Foundations of Patient Safety
2026-27 Year of entry
Delivered by Great Ormond Street Hospital Learning Academy (GLA), this 15-credit module aims to develop practitioners who have the knowledge and confidence to recognise risks, learn from incidents and improve patient safety.
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Course Overview
In this module, candidates will be supported to gain a comprehensive understanding of how systems, culture, human factors, and psychological safety shape safe care, and to become more attuned to risks and vulnerabilities within complex environments. By fostering reflective, safety focused thinking, this module empowers practitioners to speak up, influence positive change, and actively contribute to creating safer conditions for children, their families and colleagues.
Programme Options
This module can be taken as standalone Continuing Professional Development (CPD), or as part of a Master’s of Science (MSc), Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip), Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) or Graduate Certificate (GradCert) in Paediatrics & Child Healthcare Practice. See our Paediatrics and Child Healthcare Practice MSc page for more information about these programmes.
Candidates considering a programme will need to attend a pre-entry meeting with the programme leader to review the requirements and expectations of the programme. Book a programme planning meeting.
Teaching
Active learning will allow practitioners to learn via collaboration, cooperation, and peer-based learning. Activities may include interactive lectures, clinical skills demonstration and supervised practice, small group activities, case-based discussions, workshops, practice simulations and tutorials.
Synchronous and asynchronous learning and teaching activities are delivered via a combination of study days and digital strategies at local sites or online using the Virtual Learning Environment (MyLearning).
Assessment
The formative assessment will be a reflective peer presentation.
The summative assessment will require candidates to complete an oral patient safety case presentation.
Teaching dates
| Type | Date | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Teaching Day 1 | 21/09/2026 | Face-to-Face |
| Teaching Day 2 | 22/09/2026 | Face-to-Face |
| Teaching Day 3 | 01/10/2026 | Virtual |
| Teaching Day 4 | 02/10/2026 | Virtual |
| Teaching Day 5 | 05/11/2026 | Virtual |
| Teaching Day 6 | 12/11/2026 | Virtual |
| Assessment Day 1 | 11/12/2016 | Face-to-Face |
Teaching will take place over a whole day. Face-to-Face teaching will take place either on or around the Great Ormond Street Hospital campus or at the Middlesex University West Stand at StoneX stadium. Exact locations for teaching days will be advised closer to the start date.
Entry requirements
To undertake this module, you must:
- Hold a current healthcare-specific professional registration.
- Have at least three years’ experience (post-qualifying) working in level 3 paediatric intensive care.
- Be currently working in an ECMO centre and have an accredited intensive care course.
- Be assigned a clinical mentor and be supported in the workplace to develop the necessary skills.
- You will need to upload a personal statement as part of your application, outlining your reasons for applying for this module.
How to apply
Applications must be submitted at least four weeks before the module start date, but it is highly recommended that candidates submit their application as early as possible, as applications may close early if the module reaches capacity.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that they have arranged the necessary study leave to attend the module.
Sponsorship
Candidates whose fees are being paid by their organisation will need to obtain a purchase order from their organisation for their fees and upload this as part of their application. You will not be able to save your application form once you begin, so please have the purchase order ready.
If you are unable to obtain a purchase order prior to the application deadline, candidates can upload a sponsor letter. You may wish to use the Sponsor Letter template.
Information for Sponsor Organisations
When raising a purchase order for module fees, the supplier is Middlesex University. If Middlesex University is not set up as a supplier on your procurement system, then contact CPDFinance@mdx.ac.uk to obtain the required information for set-up.
If you have any questions about the module, please contact academic.programmes@gosh.nhs.uk.
Fees and funding
The fees below refer to the 2026/27 academic year unless otherwise stated.
Part-time candidates: £69 per credit*
*Course fees are subject to annual inflation so the total costs for part time study are shown here as a guide.
Candidates who withdraw from the module on or after the start date will likely be charged the full tuition fees.
Contact us
To find out more about any of the modules or programmes delivered by Great Ormond Street Hospital Learning Academy (GLA), please contact academic.programmes@gosh.nhs.uk.