Learning communities

Overview

This initiative focuses on the role of learning communities in incorporating improvement science into quality improvement programmes.

By looking at a small sample of leading health communities, where learning about improvement is highly valued, we can gain a better understanding of their key characteristics, drivers and ways of working.

The project began in April 2010 and will be delivered over two years.

What we’re doing

The first phase of the Learning Communities Initiative is an interactive development project focusing on two sets of healthcare organisations that are, or aspire to be, ‘learning organisations’.

The project is designed to optimise the role of learning communities in incorporating improvement science into quality improvement programmes. Depending on the outcome of the study, the Health Foundation may develop a further programme of work in the Learning Communities Initiative.

We will produce a report on findings for each participating site as well a report on the study as a whole.

Why we’re doing it

This project will enable a greater understanding of the factors that support or impede communities of practice and learning communities to absorb, share, and implement lessons from improvement science into health service quality improvement programmes.

Importantly, it will inform how we can develop learning about improvement across the health service. Through action learning, which is an integral part of the project, we will also be developing the skills and practice of participating organisations.

How we’re doing it

We are working with existing communities of practice at each participating site, finding out more about how they learn to improve quality, and using those findings to help them to learn more.

We are also creating an additional, experiential learning community that enables exchanges of knowledge and problem solving between organisations and sites, and provides access to external expertise and learning community events. Our project team facilitates the learning and integrates expert contributions into the learning programme.

An infrastructure for learning communities is being created that is capable of being handed over at the completion of the study for continuing use by participating sites.

The project, which is being conducted by a team from Southampton on behalf of the Health Foundation, will provide developmental opportunities for participating sites.

When will the findings be available?

Spring 2012

For more information please contact:

Kion Ahadi, Research and Development Manager