SMP435: Foundations in Health Policy, Leadership and Management

Module description

This campus-based module, integrates the principles of health policy with the foundations in leadership and associated management of health care teams, services and systems, in the context of rapid changes and advances locally, nationally and internationally. There will be a particular focus on public health and health system issues throughout the module.

A number of different cases will be used to illustrate the complexity of developing (or not) health policy and how related health and public health services are then managed and evaluated. Students will be supported in developing critical thinking about the relative effectiveness of different approaches to policy development and analysis. They will learn key approaches to leadership and management of health teams, services and systems, as well as gain an understanding of the complex interplay of the different actors in the health systems. They will acquire an appreciation of some of the key challenges and issues encountered in contemporary health service and health system management. Through exploration of these topics and critical analysis, students will develop know how to systematically assess,  as well as management and improvement by analysing several health care services within the broader cultural, commercial and political contexts. Over the course of the module students will work in small groups  to gain practical understanding of how to apply management and leadership theories and styles in different health care contexts, from health care teams to public health and health systems. 

Objectives

• Assess current issues facing health systems internationally, nationally and locally and associated policy, leadership and management approaches to address them
• Identify and critically evaluate the role of context, actors, process and content relating to health policy
• Use evidence to suggest and explain how health systems may be changed through different policy measures internationally, nationally and locally
• Critically understand the relevance of different management, organisational theories, and quality improvement approaches to health services and systems
• Understand the relative effectiveness of different management and leadership styles within different cultures, contexts and health services

Teaching

This module can also be taken as part of the following courses:

This module is available Faculty-wide in any year as a DDP module

The module will be delivered via 12 sessions. Each session will introduce key concepts, theories, and substantive background material. Some sessions will also involve student-led discussions. These are intended to facilitate a deeper awareness of the material and provide an opportunity for an in-depth discussion of key concepts and theories as they relate to health promotion practice.

Students will be expected to read around each topic before each session. For those sessions involving student-led discussion, required research papers, reading and reflection on these articles will be expected to be undertaken before the relevant session.

Fees and funding

You can find out more about fees and funding for CPD modules in the School of Medicine and Population Health at the link below. We accept sponsored as well as self-funding students.

Fees and funding information

How to apply

Find out what you need to do to apply for a CPD module in the School of Medicine and Population Health.

Apply for this module

Contact

For more information on this module, speak to the lead academic:

Professor Richard Cooper

Professor of Public Health and Social Pharmacy
School of Medicine and Population Health

Richard has been at the University of Sheffield since 2007 and is a Senior Lecturer in Public Health and the Deputy Director of the Public Health section.

Email

richard.cooper@sheffield.ac.uk

Telephone

+44 114 222 0768

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