Postgraduate Programme in Healthcare Governance
(Certificate, Diploma and MSc)
Loughborough University Business School’s Healthcare Governance programme is a unique and exciting new initiative. In recent years, healthcare has seen both a plethora of sometimes bewildering governance initiatives and guidance, and a catalogue of organisational deficiencies and challenges attributable to poor governance. Against this background, the Healthcare Governance programme was conceived to equip board members, senior managers and health professionals with the knowledge, skills and qualifications necessary to help their organisations enhance and assure organisational performance and accountability.
Whilst the programme does focus principally on governance matters in the UK National Health Service, it also includes case studies from independent UK healthcare organisations and from healthcare organisations around the world. The programme leader, Stuart Emslie, has an international reputation in the healthcare governance field, and the taught modules are supported by a range of individuals and organisations with specialist knowledge and expertise.
Who is this programme designed for?
The Healthcare Governance programme will appeal to a wide audience, including:
- Board Chairmen
- Chief Executives
- Executive Directors
- Non Executive Directors
- Company Secretaries
- Senior managers and clinicians who support boards/healthcare organisations in any aspect of governance, risk or performance
- Internal auditors
- External auditors and inspectors
- Anyone with the appropriate qualifications and enthusiasm who aspires to any of the above
What qualifications are available and how long does it take?
There are three levels of qualification:
1. A Loughborough Postgraduate Certificate (LPC)
in Healthcare Governance, which requires students to take the first three modules outlined below and takes 9 months of part-time study;2. A Loughborough Postgraduate Diploma (LPD) in Healthcare Governance, which requires students to have successfully completed the first three modules and to take the remaining 3 modules outlined below, and takes a further 9 months part-time study; and
3. A Master of Science (MSc) degree in Healthcare Governance, which requires students to have successfully completed all taught modules and to successfully complete a part-time research project and dissertation lasting 12 to 24 months. Programmes normally commence in October each year.
What will I learn?
There are six taught modules, with Modules 1 through 3 forming the requirements for the LPC and Modules 4 through 6 forming additional requirements to achieve the LPD. Each module requires that students attend a weeklong residential course at Loughborough University, in addition to home study. Each module includes, where relevant, both UK and international case studies.
The general content of the modules are as follows:
Module 1 – Systems of Healthcare Governance
- Historical development of governance in healthcare
- Introduction to the myriad healthcare governance systems and sub-systems, including: corporate, financial, clinical, information, research, medicines, staff, mutual, enterprise, public health, network and partnership governance, internal control, risk management and performance management.
- Approaches to ‘integrated’ healthcare governance, including Policy Governance®
Module 2 – Corporate Governance in Healthcare
- Historical development of corporate governance and its application in healthcare; governance versus management; and role and function of boards and board committees
- Financial aspects of good corporate governance
- Governance codes and standards, ethical considerations and ‘corporate social responsibility’
Module 3 – Clinical Governance
- Historical development of clinical governance and overview of methods for quality improvement in healthcare, including the role of quality standards
- Patient safety and organisational learning
- Involving patients and the public in safety and quality improvement
Module 4 – Managing Healthcare Risk
- Expands on modules 1-3, looking in more detail at implementing sound risk management systems in healthcare and the role of the Board in managing risk
- Principles of risk, risk management, risk perception, risk communication and contingency planning, in line with Australian/New Zealand Standard 4360:2004
- Detailed consideration of management of a range of healthcare risks, including financial, patient safety, reputation, etc.
Module 5 – Managing Healthcare Performance
- Expands on modules 1-3, looking in more detail at issues relating to enhancing and assuring organisational performance, including the role of the Board
- Performance management tools, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Balanced Scorecard, Six Sigma and Malcolm Baldridge and European Foundation Quality Models
- Detailed consideration of management of a range of key performance issues, including finances, activity, clinical outcomes, etc.
Module 6 – Research Methodology
- An opportunity for students to build on what they have learned by defining and conducting a work-related healthcare governance project.
- Background teaching includes designing a research programme, choosing appropriate research methods, ethical considerations in research and writing a research report.
Admission requirements
Ideally, candidates for registration are expected to be a board member or senior healthcare professional and hold a relevant first degree or have achieved the academic requirements for corporate membership of a British chartered professional institution. In practice, the University will adopt a flexible approach to admission requirements, the main criterion being that a candidate can demonstrate a keen interest in healthcare governance and can reasonably be expected to successfully complete the chosen programme option.
Fee
Up-to-date tuition fees and start dates can be found in the full programme pack available through the Healthcare Governance Programme Office on 01509 222158 or E.R.Henshaw@lboro.ac.uk
Next intake: October 2009
Dr Julie Holland
Tel: (0)1509 228834
Email: J.holland@lboro.ac.uk
For an application form, please contact:
Elaine Harris
Programme Administrator
Tel: (0)1509 222158
Fax: (0)1509 223963
Email: e.r.harris@lboro.ac.uk
