Leading Change in Health Services
PostgraduateACU-HLSC6622023
Course information for 2023 intake
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 10 weeks
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Leading Change in Health Services
About this subject
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
LO1 Demonstrate an understanding of how effective leadership can achieve quality improvement in a health care setting through appraisal of an integrative health service approach (GA1, GA2, GA4, GA9)
LO2 Critically analyse principles of effective governance in leading change from a national and international perspective (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA8)
LO3 Apply change management and effective leadership techniques aimed at successfully leading staff through accreditation, management of a sentinel event, disaster/crisis response, implementation of new technology or other identified change process (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA9, GA10)
LO4 Create a strategic, ethically-based health service delivery plan underpinned by organisational values that has the potential to improve organisational performance (GA1, GA2, GA3, GA4, GA9)
- Topics will include:
- Theoretical underpinnings
- - Leadership theory
- Leading Change
- - Developing leadership self-awareness
- - Strategic thinking
- - Effective communication
- - Appraising political, social, technological and economic factors that influence health service delivery
- Leadership in Action
- - Leadership processes
- - Strategic workforce management
- - Leading and managing change processes (for example, accreditation, sentinel events, disaster/crisis, new technologies)
- - Balancing supply and demand in equitable resource allocation
- - Decision-making models and application to healthcare environment
- - Developing intra and intersectoral alliances
- - Organisational ethics and corporate social responsibility
- Evaluating Change
- - Evaluation of the relationship between governance, organisational culture and impact on organisational performance and quality improvement
In this subject students will be supported to create strategies for organisational change founded on critical application of change theory, collaborative communication, workforce management and effective leadership. This subject is required by students who will, as leaders in driving change, need to predict potential outcomes of change and the impact on workforce, organisational performance and safety and quality improvement.
The aim of this subject is to develop health care leaders who will develop skills necessary to address health service challenges and lead staff in opportunities for capacity building and quality improvement in a complex, evolving environment from both a national and international perspective.
In order to pass this unit, students are expected to submit three graded assessment tasks. In addition, students must achieve a cumulative grade of at least 50% across all assessments. In order to reward students for engagement and performance, a final graded result will be awarded.
In this unit, to support students in being able to demonstrate unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes, a standards-based assessment is utilised, consistent with University assessment requirements. The assessment strategy allows for the progressive development of knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for the student to be able to demonstrate an understanding of leadership theory and the requisite skills necessary to achieve optimal outcomes when leading staff through change in health service delivery. These assessments are required to build student knowledge, skills and attitudes to graduate as a healthcare professional who can effectively lead staff through organisational change processes.
A range of assessment strategies are used including assessing students’ ability to: (i) reflect on the ethical implications and effectiveness of strategic decision making in health service delivery through a written reflection; (ii) demonstrate the leadership skills necessary to effectively lead staff through a significant change process through group work and collaborative seminar presentation (iii) to apply knowledge and skill in leadership to develop a draft health service delivery report.- Written Report - Enables students to reflect on the elements of effective leadership and impact of change processes in a health setting. (25%)
- Presentation - Enables students to collaborate with peers via an online environment in demonstrating the leadership skills necessary to effectively lead staff through a significant change process. (30%)
- Report - Enables students to apply knowledge and skill in leadership to develop a draft health service delivery plan/proposal/report. (45%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
Established in 1991 after amalgamating four eastern Australian Catholic tertiary institutes, Australian Catholic University now has seven campuses, from Brisbane to Melbourne and welcomes students of all beliefs. Specialising in arts, business, education, health sciences, law, theology and philosophy, ACU encourages its students to think critically and ethically and bring change to their communities and offer this online through Open Universities Australia.
Learn more about ACU.
Explore ACU courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 35
- Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 26
Entry requirements
To enrol in this subject, you must be admitted into a degree.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.