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Service Improvement Project - HEA00145M

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  • Department: Health Sciences
  • Credit value: 40 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2022-23

Module summary

This module will enable students to examine and critically appraise an aspect of healthcare practice (through a strictly negotiated and collaborative process) and design and implement a change that makes a difference to service-user care. Successful completion of the module is not dependent upon the success of the service improvement project. The focus will be upon the critical analysis of the processes and systems involved in diagnosing, considering options for change, and undertaking an implementation process.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Spring Term 2022-23 to Summer Vacation 2022-23

Module aims

This module will equip you with the skills required to design and undertake an audit of practice, making evidence-based recommendations to:

  • Drive service improvements, educate others and provide consultancy services within your scope of practice
  • Undertake evidence gathering activities to develop new knowledge and undertake audit to evaluate and further develop your area of expertise to improve care and services for the people you are treating
  • Develop change management plans which are based on theoretical principles

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students will be able to:

  1. Design and undertake an audit of practice, making evidence-based recommendations
  2. Drive service improvements, educate others and provide consultancy services within your scope of practice
  3. Undertake evidence gathering activities to develop new knowledge and undertake audit to evaluate and further develop your area of expertise to improve care and services for the people you are treating
  4. Develop change management plans which are based on theoretical principles
  5. Reflect upon the use of service improvement theory to inform the proposed change and to evaluate practice development being mindful of the need to place service users' needs at the heart of quality improvement.

Module content

Change theory and practice
Leadership in change management
Audit design
Ethics and quality improvement
Project management
Negotiation skills
Approaches to data analysis

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Special assessment rules

Non-compensatable

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Essay/coursework 100

Module feedback

Written feedback for the summative assessment is provided on the standard proforma, within the timescale specified in the programme handbook.

Indicative reading

Burgess, R. (2011) New Principles of Best Practice in Clinical Audit HQIP: UK

Furlie, E. et al (2016) The Oxford Handbook of Health Care Management. Oxford : Oxford University Press

Gottwald, M. Lansdown, G. (2021) Clinical Governance Improving the Quality of Healthcare for patients and service users. 2nd ed. Open University Press:UK

McDermott, A. Kitchener, M. Exworthy, M. (eds) (2018) Managing improvement in healthcare: Attaining, Sustaining and Spreading Quality Springer: UK

Nygaard, L. (2017) Writing your masters thesis from A to zen Sage:UK


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.