MSc Healthcare Improvement and Patient Safety at University of Plymouth

Course Details

Healthcare systems all share one current goal: to deliver safe, high quality care within budget against a backdrop of skill shortages and increasing patient demand. Our MSc in Healthcare Improvement and Patient Safety will equip you with the confidence to address these challenges. On this programme you will develop the knowledge and expertise to analyse healthcare processes, propose evidence-based improvements and to lead implementation within your own workplace setting.

Our programme equips you with the vital skills to implement change and improvement within a healthcare system. This expertise together with an appreciation of the leadership techniques required enhances your day-to-day working and provides you with the tools necessary to advance your career, regardless of your professional background.  Our students become part of a network of acknowledged experts in healthcare improvement, patient safety, simulation and human factors that has both regional and national credibility.

Key features

• Equip yourself to become a leader in healthcare improvement, patient safety, simulation and human factors.
• Develop expertise that is immediately relevant to practice and undertake assignments geared to projects which you can implement in your own organisation.
• Experience our diverse faculty drawn from the medical school, the wider University, NHS trusts and external experts in each subject area, including national leads.
• Enjoy testing out your new-found knowledge in our supportive classroom discussions where we offer the space and time away from the normal working environment to facilitate your personal and intellectual development, whatever your aspirations.
• Benefit from a blended learning environment with delivery ranging between lectures, seminars, practical systems analysis techniques, simulation-based learning, and supported distance learning. Our academic team are available via a means of telecommunication methods for ongoing support during your studies.
• Choose between two pathways at the certificate stage: study either simulation and enhanced learning or human factors in healthcare, both of which complement the first module, healthcare improvement and patient safety. Pick up the remaining module at the diploma stage.
• There are options to take a clinical education, leadership or global health module at the diploma stage for students not wishing to do the dissertation.
• Available as a full-time or part-time programme.
• An opportunity for intercalating students to enrol on the full-time route from medical and dental undergraduate courses throughout the UK, provided that they have sufficient credits to continue with a masters (Level 7) qualification. Intercalating students will study alongside postgraduate students from a variety of backgrounds and will benefit from this vibrant educational environment.
• Each module of this programme may be taken as a stand-alone CPD module, either with academic credits (for those completing the assignment) or attendance only. Please get in touch if this is something that could be useful to you or your colleagues.
• Please contact the Programme Leads via susanne.smith@plymouth.ac.uk for further information.