The Health Foundation is an independent charity working to continuously improve the quality of heatlhcare in the UK

Improvement Science Fellowships

Illustration of two people and a globeIn brief

This ambitious fellowship programme is in the emerging field of improvement science. We are offering funding for three years to develop original, applied research dedicated to improving healthcare in the UK.

We have recruited four outstanding individuals who are seeking an opportunity to put their research experience into practice to improve healthcare. Our new fellows are creative, passionate and talented people who will produce world class research and raise the status of this emerging discipline.

Key facts

The fellows are developing original, applied research, which will make a real difference to improving healthcare in the UK and contribute to the knowledge base of the science of improvement.

  • Over three years, fellows receive funding for full-time salary and research costs.
  • Fellows have a track record in research or healthcare practice that relates to improvement science and a PhD or MD.
  • Fellows are given personalised leadership development training as part of the programme.
  • Fellows have access to the Health Foundation Improvement Science Development Group, an international group of experts from disciplines within the field of improvement science.
Comments
Dr.Gita Chakraborty 26 November 2010
This is a excellent program for health care development for the community as well as state and globally. I have been working since 18 years in Public Health Care sectors to improve health service delivery as well as low cost for the community people.
I want to be a Fellow in your organisation in 2011.
May be I can contribute my innovating ideas in this research.
Helen Crisp, Assistant Director Research and Development, the Health Foundation 26 November 2010
Thanks for your enthusiatic response. We're certainly looking for innovative ideas. Do check the criteria on the application website, to see if you should apply for a fellowship.
jenny salmon 27 November 2010
As a mature English female with a background in nursing and holding a PhD in health sciences from the University of Auckland, New Zealand - fetal alcohol spectrum disorder - I am seeking a post-doctoral fellow position in this field.
Helen Crisp, Assistant Director Research and Development, the Health Foundation 30 November 2010
The improvement science fellowships will focus on applied research that demonstrates a multi-disciplinary approach to issues that will impact on improving health care services in the UK. Please read the full details on the application web-site (link above right) to see if your post-doctoral research will fit the requirements.
Dr Robert Macdonald,Emeritus President of the LAS/RIBA 10 December 2010
I am fully qualified architect and academic with a Phd. I have a developing research interest in the architectural design of Mental Care facilities.
I have been invited by Merseycare to monitor the design a series of new Low Secure Hospitals. I sit on a NHS capital investment committee which meets at Ashworth High Security hospital. I am a professional, patient and service user.
I have organised, over three years a postgraduate programme involving mental health professions, nurses and architects.
I am interested to know if my expertise and experience is relevant to The Improvement Science Fellowships.
Helen Crisp, Assistant Director Research and Development, the Health Foundation 13 December 2010
We're very pleased to see interest from a wide variety of professional backgrounds in the Improvement Science Fellowships.Your experience to date shows the sort of multi-disciplinary approach that we are seeking to promote through these fellowships. In order to apply, you will need to identify a proposal for research that will have high impact on improving the quality and patient care, demonstrating how other academic disciplines and healthcare professionals will contribute to the research and its implementation.
Dr. Zola Mannie 10 January 2011
I am interested in the fellowship program, but am not sure if my work is eligible for consideration. My work focuses on using computerized cognitive training strategies on young people at increased risk of depression, aimed at preventing the development of depression. Does such an intervention study with potential of improving the quality of young people's lives fulfill the criteria of the improvement science program?
Helen Crisp, Assistant Director Research and Development, the Health Foundation 20 January 2011
Dear Zola,

Thank you for your comment. It has been great to see that so many people are interested in these fellowships.

Unfortunately, it's not posible to respond to each individual's query about their specific experience for these fellowships, but let me instead guide you to the dedicated Improvement Science Fellowships application website (see link at the top right of this page) which includes lots of information about what we are looking for, and especially to the FAQs section of the site.

Here you will find lots of information to help you with your application, as well as an idea of the kinds of experience we would like successful applicants to have.

I do hope this helps.

Judith Tomlinson 03 January 2012
Please could someone contact me to discuss criteria for applying for one of these improvement science fellowships.
Many thanks Judith Tomlinson.
Guillermo Mora 20 February 2012
Thanks for the opportunity of reading these interesting lines, for us.
Will be Helpful

kate bloor 17 March 2012
Is there any similarity or differences, between policy analysis, as in analysis for (or of), policy, and 'improvement science'. I always thought that the role of research in the policy -making process, ensured if done correctly, that improvements in delivery of outcomes defined by that policy would improve, or be re-defined. Is improvement science a 'new methodology' or is it existing techniques to policy making, that are being used in a new way or set into a new context or language.?


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See also
  • The Vin McLoughlin Symposium on the Epistemology of Improving Quality
    This five day event in April 2010 brought together leading experts from around the world to discuss the science of improvement.
    Read more
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