1. Demonstrate systemic and applied understanding of quality management and quality improvement principles within laboratory medicine and evaluate their role in maintaining and promoting the safety of patients and practitioners.

Knowledge and Understanding

Analysis

2. Identify and evaluate systemic causes of error and critically evaluate methods to reduce and eliminate risk, improve patient outcomes and develop services within a patient-centred, evidence-based pathology service within the context of developing systems, existing systems or planned / unplanned changes.

Enquiry

Problem Solving

3. Demonstrate current, systematic knowledge and understanding of the Human Factors methods, sciences and principles and the importance of applying this knowledge within a healthcare setting.

Knowledge and Understanding

Learning



4. Demonstrate the decision making, reflection and communication skills needed for incident response and investigations under conditions of partial information and incomplete data.

Communication

Application

Reflection

Clinical Incident Evaluative Report

A report critically evaluating the investigation, preventative / corrective actions and outcomes of a laboratory-based clinical incident (either from a student’s own practice or using a provided simulated incident). The report should focus upon a critical evaluation of causal factors and investigatory process rather than a descriptive overview of the incident itself.

Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3



Expert Witness Simulation

20-minute viva-style assessment based upon a simulated clinical incident. The student will simulate the role of an expert witness providing evidence to an appropriate forum (for example: an inquiry panel, patient group or NHS Trust Board).

Learning Outcome 4

In this module students will develop and apply advanced techniques to monitor, manage and improve the quality of diagnostic processes within traditional and alternative care settings. Students will make explicit links between the application of their discipline and the impact upon patient care, both through critiquing current practice to identify causes of sub-optimal outcomes and to push forwards developments to practice through application of quality improvement principles.

Students will be encouraged to consider how system design and quality improvement methodologies can be used to deliver safer and more efficient patient care with a specific focus upon the role of human factors and healthcare safety agenda in developing laboratory practice.

Ensuring the highest standards of quality and patient safety is at the heart of modern laboratory medicine. This module equips you with the advanced knowledge and applied techniques required to monitor, manage, and enhance the quality of diagnostic processes, linking laboratory practice directly to patient outcomes.

You will develop a systematic and applied understanding of quality management and improvement principles, critically evaluating their role in maintaining and promoting the safety of both patients and laboratory practitioners. Through real-world case studies and evidence-based approaches, you will identify systemic causes of error, assess risk reduction strategies, and explore methods to enhance service delivery within patient-centred, evidence-based pathology services.

A key focus of the module is the application of Human Factors science, providing students with the skills to analyse system design, improve processes, and contribute to the wider healthcare safety agenda. Students will also develop decision-making, reflection, and communication skills essential for responding to incidents, conducting investigations, and making informed judgments under conditions of uncertainty.

By integrating quality improvement methodologies, risk management, and an understanding of healthcare systems, students will be prepared to drive meaningful improvements in laboratory medicine, ensuring safer, more efficient, and high-quality patient care.

Content for the Quality Improvement and Patient Safety in Laboratory Medicine will be delivered as a combination of workshops, seminars and clinical scenario classes. You will complete clinical scenario on advanced techniques to monitor, manage and improve the quality of diagnostic processes in laboratory medicine.

Workshop activities will deal with data analysis, interpretation and presentation. In all activities the wider application of the techniques, beyond those exercises undertaken in the laboratory, will be emphasised and discussed. Emphasis will be given to quality assurance and Good Laboratory Practice.

Patient safety and quality improvement:

https://www.rcpath.org/profession/patient-safety-and-quality-improvement.html

Patient Safety Matters:

https://ascls.org/patient-safety-in-laboratory-medicine-matters/

Handbook of Healthcare Quality & Patient Safety by Girdha J Gyani, Alexander Thomas

Publisher: ¿ Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers; 3rd edition (31 Oct. 2021)

VLE

Suitable workshop and other rooms for the duration of the course
Access to library
Access to computers
Support in the preparation of Health & Safety and ethical documentation for the course

Software suitable to support immersive and augmented 360-degree environments (eg ThingLink)