovations to connect people and public services. This foundation will support the launch of a new app in 2026 to help people access personalised public services more easily. The app will initially provide alerts on weather and travel disruption, followed by digital proof of age, with further functionality expanded over time.

This announcement follows the publication of the updated National Digital Strategy earlier this week, which aims to deliver sustainable public services and create better opportunities for the people of Scotland.

Digital technology is already growing our economy and transforming lives for the better. Scotland is ready to enter a new phase of digital innovation and become a digital-first nation.

While the corporate world has led the way in making our lives easier through digital technology, my ambition is for digital delivery in the public sector to match the very best of the private sector, in a way that is inclusive for all. Innovation will help make public services more efficient, resilient and accessible – while ensuring privacy and security.

From harnessing data-sharing to help tackle child poverty, to using innovation to support health diagnoses, the potential of technology to improve services and benefit lives stretches across all areas of the public sector. Building this technical foundation will help us develop new ways to grow the economy, end child poverty, improve public services and tackle the climate emergency.

– FIRST MINISTER JOHN SWINNEY

The Scottish Government is working with tech consultancy Netcompany on this project.

By building the new digital communication infrastructure on our AMI platform, Scotland will benefit from proven technology and domain expertise already applied across Europe.

Based on re-useable components tailored to local needs, the platform ensures both speed and security in delivery. This approach accelerates Scotland’s digital journey and demonstrates both the scalability and adaptability of our solution to meet varying country-specific needs.

This is a significant opportunity to help nations digitalise their critical infrastructure and create real value for citizens.

– THOMAS RYSGAARD CHRISTIANSEN, PARTNER AT NETCOMPANY

Background

Roadmap to Scotland’s digital future – gov.scot