Digital Health Leadership
Our innovative Postgraduate Diploma and Master's in Digital Health Leadership is the world-class training course underpinning the NHS Digital Academy.
Award titles
Postgraduate Diploma
Duration: 1 year part-time
(standalone course)
Master's degree
Duration: 2 years part-time
(including PG Dip)
Key information
Start date: September 2022
Campus: Online and experiential learning sessions
Interested applicants can get in touch with the programme team at NHSdigitalacademy@imperial.ac.uk
Overview
This is the flagship programme of the NHS Digital Academy and is commissioned by Health Education England in partnership with NHSX.
Through this programme, you will aim to apply your learning to your professional practice, to the benefit of your organisation. The programme is designed to improve and scale digital workforce capabilities, and drive digital transformation across the health and care professions.
Teaching and learning are delivered by a partnership of Imperial College London’s Institute of Global Health Innovation, the Usher Institute at the University of Edinburgh, HDR UK and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Our consortium unites NHS experts with clinicians, researchers, and digital specialists, with unrivalled expertise in blended learning, health informatics and data science, leadership development and healthcare transformation.
The NHS Digital Academy was commissioned following a 2017 Secretary of State commitment and the Wachter Review, Making IT Work: Harnessing the Power of Health Information Technology to Improve Care in England. Its recommendations outline the need to develop and invest in the capability and capacity of digital change leaders.
Study programme
Postgraduate Diploma (PG Dip)
The part-time programme employs blended learning that allows you to progress through online learning modules, participate in live online sessions, and join experiential learning with your peers.
You will learn about the tools and frameworks applicable to technology and change management in health care settings. A reflective practice will support your leadership development throughout the year. Teaching and learning combine practical NHS-expertise with academic rigour to deliver a unique and ambitious learning experience.
Across past cohorts, the recommended study time has been 5-8 hours on average, and up to 10-15 hours per week at times of assessments and live experiential learning. We recognise that individual needs may differ, and so you will be supported by Imperial College’s resources, academic tutoring, and pastoral care.
Master’s degree
If you successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma, you may choose to continue to the Master’s (MSc) component of the programme. This MSc is fully online and lasts for 12 months.
The MSc year involves the development of a dissertation of practice. Here you will explore and address an obstacle or impediment to digital readiness or digital maturity in your organisation.
Who should apply?
The programme is aimed at CXOs (e.g. CIO, CNIO, CCIOs) and their deputies, and other senior digital change leaders who are operating within a context, and are in a role, where they are required to drive and implement practical digital transformational change.
The programme is aimed to those successful in their application to the NHS Digital Academy, and:
- Have 3-to-5 years’ relevant experience of health informatics or digital health
- Obtained the support of an Executive Sponsor from their organisation or system
- Are empowered to apply learning, behaviours, and new skills to their organisational setting
- Are able to commit to attending and participating fully at live experiential learning
- Have demonstrable commitment to embed learning for the strategic benefit of their organisation or system, and to the professionalism of the workforce
Careers
The programme is aimed at aspirant leaders and those with current digital leadership responsibilities who are committed to advance transformational digital change across their organisations and systems, and exemplify the professionalisation of digital health over time.
Together with the support of their Executive Sponsor as well as their study groups and peer networks, students on the programme will be well-equipped to step into, and inhabit, senior leadership roles across the realms of digital health and care.
Structure
This page reflects the latest version of the curriculum for this year of entry. However, this information is subject to change.
The curriculum of this programme is currently being reviewed as part of a College-wide process to introduce a standardised modular structure. As a result, the content and assessment structures of this course may change for this year of entry.
We recommend you check this page before finalising your application and again before accepting your offer. We will update this page as soon as any changes are confirmed by the College.
Find out more about the limited circumstances in which we may need to make changes to or in relation to our courses, the type of changes we may make and how we will tell you about any changes made.
Page last reviewed on 25 October 2021.
Structure
Postgraduate Diploma
The learning experience is strongly tied to workplace application of the theory and academic content. Through a suite of workplace projects, students will be able to evidence their learning as well as the programme’s impact on their workplace practice.
The PG Dip consists of the following modules:
- Essentials of health systems
- Adopting and tailoring the project and programme lifecycle
- Health information systems and technologies
- User-centred design and citizen-driven informatics
- Decision support, knowledge management and actionable data analytics
- Leadership and transformational change
Each module contains weeks of online learning and online assessment period.
The dates for the upcoming experiential learning sessions are:
- 21-22 September 2021
- 7-9 December 2021
- 26-27 April 2022
- 12 July 2022
These will feature guest lectures, group work, and interactive workshops. We expect that students commit to these dates, and participate fully in the learning sessions, together with their peers.
Master’s degree
If you elect to pursue the MSc, you will complete a research project comprising a 10,000 word final report.
Through the dissertation project, you will demonstrate your critical thinking, resulting in new knowledge in the emerging field of Digital Health Leadership.
The MSc year is divided into three tutorials that walk you through the development of the first three chapters of the dissertation. You then move into a self-paced section during which you conduct the study, write up your findings and develop a set of organisation specific recommendations.
Teaching and assessment
Teaching methods
This means that students get access to online content with guidance how to progress through the materials. This will be complemented by live webinars, tutorials, and assessment briefings on each module, delivered by the Module Leads.
The Leadership & Transformational Change module will run throughout the course of the year. The module is centred around developing communities of practice, alongside with experts and practitioners sharing reflection on leadership challenges and experience with operating in health, policy, and innovation settings.
Assessment methods
The programme will employ a variety of formative and summative assessments. These are designed with workplace application in mind. Formats vary to cater to the different skill sets students will bring to the programme.
Assessments on the PG Dip include:
- Multiple-choice questions to evidence understanding of the content
- Group assignments to hone negotiation and presentation skills
- Reflective journals in aid of students’ leadership skills development
- Written assignments, i.e. process evaluation, briefing paper, strategy plan
Students continuing to the Master’s programme will additionally complete a research project. This involves a final report (up to 10,000 words).
Entry requirements
Admissions
Entry requirements
In order to be considered for the NHS Digital Academy, you must:
- be a Chief Information Officer, Chief Clinical Information Officer or aspiring digital leader in the NHS or social care
- have five years of relevant experience in informatics or digital health
- have executive level support from your organisation
- be available to attend all residential learning sessions (listed in the overview section of this page)
- provide two references (professional or academic)
Our minimum academic requirement is at least a 2.2 UK Honour's degree in relevant degree subject.
If you do not hold a degree, please do still apply as we will consider your application.
International qualifications
We also accept a wide variety of international qualifications.
The academic requirement above is for applicants who hold or who are working towards a UK qualification.
For guidance see our Country Index though please note that the standards listed are the minimum for entry to the College, and not specifically this Department.
If you have any questions about admissions and the standard required for the qualification you hold or are currently studying then please contact the relevant admissions team.
English language requirement (all applicants)
All candidates must demonstrate a minimum level of English language proficiency for admission to the College.
For admission to this course, you must achieve the standard College requirement in the appropriate English language qualification. For details of the minimum grades required to achieve this requirement, please see the English language requirements for postgraduate applicants.
How to apply
Making an application
All applicants are to complete the application form and require a Sponsor.
Interested applicants can get in touch with the NHS Digital Academy NHSdigitalacademy@imperial.ac.uk.
ATAS certificate
An ATAS certificate is not required for overseas students applying for this course.
Further information
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