Activate Business School launches new education programme for aspiring health leaders

Working in collaboration with the – Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire and Berkshire (BOB) Integrated Care System, and Health Education England – South East the new six-month Higher Development Award (HDA) has been successfully launched.  

The Higher Development Award (HDA) is a personal development programme that enables clinical and non-clinical support staff to build on and further develop their knowledge and skills.  

The programme also provides learners with the tools they need to increase awareness of how their role improves patient and client outcomes.  

Working closely with NHS and care providers, the programme will be mostly free for the majority of people accessing the course. The main focus of the programme is to aid in meeting the complex needs of the health and social care systems and to enable the wider workforce to experience and understand leadership, decision making and problem solving. 

Speaking about the launch of the programme, Fiona Stilwell, Managing Director of Activate Business School, said she was pleased Activate Business School were able to continue to support the increasing needs of the health and care sector. 

She said: “Activate Business School has a long history of working with healthcare providers to meet their skills needs and ensure they have well-trained, capable staff.  

“So to offer this latest programme is a natural fit. Working with the BOB Integrated Care System and health and care providers around the region, we are excited to be able to help health employers unearth hidden potential and develop their future leaders.

“The great thing about this initiative is that it’s designed to benefit the learners and the organisations they are part of in very practical terms.  

“Not only does the employee develop skills throughout the six-month programme, but they also get to focus on developing a real-world service improvement project that can be designed around their workplaces.” 

Learners on the programme will have to give one day a month, for six months for classroom-based learning.  

Shilpa Bhatt, Apprenticeship Lead for Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West (BOB) Integrated Care System (ICS), said: “The Higher Development Award has enabled BOB employers to give an opportunity to their staff to gain a recognised qualification through this multi-professional programme, which will develop their confidence and gain management skills which will help make difference to patient care.  

“Working in Partnership with Activate Business School, we have developed this programme in partnership with employers and are delighted to be able to offer this programme across our region.” 

Claire Wardle, Programme Lead for Nurse Expansion, South East Region, at Health Education England, said: “Thank you to Activate Business School for fully supporting and taking this exciting programme forward.  

“The Higher Development Award has gained national recognition and it is very exciting to launch this programme in the South East that will benefit employees in support roles, enhance their career development and ultimately our patients and clients. Thank you also to our employers who have contributed to this programme.” 

To find out more about the programme go to: https://activateapprenticeships.co.uk/activate-business-school/higher-development-award-hsc/