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Learn

📚 Pick a skill domain and follow a focused quickstart—install, “hello NHS” example, week‑one plan, IG guardrails.
Why this page?

This section reduces choice overload and standardises how teams learn. Each quickstart aligns with the 10‑Year Plan’s shifts (Hospital → Community, Analogue → Digital, Sickness → Prevention) and focuses on what you can deliver in days: a working script, dashboard, or API that’s safe to share.

Skill domains​

💻 Languages
Python · R · SQL
Write analysis, automation, and queries for NHS datasets.

🗄 Databases
DuckDB
Query, join, and validate health data quickly—no server required.

📊 Dashboards
Dash · Shiny · Evidence.dev
Turn datasets into interactive, NHS‑branded views.

🧩 Web & API frameworks
React · Next.js · FastAPI · Express
Build UIs and secure services over SQL‑backed views and models.

☁️ Cloud & Hosting
AWS · Azure
Managed hosting, databases, and secret stores with TLS by default.

🛠 Tooling
VS Code · Docker · Git · GitHub · Secrets
Reliable, repeatable developer workflows on NHS devices.

🐍 Python
Connect to SQL Server, clean data with Pandas, plot a quick chart.

🔠 SQL
Create a KPI view safely and document it for reuse.

📈 Dash
Ship a tiny live dashboard from a Parquet/SQL extract.

🧰 VS Code
One editor for Python, R, SQL—set up and go.

🧬 Git
Version control that meets IG expectations.

🔐 Secrets & .env
Keep credentials out of code and standardise env vars.

What each quickstart includes​

  • 10‑minute install for the tool (on NHS Windows builds where relevant).
  • A “hello NHS” example (SQL view, small chart, or simple API).
  • Week‑one plan: 5 tiny steps to reach a safe, repeatable baseline.
  • IG & safety checklist: secrets, data handling, logging, suppression.
  • Next steps to productionise (Build) and share internally (Share).

Suggested order for new joiners​

  1. VS Code → Git → Secrets & .env (foundation).
  2. Python or R (pick one) + SQL basics/refresher.
  3. A simple dashboard (Dash or Shiny) or a tiny API (FastAPI/Express).
  4. Optional: host in Azure/AWS when you’re ready to share.

Pre‑requisites (fast)​

How this fits the NHS Digital Journey​

🔍 Discover→ 📚 Learn→ 🛠 Build→ 📢 Share→ 🤖 AI & ML

  • Start here to skill‑up by domain.
  • Move to Build to productionise safely.
  • Use Share to publish and collaborate.
  • Add AI & ML enhancements when the foundations are solid.

What’s next?

You’ve completed the Learn stage. Keep momentum: