14 Jan 2026 (Available)
Apply by: 19 Nov 2025
New Session
Cohort 15 Block 1: 14th, 15th, 16th January 2026 Block 2: 10th, 11th, 12th February 2026 Block 3: 11th, 12th, 13th March 2026
Course overview
Important points - This is a bespoke course for NHS England. Submitting an application will NOT guarantee you a place.
APPLICATIONS FOR COHORT 15 WILL BE CAPPED AT 30 DUE TO THE LIMITED NUMBER OF SPACES AVAILABLE - ONCE 30 APPLICATIONS ARE RECEIVED THE SYSTEM WILL NOT ACCEPT FURTHER APPLICATIONS. CLOSING DATE FOR COHORT 15 IS MONDAY 17TH NOVEMBER 2025, BEFORE 10:00HRS
This programme enables students to explore their individual potential and ability and enhance understanding of their efficacy and impact as leaders within their organisations and as a result of completing the programme students will develop a deep and systematic understanding of quality enhancement and navigating change within healthcare.
Participants will be enabled to learn through and from experience by participating in and facilitating Action Learning Sets as well as working in pairs/groups. This facilitative community of learning offers a supportive model that participants can build on through their studies and beyond.
A key course component is the formation and facilitation of action learning sets.
This course is for band 8b/8c nurses who are aspiring DDoNs (Deputy Chief Nurses).
We welcome applications from colleagues from ethnic minority backgrounds and other underrepresented groups.
Course Content Themes
Excelling as a leader
Quality enhancement and clinical effectiveness
Power, Privilege, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Navigating change
Personal impact and presence
Latest contemporary leadership concepts
Systems leadership
The course is supported and enriched by a variety of invited external speakers with specialist expertise and experiences.
Assessment
Programme assessment is an online written submission comprising of an annotated job description, reflection and Board report to equip students for ongoing career progression.
Students who successfully complete the assessment will be awarded 30 credits at Level 7 (Masters level).
Assignment
Although optional it is strongly recommended and encouraged that you complete the assignment to consolidate your learning, critically reflect on your leadership practice and help you to prepare, articulate and evidence your next career steps.
This assignment is a personalised, living, working document which draws on current, supporting theory/literature and individual experience to evidence readiness for career progression through completion of a Person Specification template, reflection and a written report.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge & understanding:
1. Critically distinguish the implications of leadership from varying perspectives.
2. Analyse and evaluate current leadership theory and its application to practice.
3. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the role of quality & quality enhancement
within healthcare practice.
4. Critically appraise change management theory and its application to healthcare
environments.
Skills & attributes:
1. Analyse & develop individual competence and readiness to operate effectively as
deputy executive directors of nursing.
2. Synthesise leadership theory to set direction, enable effective delivery and encourage
continual improvement across a healthcare organisation.
3. Identify opportunities and challenges related to maintenance of quality & quality
enhancement to enable effective delivery and encourage continual improvement
across a healthcare organisation
Funding
There is no cost to the student as the course is commissioned and paid for by NHS England.
Learner Hours
50 hours (face-to-face attendance mandatory)
Funding
No cost to students as commissioned and paid for by NHS England
Why choose HERTS?
Excellent sector connections: we have extensive links with eight NHS Trusts and Local Authorities in Hertfordshire.
Links with over 98 NHS Trusts and Local Authorities in East Anglia and London regions.
Flexibility: we provide flexible study options to ensure you can fit CPD study around your busy professional and personal lives.
Location: the main University of Hertfordshire campus is 25 minutes from London with easy access by both road and rail services.
Course details
Course leader
Carys Armstrong-Griffiths Email: c.armstrong-griffiths@herts.ac.uk
Administrator
Allison Riley
Telephone
01707 284800
Course delivery
Face to Face
Prerequisites
This is an NHS England funded programme and therefore the following pre-requisites apply:
- Applicants MUST be able to attend ALL block dates for the cohort they are applying for. (as stipulated by NHS E who fund this provision.)
- Please ensure that you also have your line manager’s permission and have been given protected time to attend
- To be considered for SHORTLISTING please upload a current CV (2 sides A4 maximum) that outlines your leadership experience to date to the additional documents section
- Please complete the Personal Statement section of the application. When completing your personal statement (within the application portal) you need to:
- outline why you should be considered for the programme at this time and what you hope to achieve through attendance on the programme
- indicate that you have sought and gained approval for your application from your Dep Chief Nurse/Chief Nurse (or equivalent).
Applicants will normally be Nursing and Midwifery Council nurse registrants employed in a current NHS England band 8b/8c (or equivalent) role.
Submitting an application will NOT guarantee you a place.
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