Short courses in health management

Module 1: Health Economics

Dates: 7 September - 9 October 2026

20 hours

The aim of the module is to analyse principles of microeconomics and their application to healthcare, and to examine issues of efficiency and equity and their application to healthcare.

During the course you develop an understanding of:

• markets and market failures in healthcare
• uncertainty and the operation of health insurance markets
• the agency relationship and the possibility of supplier induced demand
• reasons for caring about the health of other people
  the nature of the demand for health
• the nature of the supply of healthcare
• how to measure and value the benefits of healthcare
• issues in the rationing of healthcare

By the end of the course, you'll be able to:

• apply key microeconomic concepts to the healthcare sector
• understand how markets work in theory and how the assumptions of a perfect market are often violated in healthcare
• explain how health insurance markets operate
• understand the nature of the doctor-patient agency relationship
• define different types of economic ev al uation and identify the situations in which they can be used
• list the key characteristics of a well-conducted economic evaluation
• discuss how the results of economic evaluations can be used to inform resource-allocation decisions
• list the factors besides cost-effectiveness that are important determinants of how to allocate scarce healthcare resources

*Note that an online course in pre-study maths is available before this course

Module 2: Contemporary Topics in Healthcare

Dates: 19 October - 20 November 2026

20 hours

The course provides an introduction to contemporary issues in health policy, with a focus on major global challenges and on the roles of different stakeholders in addressing them. The emphasis will be on currency: the selection of topics will be adopted to cover ‘live’ issues in health systems and policy at national and international levels. Topics will be illustrated with reference to current debates and knowledge. Policy options will be explored for each of the issues addressed, assessing the case for action, the expected policy impacts, the political economy issues involved, the key enabling factors and implementation barriers.

 During the course you will develop an understanding of:

• the sustainability of health care systems
• competition and regulation of health care markets
• trends in health care innovation
• the economics of global health challenges
• social wellbeing, health and individual behaviour
• social and environmental determinants of health
• the roles of different stakeholders in health policy making

By the end of this course you’ll be able to:

• demonstrate understanding and make critical assessments of current issues in health policy
• apply theories, concepts and empirical evidence in their work
• know where to go to get more information on similar issues

Module 3: Health Systems, Policy & Financing

Dates: 19 October – 20 November 2026
20 hours

The aim of the module is to introduce the students to different health system designs and equip them with analytical frameworks to analyse health systems.

Students will develop an understanding of:

• Health system goals and objectives
• The elements of the health systems, namely; financing, stewardship and organisational arrangements, financing, resource allocation, provider payment systems and service provision
• Key health reform initiatives

By the end of the module students will:

• Be familiar with goals and objectives of health systems and be introduced to concepts such as equity, efficiency, effectiveness and choice
• Understand how health systems are organised and financed; how priorities are identified, resources allocated and providers paid
• Appreciate advantages and disadvantages of different structural arrangements, financing and provider payment methods and delivery systems
• Be able to identify key challenges faced by health systems
• Be familiar with international health system development trends

Module 4: Managing Change & Innovation in Healthcare

Dates: 4 January – 5 February 2027

20 hours

The aim of this module is to provide students with a theoretical and practical understanding of the challenges in managing organisational and technological innovation within healthcare systems.

During the course you develop an understanding of:

• healthcare innovation trends and their impact on services
  adoption, implementation and diffusion of healthcare innovation
• basic tools for managing innovation, such as project management
• measurement of innovation impacts

By the end of the course, you'll be able to:

• explain the issues of innovation management in healthcare
• describe and evaluate challenges in the implementation of healthcare innovations
• identify good practice in innovation management in a healthcare setting

Module 5: Accounting

Dates: 15 February – 19 March 2027

 20 hours

The course aims to contribute to the development of your managerial and entrepreneurial potential by equipping them with the techniques of financial and management accounting needed to support management evaluation and decision-making in for-profit and not-for-profit organisations.

 During the course you will develop the ability to:

• explain the aims and scope of corporate annual reports
• explain the different uses of financial and management accounting information in decision making in the area of financial performance, corporate social responsibility, governance, and business sustainability
• evaluate the uses and shortcomings of published financial accounts, having a command of the basic accounting concepts and principles underlying accounting information systems
• explain the application of different cost analysis techniques and discounting in short-run and long-run management decisions
• evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of management accounting information and systems in supporting management control of organisational effectiveness, responsibility and sustainability

By the end of this course you’ll be able to:

• select and analyse relevant information from corporate annual reports
• evaluate the financial position, performance and potential of an organisation in its environment using ratio and strategic analyses
• evaluate the impact of using different accounting policies and practices upon performance evaluation
• identify and apply relevant management accounting techniques in addressing both short and long run analyses of management decisions
• interpret accounting information to support management control in organisations

Module 6: Health and Environment

Dates: 19 October - 20 November 2026

20 hours

The course aims provide a multi-disciplinary understanding of the complex impact of environment on individuals’ health, and how it is addressed in particular from an economic perspective.

 During the course you will develop the ability to:

• Understand the scientific literature that analyses the impact of the environment on health;
• Explain the differences and interactions between the climate change, global and local threats;
• Distinguish conceptually between short- and long-term impacts, as well as direct and indirect exposure;
• Form their own opinion on the severity of the impacts of the environment on health.

By the end of this course you’ll be able to:

• develop a good understanding of the environmental sources affecting health;
• critically appraise health impact assessment studies and highlight the possible sources of bias;
• acquire the ability to formulate the key elements of sustainable solutions in different context.