Course Summary

This Master's course is one of the first in the UK to deal specifically with the patient safety agenda. Safer care is a key priority of the Department of Health, as evidenced by the fact that it is the first objective in the Standards for Better Health document (Department of Health, 2004).

Since its creation in 2001, the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has concentrated much of its efforts on facilitating organisational and occupational change to promote patient safety. It is therefore clear that senior healthcare staff need to support and drive the patient safety agenda as an integral part of their work role.

Offering this high-quality course at Masters level meets the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs of the staff involved in delivering the objectives of the Department of Health and its partner organisations, such as the NPSA and the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.

Why choose this course?

The drivers for enhanced quality and patient safety will continue to grow - practitioners achieving this qualification will be well placed to participate and lead in the developments that are being made and planned within the patient safety arena.

During the course you will:

• Work with organisations at a national level on safer care initiatives
• Experience good links with local organisations that are leaders in the delivery of the patient safety agenda
• Study in one of the first educational organisations in this country to offer this kind of course

Areas of study you may cover on this course include:

• The nature and frequency of patient safety incidents
• Safety culture, risk assessment and root cause analysis
• Risk assessment and solution development
• Human factors and design improvements for safer care
• Implementing patient safety solutions

MSEQP

Assessment

Due to the nature of this course you will be exposed to a variety of different assessment methods that have been designed specifically to assess skills development and demonstrate the learning outcomes of the individual units. As with the teaching strategy, a range of methods are used.

Course Learning Outcomes

Postgraduate Certificate Enhancing Quality through Patient Safety

Upon successful completion of this course you should be able to:

1. Critically analyse the concept of patient safety applying aspects of error and systems theory making risk assessed recommendations to enhance the quality of practice.

2. Be conversant with and able to utilise root cause analysis tools.

3. Critically assess the role of design and human factors issues within your own practice environment, identifying key strengths and weaknesses with risk assessed recommendations for improvements to patient safety.

4. Identify a range of system factors that impact on patient safety, with particular reference to your own work environment and lead and implement risk assessed change to improve a number of those factors.

Postgraduate Diploma Enhancing Quality through Patient Safety

Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

1. Critically analyse the concept of patient safety applying aspects of error and systems theory making risk assessed recommendations to enhance the quality of practice.

2. Be conversant with and able to utilise root cause analysis tools.

3. Critically assess the role of design and human factors issues within your own practice environment, identifying key strengths and weaknesses with risk assessed recommendations for improvements to patient safety.

4. Identify a range of system factors that impact on patient safety, with particular reference to your own work environment and lead and implement risk assessed change to improve a number of those factors.

5. Facilitate developments towards a positive patient safety culture in your own work environment including enhanced leadership and organisational preparedness for change.

6. Participate in the generation and implementation of risk assessed projects to enhance the quality of healthcare practice.

7. Study a 30 credit option unit of relevance to your own healthcare practice chosen from the range of options within this suite of postgraduate provision.

MSc Enhancing Quality through Patient Safety

Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to:

1. Critically analyse the concept of patient safety applying aspects of error and systems theory making risk assessed recommendations to enhance the quality of practice.

2. Be conversant with and able to utilise root cause analysis tools.

3. Critically assess the role of design and human factors issues within your own practice environment, identifying key strengths and weaknesses with risk assessed recommendations for improvements to patient safety.

4. Identify a range of system factors that impact on patient safety, with particular reference to your own work environment and lead and implement risk assessed change to improve a number of those factors.

5. Facilitate developments towards a positive patient safety culture in your own work environment including enhanced leadership and organisational preparedness for change.

6. Participate in the generation and implementation of risk assessed projects to enhance the quality of healthcare practice.

7. Study a 30 credit option unit of relevance to your own healthcare practice chosen from the range of options within this suite of postgraduate provision.

8. Complete a substantial project that will generate evidence upon which evaluated changes for patient safety can be implemented.

9. Identify and drive risk assessed change to enhance the patient safety culture in your area of practice.

External Benchmarking

Department of Health (2004) Standards for better health. DH: London.

National Patient Safety Agency (2004) Seven steps to patient safety: an overview guide for NHS staff. London: NPSA.

