Quality Improvement Science and Systems Analysis



Overview

This module introduces principles and practical applications of Quality Improvement (QI). We do this alongside exploring Systems Analysis because providing healthcare involves interactions in complex systems. Making isolated changes without considering how these relate to and impact on the wider system is one of the reasons well-intentioned improvement initiatives can fail and even backfire.

We often see change initiatives that achieve initial success revert over time to their prior state. Making change stick is a recurring challenge for QI in clinical settings, so we tackle resistance to change, and the factors that increase the chances of change being accepted and sustained over time.

Topics covered include:

  • QI principles and methods
  • Analysing and understanding care systems, pathways & processes (including value stream/process mapping)
  • Psychological, social and organisational aspects of change
  • Measurement for improvement
  • Patient and staff experience and engagement
  • Principles for optimising productive systems (including lean production and optimising flow)
  • How to set up and organise QI projects (e.g. PDSA cycles, Model for Improvement)
  • Making change stick in the long run

Class sizes are kept small to allow interaction with tutors and exchange of experience among students. Study before and after the course is supported by a rich virtual learning environment.

Offered by Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences and the Department for Continuing Education, the taught week is led by Mr Tom Revington, Departmental Lecturer at the Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford.

Tutors and guest speakers have recently included:

  • Dr Steve New, Lecturer in Operations Management, Said Business School, University of Oxford
  • Anna Burhouse, Director of Quality Development, Northumbria Healthcare
  • Dr Paul Walley, formerly Associate Professor in Operations Management at Warwick University
  • Dr Susie Shapiro, consultant haematologist, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
  • Prof Mohammed Amin Mohammed, medical statistics, University of Bradford
  • Dr Nathan Proudlove, Senior Lecturer in Operational Research, Manchester Business School
  • Ms Caroline Witney-Lagen, consultant orthopaedic surgeon, University Hospitals Sussex
     

Programme details

This course can be taken:

Venue

This course will be held at the Department for Continuing Education, Oxford.

Certification

Short course participants who do not wish to undertake the assessed work required for academic credit but who do satisfy the course attendance requirements will receive a certificate of attendance.

Those successfully completing the course for credit can request a CATS point transcript.

Fees

Description Costs
22-23 & earlier enrolled - MSc in Surgical Science and Practice £2640.00
22-23 & earlier -PC in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement £2640.00
Short course in Surgical Science and Practice £3390.00
Students enrolled on the MSc in Surgical Science and Practice £2740.00
Students enrolled -PC in Patient Safety and Quality Improvement £2740.00

Funding

Details of funding opportunities including grants, bursaries and scholarships are available on our sources of funding page.

Payment

The course fee includes:

  • Tuition
  • Course materials
  • Refreshments and a three-course lunch on each day of the course
  • Access to the following University of Oxford libraries and services:
    • Radcliffe Science Library
    • Rewley House Continuing Education Library
    • Bodleian Libraries e-Resources
  • Access to facilities from the Department for Continuing Education, including:
    • The Graduate School
    • Canvas virtual learning environment
    • Wi-fi access through Oxford Wireless LAN (OWL).

Stand Alone fees for October 2025 £3,390

Tutor

Tom Revington

Module Lead

I studied biochemistry at Oxford in the 1990s, researching T Cell responses to HIV at the Institute for Molecular Medicine.  

I was a diplomat in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with a posting to Istanbul and a period running the briefing unit for government ministers negotiating at EU Council meetings.  

Between 2004 and 2014 I worked at management consultancy McKinsey & Company, supporting healthcare provider organisations to run large change programmes. Some of the areas I worked on were mergers between hospitals, reconfiguring services across primary and secondary care, local healthcare economy planning, clinical service strategy, quality and productivity improvement.

My focus was increasingly on developing the leadership and improvement capabilities of those organisations. Between 2012-14 I studied part time for an MSc in psychology, with a research dissertation investigating the factors that influence whether an individual motivated to make a significant behavioural change succeeded.

In 2016 I began teaching on the Surgical Science and Practice courses at Oxford University. I am now the Course Director and Module Lead for the Quality Improvement Science and Systems Analysis module.

Assessment methods

Assessment will be based on submission of a set written assignment, not exceeding 4,000 words. The assessment is only undertaken by those taking the course for academic credit.

Academic credit

Those wishing to may apply to take the course with accreditation. The University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education offers Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS) points for the course. Participants attending at least 75% of the taught course and successfully completing assessed assignments are eligible to earn credit equivalent to 20 CATS-equivalent points which may be counted towards a postgraduate qualification.

Application

Application deadline: four weeks before the commencement of the course.

This course requires you to complete the online application form (please press the 'Apply' button) and include a copy of your CV as an attachment.

If you are applying to take this course for academic credit you will also need to complete section two of the reference form and forward it to your referee for completion, who will then need to email it to ssp@conted.ox.ac.uk. Please note that if you are not applying to take the course for academic credit then you do not need to submit a reference.

This course is part of the MSc in Surgical Science and Practice. If you would like to apply for the MSc in Surgical Science and Practice please visit the programme page.

Selection criteria

To apply for this course you should:

  • be a graduate or have successfully completed a professional training course
  • have at least two years' professional work experience in the health service or a health-related field
  • be able to combine intensive classroom learning with the application of the principles and practices within the work place
  • demonstrate a suitable level of English (if this is not your first language).

Accommodation

Accommodation is available at the Rewley House Residential Centre, within the Department for Continuing Education, in central Oxford. The comfortable, en-suite, study-bedrooms have been rated as 4-Star Campus accommodation under the Quality In Tourism scheme, and come with tea- and coffee-making facilities, free Wi-Fi access and Freeview TV. Guests can take advantage of the excellent dining facilities and common room bar, where they may relax and network with others on the programme.

IT requirements

This course uses the Department’s online assignment submission system and online courseware. In order to participate in the course, and to prepare and submit your course assignments you will need access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification. Students of this course may use the student computing facilities provided in Departmental buildings.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support