The Improvement Academy has been strongly committed to supporting hands-on QI work since we were first set up in 2013. In the early days our courses and events were largely delivered face-to-face, and our training offer was carefully tiered to suit different audiences – from our entry-level awareness raising course (our first E-learning course) to the top-level ‘Gold’ Train the Trainer programme.
The outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020 required us to take a massive leap into the virtual world. This also provided a timely opportunity to revisit and strengthen our content.
For our entry-level e-learning (Level 1 – Beginner), this meant building tighter links and progression across to the next stage (Level 2 – Practitioner). The biggest changes for Level 2 were the move to a case-study-based structure to make the learning more relatable, the introduction of an accompanying workbook (a valuable tool for reflection) and more explicit alignment with the broader portfolio of IA training.
Looking back since then, the QI world has changed considerably. The vast majority of our courses and support are delivered virtually. The efficiency saving are clear. However, for trainee and trainer alike, virtual delivery can feel demanding and potentially isolating.
At the same time, expectations around QI capability have increased. Many clinical training courses require completion of a Quality Improvement Project (QIP), the implementation of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework made use of QI explicit for making the necessary improvements. Furthermore, in a context of unprecedented financial pressures across the NHS, QI offers practical, structured approaches to tackling complex and seemingly intractable problems – often at little or no additional cost.
The magic of QI lies not just in tools and techniques, but in its ability to empower frontline staff to test changes, measure impact and continuously improve both patient care and organisational culture. However, strong QI requires strong leadership.
With this in mind, our latest evolution has been a remodelling of the old Gold – Train the Trainer’ into a dedicated Level 3 – QI Leaders course. This newly redesigned programme recognises the breadth and depth of skills required to lead improvement effectively.
Participants are taken on a comprehensive journey – from exploring organisational and cultural readiness to improve, through a wide range of practical improvement and leadership tools and techniques, to the all-important task of embedding, sustaining and spreading the improvement across the system.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, we have reverted to our roots and chosen to deliver this course face-to-face. After completing their pre-work, participants come together for 2-days for a demanding and highly interactive programme that combines theory, discussion, practical application, and peer learning. This approach ensures that participants leave with greater confidence and clarity in their role as leaders of improvement.