Educational Aims

Postgraduate Certificate Enhancing Quality through Patient Safety

The aim of this course is to:

• Promote relevant and meaningful learning that reflects the development needs of the student within the emerging patient safety culture


• Enhance participants potential to work effectively within the context of patient safety


• Enhance the quality of healthcare through root cause analysis and risk assessed changes to practice


• Promote analysis of system solutions and the impact of human and design factors on the enhancement of quality in practice

Postgraduate Diploma Enhancing Quality through Patient Safety

The aim of this course is to:

• Promote relevant and meaningful learning that reflects the development needs of the student within the emerging patient safety culture


• Enhance participants potential to work effectively within the context of patient safety


• Enhance the quality of healthcare through root cause analysis and risk assessed changes to practice


• Promote analysis of system solutions and the impact of human and design factors on the enhancement of quality in practice


• Equip practitioners to risk assess and project manage change to enhance the quality and safety of practice


• Foster the development of leadership skills to enhance the quality of practice through patient safety initiatives

MSc Enhancing Quality through Patient Safety

The aim of this course is to:

• Promote relevant and meaningful learning that reflects the development needs of the student within the emerging patient safety culture


• Enhance participants potential to work effectively within the context of patient safety


• Enhance the quality of healthcare through root cause analysis and risk assessed changes to practice


• Promote analysis of system solutions and the impact of human and design factors on the enhancement of quality in practice


• Equip practitioners to risk assess and project manage change to enhance the quality and safety of practice


• Foster the development of leadership skills to enhance the quality of practice through patient safety initiatives


• Enhance participants capacity to independently evaluate research and practice relevant to the field of patient safety, including the ability to synthesize information from a range of sources and the capacity to deal with complexity, contradictions and gaps in the current evidence base

Student support

Students will have access to all student support services from with in the University. They will also have access to a BREO site that will give them further guidance.

Team working

Team working is promoted throughout the M level units that you will be able to access. You will be actively involved in group work and be encouraged to develop relationships with staff and your peers that facilitate your learning.

Career Management Skills

Students will be required to develop career management skills in relation to priority identification and opportunities to enhance health care practice. The assessment strategy of the course will require the student to undertake a self assessment to identify their strengths, interests and development needs in relation to clinical governance and specifically the patient safety agenda.

Career/Further study opportunities

Career:

This course will develop skills within the student that are central to fulfilling leadership roles within the patient safety agenda. These might be as a practice level clinician, a specialist practitioner or within management or education. Some students may be able to utilise the outcomes of the course in future research provision.

Further study:

The provision of a number of modules within this course allows the student to decide whether they wish to complete their study at post-graduate certificate or diploma level or continue to the full MSc.

Entry

Additional:

Relevant professional experience and active in healthcare practice. An Honours degree.

UK students Undergraduate entry requirements

Standard entry requirements for Foundation degrees (FD/FdSc)

A foundation degree will be of particular interest if you have completed a Modern Apprenticeship, vocational A levels, BTEC National or equivalent.

Foundation degrees are also particularly suitable if you want to qualify while working.

• As a guideline, a typical offer would require you to obtain a UCAS tariff score of between 80-120 points, based on your level 3 studies.
• Students who require a Tier 4 Student Visa cannot apply for our foundation courses. For these courses the University of Bedfordshire is not able to sponsor Tier 4 Student Visa applications.

Many students studying for foundation degrees come to us through work-based routes so you can apply for a foundation degree even if you don’t have traditional academic qualifications.

We welcome applicants with relevant work experience.

Standard entry requirements for Undergraduate degrees (BA/BSc)

We will consider you as an individual and take into account all elements of your application, not just your qualifications. We are looking for both breadth and depth in your current studies as well as enthusiasm for the subject you wish to study.

The general requirement is one of the following:

• UCAS Tariff Score greater than 200, which should include either two A level passes or an AVCE Double Award
• An Access qualification
• Equivalent qualifications such as Irish Leaving Certificate, Scottish Highers, International Baccalaureate or BTEC National Diploma

Postgraduate taught courses

Postgraduate applications (MA/MSc) should be made direct to the University using the  standard University application form. There are some exceptions, please see individual course descriptions for details.

• UK/EU students application form
• International (non-EU) students application form
  

Students from the European Union

Entry requirements

As a general guide, to apply for a place on an undergraduate course (BA/BSc) at the University you need to have completed your high school education and have the required English qualification.

We have students from all the European Union member countries so we are quick to make decisions on most qualifications.

How to apply

International students

• Undergraduate applications (BA/BSc) can be made direct to the University or via our representatives in your home country. If you intend to apply to more than one university in the UK you should apply via UCAS. If you want to apply to the University of Bedfordshire only you should apply directly using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Postgraduate applications should be made directly to the University using our international application form (link below) or via our representatives in your home country
• Healthcare, nursing and midwifery students Many of these courses are not available to overseas students due to UK immigration law in regard to bursary funding. Please contact international admissions to find out if you are eligible to apply
• BA Nursing Studies Level 3 (with or without Overseas Nursing Programme) is available to overseas students - please contact International Admissions by email at international-admissions@beds.ac.uk for further information

(Please note that applicants on a full student visa are not eligible for part-time study)

Course application form for international students

We recommend that you apply directly to the University where possible, as this allows us to offer the quickest turnaround time for your application.

