PgCert in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement

Module 1 – QIPM01 Developing Leadership and Action in Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (30 credits)

This module builds your leadership knowledge, skills, and experience to keep patients safe. It addresses the challenges of improving quality of care in clinical practice.

You'll review your own skills and organisation. This will help you understand what affects successful quality improvement (QI). You'll identify local priorities that make a real difference to healthcare systems. You'll also engage with staff, patients, and other stakeholders to support new improvements.

Topics covered on this module include:

• Leadership skills and styles
• QI methods, including how to plan, design, and measure projects
• Change theory and why people may resist change
• The skills and abilities needed to lead change in a fast-moving health and social care setting.

Module 2 – QIPM02 Evidencing Capability and Competence in Continuously Improving Care (30 credits)

This module helps you build the skills and habits to improve care quality and keep patients safe. It focuses on the five conditions that shape cultures to support better care, population health, and value. These are set out in the national framework in NHS-funded services.

You'll explore a range of risk assessment processes. You'll also look at key incidents and policies that shape the National Patent Safety Agenda.

Topics covered on the module include:

• Patient safety and risk management
• History of blame cultures
• Minimising adverse events
• Methods of feedback and continuous improvement
• National Policy and the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) agenda.

The course covers two modules which both run for six weeks. This includes a part-time day release for 14 weeks per module for teaching days. There are six teaching days, with one day per block for self-directed study. This means you'll spend 14 study days either on campus or work-based.

While teaching is on a day-release basis, you'll also need to make time for independent and work-based learning.

Teaching methods include:

• Lectures
• Debates
• Seminars
• Group work
• Case studies
• Problem-solving exercises
• Skills development
• Project-related work
• Directed and independent learning.

Assessment for module 1 is a 3,000 word case study. This reviews the implementation of a QI or patient safety initiative. You’ll draw on leadership, change, and project management theory to support your work.

Assessment for module 2 is a critical reflective essay based on an observational study of a clinical area. You'll explore your findings and consider how they affect patients, staff, and the wider environment.