1. www.fdf.ac.uk
The National Health Service,Connecting for
Health and the Strategic Health Authority
for the Northwest together developed a
Foundation degree course to train health
sector workers in Health Informatics,
improving the efficiency of the public
healthcare delivery and providing the
necessary skills and expertise to advance the
students’careers.
An emergent field in healthcare
Health Informatics (HI) - the use of technology to gather
and disseminate the diverse data necessary for the delivery
of modern healthcare – especially in fields such as risk
management – is a growth area within the NHS.
The course was conceived in 2003 when there was no
structured training in the field,despite its expanding
importance and crucial role in the managing of the large
volumes of data accumulated in health practice.The Strategic
Health Authority (SHA) in the North West approached Alan
Gillers of UCLAN and Garfield Southall of University of Chester
to organise a brainstorm with more than 50 participants
from both the HE institutions and the health industry to
develop two Foundation degree courses,one for Assistant
Practitioners,and one in Health Informatics.
The partnership of stakeholders from academia and industry
– such as Mark Pierce and Adam Drury of the SHA – was a key
element of the creation of these successful Foundation
degrees,ensuring that the courses were driven by the needs
and expertise of employers,and backed by high academic
standards and tailored delivery methods.
Input from Jacqui Smith of Connecting for Health and the
SHA and Michael Rigby of the HI Qualifications Board helped
to ensure the course would receive endorsement from NHS
bodies.
Adaptive and innovative delivery
In 2004 Tony Scott led the FD HI programme at University
of Chester through definition and validation,adding an
innovative‘blended learning’approach to the curriculum
designed in conjunction with employers.Under the blended
learning approach,students combine online,campus-based
and personal learning to successfully manage their time to
improve their skills and productivity without disrupting their
work.
The students spend one day every month at the University
of Chester,learning the theory for the next part of the course.
They then use online resources,including e-books and blogs,
to complete assigned tasks in their own time under the on-
line supervision of their tutor.
Before the next session they discuss the material in an
online message board and any problems they have can be
answered immediately,or during the review of the previous
month’s work at their next face to face meeting.This flexible
approach to learning is a key element of the course. Link tutor
Carol Comer,Academic Development Advisor for e-learning
ensures that students use the latest online methods and
strategies such as the incorporation of module content onto
personalised web pages.
CaseStudy
The Health Informatics Foundation degree,
accredited by the University of Chester.
“A degree that meets the changing needs of Europe’s largest employer”

2. www.fdf.ac.uk
The course began in January 2005 and was originally taught
part-time over two and a half years,but from September 2008
it will be condensed into two years.This does not represent
a reduction in the amount of material,however,but reflects
students’requests that they should not need to suspend
their studies outside of university term time.Thus,teaching
will takes place over three 16 week periods,with studies
continuing through the summer.
Responsive to NHS and students
The planning of the module content is influenced by the
changing requirements of the NHS such as the introduction
of eHealth (the promotion and facilitation of health well-
being with individuals and families and the enhancement
of professional practice by the use of information and
communication technology”and advances in technology
such as‘Choose and Book’.
Individual modules of the course will be accredited and
approved by the NHS allowing the course structure to be
adapted to suit its purposes.The course is adaptive to the
students’work.Assessed student presentations are videoed
so that students can peer review at a time convenient to
them.
If a student needs to suspend their studies due to work
commitments the credits they have already earned remain
valid for any future return.The students on the course are all
currently employed in the NHS mainly in institutions such as
the Royal Liverpool Hospital,Arrow Park Hospital or the Welsh
Ambulance Service
The modules range from“Informatics for Effective
Communication”through“Capture and Management of Data”
to“Electronic Networks and Telemedicine”.All contain a work
place related element and assignment so that students apply
their work place knowledge and experience to enhance their
progress in academia.The sharing of experiences amongst
students has been an integral part of their learning.
A true benefit to students’careers
Although the course is tailored to those who already have
hands-on experience of computing (e.g.ECDL) the students
come from a wide variety of backgrounds within the NHS,
and have included an intensive care nurse,an IT manager and
a finance manager.
For example,Jane Thomas was employed as a Grade 5 Clinical
Governance Assistant when she commenced studying for
the Foundation degree.She has successfully been promoted
twice during her studies,to a Grade 6 Assistant Project
Manager and then to a Band 7 post as a Project Manager:
“As our studies progressed my confidence grew and I learned a
great deal about the differences between the NHS in Wales and
England.This provoked me to apply for a Band 7 post as a Project
Manager in an EnglishTrust.I was successful and am currently
enjoying that role as well as my studies.”
An example to the rest of the NHS
Programme Leader Sandra Lacey and her team work hard to
spread knowledge of the benefits of the Foundation degree
to other parts of the NHS,visiting local hospitals and talking
directly to managers and staff.The results are encouraging,
with the degree now being studied by students from as far
apart as Kent and Huddersfield.
The course received strong backing in its early years to get
it off the ground,with the SHA refunding students’fees and
providing backfill funding to employers so they can assign
someone to cover students’study leave.Future students
can pay for their own course fees,or can be funded by their
employer.
Sandra is confident of the benefits for both the student and
their employer:
“The aim of the course is to improve the effectiveness of people
already working in health care.All the students have found
it a challenging and positive experience. Most of our recent
graduates have been promoted as a direct result of taking the
course.”