Communities of Practice Leadership Development Programme

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Deepening improvement knowledge and developing the leadership skills needed to convene a Community of Practice

Programme overview

Our world is ever-changing and our work is getting increasingly complex. To take on the urgent challenges that we face, we need fresh ideas about how we work together, and inspiring leaders willing to encourage others to go on that journey.

Communities of Practice (CoPs) are groups of people who share a passion for improving practice in health and care. Practitioners from different backgrounds, with different perspectives, come together across organisations and across hierarchies to meet as equals to create new knowledge and develop potential solutions to those “wicked problems” that go beyond what each of us can address in isolation.

“The things I learnt on the programme, both theoretical and practical, have impacted the entire way that I work and engage with my colleagues.”Previous participant

These groups of professionals are brought together by a convener/co-convener to voluntarily explore how to bring about change for the better. By focusing on patient care across health and social care organisations, the work of these self-selecting Communities will have a real impact on patient experience and outcomes.

Conveners of CoPs have a passion for improving patient care but are often new to the concept of CoPs and are unsure of how best to ‘hold’ that space and to make this way of working ‘land’ in the health and social care environment. In January 2019 the Health Foundation’s Q Network and the Health Innovation Network (HIN) launched the first Communities of Practice Leadership Development Programme as an experiential learning programme specifically to address these challenges and provide all the building blocks for successful Community of Practice leadership.

Now for the third time, this programme is open for applications from 13 October  2022 – 25 November 2022.

The programme is strongly based on practical experience and builds on successful Communities of Practice currently hosted by the HIN and Q members, recognising the convener role as a key leadership skill for the complex issues faced by the health and care professionals of today.

“I have set up a successful CoP in my hospital, which adheres to the key principles without being bound by too many rules. We have secured training funds and support from the Executive Team to continue and embed the principles of the CoP across the organisation, and this is all directly as a result of the input and support from the course.”Previous participant

This unique leadership programme is designed specifically for health and care professionals looking to develop collective leadership capability, who already have, or are planning to establish a CoP, where they can apply the learning from this programme. Participants are usually in a position to provide leadership through their community to support improvements in care for patients or service users.

The programme is strongly based on practical experience and builds on successful CoPs currently hosted by the HIN and Q members. Participants can place the experience of their own CoPs at the centre of every module and contribute to workshop content based on their own needs.

“I found the speakers on the modules to be ‘first class’ with an engaging and inclusive approach that stretched my thinking on every occasion.”Previous participant

Meet the team

  • Cleo is currently the Associate Clinical Director for Patient Safety at the Health Innovation Network (AHSN, South London). She is focusing on establishing a shared vision and strategy with patients and other key stakeholders across health and social care to promote collaborative and partnership working across traditional boundaries, that enables transformational and sustainable improvements in patient care. Cleo has been leading her own Community of Practice since 2016 and is currently supporting a number of Communities of Practice at the Health Innovation Network to develop and grow.

  • Sam formed Überology Ltd in 2013 after 11 years in the NHS and specialises in programme start up and management, co-design, innovation, event design and facilitation, coaching, research and writing. A recognised expert in patient participation and experience, Sam has a special interest in design thinking, creativity in leadership, new technologies and communications.

  • George joined the Health Innovation Network in March 2021, and has supported the Mental Health, Healthy Ageing, Insights, and Patient Safety and Experience themes. In his current role, George supports with evaluations of new technologies and ways of working within the NHS, as well as leading on several workstreams relating to behavioural insights and patient involvement. As well as supporting the Community of Practice Leadership Programme, George delivers the HIN’s internal training programme, The HIN Academy.

“A really big thank you. This has been the most valuable part of being a Q Member. Something so extensive and supporting. I will use what I have learnt time and time again. Great people.”Previous participant

Applying for the programme

This programme is open for applications from 13 October 2022 – 25 November 2022.

For further information about the programme, please click here.

Applications for this programme are now closed.

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Further information

Find out more about our other Communities of Practice (CoP).

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