• Course application form for direct applications [PDF]

How to complete your course application

Please read the Direct application instructions before completing the course application form.

Application forms for accommodation in the student halls at Bedford campus and Luton campus are available in the Student life section

Accreditation of prior certificated learning (APL)

APL is available for international students applying for undergraduate (Bachelor degree) study. Please do not use this APL form to apply for postgraduate courses.

Use the APL form to tell us about any non-standard qualifications and/or work experience you have that you think should be taken into consideration with your application. `

The APL form should be submitted at the same time as the course application form.

We regret we are unable to process APL forms from students who have not submitted a formal course application form.

• APL application form for International students [100Kb] updated 041007

What next?

Return your completed application to:

University of Bedfordshire
International Admissions
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
LU1 3JU
United Kingdom

Contact International Admissions

T: +44 (0)1582 489326 (non-EU Students)
F: +44 (0)1582 743469
E: international-admissions@beds.ac.uk

Awarding institution

University of Bedfordshire

Teaching Strategy

The units available to you offer a range of different teaching strategies in order to meet the learning needs of a diverse range of students. These strategies include lectures, seminars, group work and some e-learning. This ensures that all students have the opportunity to learn in an environment that suits their learning style.

Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body Accreditation

None.

Students with disabilities

Students will have access to Student Services and will be encouraged to actively seek any assistance they require in order to have needs met in relation to a disability they may have. Students will be able to access further advice and support from the Disability Advice Team and from the Disabilities BREO site.

Skills Development

Communication

To help with the development of this you will:

• Work collaboratively with your personal tutor and peers


• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to achieve the outcomes of your assignments


• Show accurate and fluent use of language in presenting information

Information Literacy

To help with the development of this you will:

• Use recommended databases to access information


• Produce written and verbal assignments


• Carry out effective internet and database searching and referencing


• Interpret data from a range of sources including some from outside the field of healthcare

Research and Evaluation

To help with the development of this you will:

• Independently evaluate research and associated methodologies


• Synthesise information from relevant sources


• Compile reports and case studies

Creativity and Critical Thinking

To help with the development of this you will:

• Autonomously synthesise information and ideas and propose new hypotheses


• Create new approaches to ideas


• Respond to problems that expand or redefine existing knowledge

Improving learning and performance

The ethos underpinning this course is one of pragmatic reflection. The ability to critically evaluate practice from a patient safety perspective requires the student to reflect on practice, identifying strengths and areas for development in terms of enhancing the quality of health care. Learning will also be gained through the implementation of changes to promote patient safety. In order to maximise student learning in the course: Students will be given formative and summative feedback on their continuing development and will be encouraged to reflect on their progress.

Progress files

A progress file will be kept on each student outlining their progression on the MSc Enhancing quality through patient safety course. This will take the form of a summary of the students progress in relation to the learning outcomes of the modules that make up the course.

Professional standards

To ensure the effective use of time and resources on the course and the appropriate handling of clinical, business and confidential materials, the following ground rules are in pace.

Student

• Be punctual for sessions and tutorials


• Respect the learning environment and others in the group


• Inform the course lead or personal tutor if you are unable to attend a class or tutorial meeting


• Take the lead in your learning and development


• Follow University policies and procedures especially in relation to the writing and submission of assessments


• Follow national and local guidance on data handling and maintaining confidentiality


• Seek appropriate permissions from the relevant staff. Patienmt / clients and agencies when necessary within the work expected in this course

Staff

• Be punctual for sessions and tutorials


• Respect the learning environment and others in the group


• Inform the student in advance if you need to cancel a session or tutorial


• Respond to email within 5 working days unless on leave


• Ensure assessment results are published on the expected date


• Promote a learning environment that facilitates mutual respect


• Respect and maintain confidentiality when discussing issues from the practice environment

Strategy for developing and embedding the professional standards

Students will be familiar with the professional standards relevant to their discipline. These will be adhered to during the course and critically analysed where they impact on patient safety, for example, in relation to patient involvement and disclosure. Adherence to these standards will be monitored by the course leader who will liaise with the various unit facilitator. If there are any issues that need to be addressed the personal tutor will be informed and will document this in the students progress file with the students agreement. Persistent non-adherence to the standards described above may result in the student being discontinued from the course.