PgDip in Human Factors in Patient Safety

This is an inter-professional programme. Applications are invited from all those working in healthcare, including surgeons, anaesthesiologists, emergency medicine physicians, obstetricians, radiologists, acute care nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, radiographers, social workers, dietitians, occupational therapists, other allied healthcare professionals and quality managers.

To be eligible, you must hold a Bachelor of Medicine (MB) or a primary degree in a health and social sciences field with a qualification achieved at the level of 2.2 honours.

All candidates must also provide evidence of at least two years’ work experience in healthcare.

As part of the application process you are required to submit the following supporting documentation:

• CV.
• Copy of passport.
• Copy of educational transcripts.
• Proof of sponsorship (where applicable).
• A 500-800 word response to the question 'Why is healthcare still not safe?'. Please note that all responses will be screened for AI generated content. Before submitting your application please review our AI guidelines.
• Letter from current employer.
• Evidence of English language qualification (where applicable).

If English is not your first language, you will also need to supply a copy of an academic IELTS examination, or equivalent, with an overall score of at least 6.5 and no individual band below 6.5*, unless exempt.

Exemptions may apply if you have:

• Completed school or undergraduate studies (three or more years) through English in a country where English is the majority native language
• Completed school or undergraduate studies (three or more years) in an English speaking institution in a country where English is not the majority native language and where an IELTS score of 5 or more was a requirement for admissions to the programme
• Been working in a country (two years or more) where English is the majority native language or for an employer where English language is the official language

Please note: Certified proof must be uploaded as part of your application.

Read more about minimum English language requirements here.

This programme will assist you to:

• Describe and interpret the major concepts, principles, theories and methodologies associated with human factors and its application to patient safety and display an ability to synthesise and critically appraise the evidence.
• Identify and critically examine the specific person and system factors in hospitals which increase the risk of error and may impact patient safety.
• Appraise the role of non-technical skills in supporting safe and effective patient care.
• Utilise advanced communication and interpersonal skills to recognise and manage difficult situations arising from conflict with patients, relatives and colleagues.
• Demonstrate proficiency in the use of the main interpersonal and communication skills and tools.
• Recognise issues and circumstances in health care practice that raise potential legal liability and to utilise the frameworks necessary to analyse and critically evaluate errors in hospital practice.
• Select and apply quality and process improvement methodologies toward developing applied solutions to healthcare problems.
• Develop an idea into a comprehensive research strategy.
• Demonstrate mastery of the main qualitative and quantitative tools and techniques of human factors research and investigation.
• Champion and defend a systems perspective on risk and safety management in healthcare.
• Endorse the priority of patient safety in healthcare and demonstrate personal support for efforts to understand and manage healthcare risk more effectively.

Find out more about the benefits of this programme:

Watch the video