Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors (Online Learning) MSc, PgCert, PgDip

The University of Edinburgh is currently ranked 15th in the World in the QS World University Rankings 2023.

This three-year, part-time, online MSc programme in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors aims to support graduate healthcare professionals, ranging from nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists, veterinarians, paramedics and those working in healthcare management. Students learn how to use evidence-based tools and techniques to improve the reliability and safety of everyday healthcare systems and processes.

As an applicant for this degree, you will be looking to distinguish yourself as being an expert in patient safety and looking to move towards specialising or taking a management lead in this field. The programme will draw on teaching materials from a global network of experts.

Due to the unique and completely online nature of the teaching, the programme is an attractive option if you are a professional wishing to secure academic credit or a higher degree in patient safety and are unable to commit to attending on-campus teaching.

The Master’s in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors programme's learning outcomes have been mapped onto the SCQF level 11 characteristics.

On graduating from this programme, you will:

• demonstrate an extensive, detailed and critical knowledge and understanding of the current background and principal theories regarding the extent of and causes of harm in healthcare, reliability, patient safety and human factors
• be able to put into practice the applied knowledge, skills and understanding by planning and executing a significant project of research, investigation or development
• have developed the necessary cognitive skills to deal with complex issues and make informed judgements in situations in the absence of complete or consistent data/information
• be able to recognise contributory factors towards adverse events and use this knowledge to inform improvement plans and learning at a local and organisational level. This includes audit/M&M meetings and duty of candour, as well as ethics
• have highly developed communication skills, and be communicate, using appropriate methods, to a range of audiences with different levels of knowledge/expertise
• gain a wide range of routine skills and a range of advanced and specialised skills as appropriate to Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors
• be able to exercise substantial autonomy and initiative in professional and equivalent activities. You will demonstrate leadership and initiative and make an identifiable contribution to change and development and/or new thinking
• demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the chosen research topic, You will identify, conceptualise and offer original and creative insights into novel information and/or recently published data
• produce a written critique of a defined piece of research, as well as demonstrate originality and creativity in the development and application of new knowledge, understanding and practices.

As a graduate of this programme, you may be looking to develop specific skills in this area within your current position. You may also be looking to secure an appointment as a patient safety officer, a position that is increasingly promoted and advertised in the UK and abroad.

We anticipate that this qualification would not necessarily result in a change in career for graduate health care professionals so much as develop your current role.

The demand for individuals with knowledge and skills in teaching and assessing patient safety and quality improvement is growing rapidly. Both NHS England and Scotland are driving initiatives in this area and this is being observed globally.

As a graduating student, you will have a significant advantage in signalling not only your commitment to patient safety and quality improvement, but you will have also demonstrated the skills needed in identifying and measuring patient safety risks from a Human Factors science perspective.

You will also gain the ability to apply quality improvement methodology to make effective changes to improve safety. These skills are highly sought after particularly within the NHS and other developed health care systems.

Due to the unique and completely online nature of the teaching, the programme is an attractive option if you are a professional wishing to secure academic credit or a higher degree in patient safety and are unable to commit to attending on-campus teaching.

Years 1 and 2 of the programme each consist of three 20-credit courses. On successful completion of Year 1 and Year 2 courses, students complete an independent research project in Year 3.

this programme has the following exit awards:

• Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert: 60 credits)
• Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip: 120 credits)
• Master of Science (MSc: 180 credits)

Year 1

Year 1 will cover:

• a broad introduction to the current state of safety in healthcare
• how harm comes to patients
• a detailed understanding of clinical human factors and ergonomics

Year 2

Year 2 will follow on from the state of healthcare to look at how we can improve safety in healthcare.

This involves examining how good teamwork influences patient outcomes, as well as improving healthcare and medicine management.

You will also focus on quality improvement research and methodologies.

Year 3

Year 3 will follow the highly successful iterative module used by the Masters in Surgical Sciences, involving:

• submission of a project outline
• abstract submission with poster preparation
• completion of a dissertation

The programme has two elements: the taught element and the dissertation element (in Year 3).

The taught element of the programme is divided into six 20-credit courses; three are needed to complete the Certificate, and six are needed to complete the Diploma.

Each academic year consists of three teaching blocks, each running over 11 weeks.

During the dissertation element of the programme, you will have the opportunity to further develop your skills and design and conduct your quality improvement project in your workplace.

This dissertation year consists of a phased assessment.

Year 1

60 credit = PgCert

• Introduction to Healthcare Delivery and What Leads to Harm (20 credits)
• Clinical Human Factors and Ergonomics in Healthcare (20 credits)
• Individual and team skills(20 credits)

Year 2

120 credit = PgDip

• Learning from current practice and governance(20 credits)
• Training for safety(20 credits)
• Quality improvement for safer practice(20 credits)

Year 3

180 credit = MSc

• Dissertation and independent improvement project (60 credits)