The Academy Scholar Programme

Become an Academy Scholar and take your ‘Care Competence’ to the next level.

What does it involve?

What support do I get?

Why should I apply?

Is the programme right for me?

What are the terms?

How do I enrol for the programme?

What is an Academy Scholar?

 

For some of our Care Professional Academy Scholars the programme will be about implementing change and working in line with NICE guidelines, improving the quality of care and change management. For other Scholars it will be to obtain the Level 4 Project Management Qualification for FREE, as well as working with the NICE guidelines, improving the quality of care and change management.

This is your opportunity to take the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines in an area of care you are passionate about and implement this within your organisation to improve care standards.

Whichever option you choose to take with your Scholar project, you will be required to focus your project on a NICE Guideline, this includes the NICE Quick Guides.

What does it involve?

 

There are are two options available:

Option 1
Level 4 Project Management Qualification FREE

Attend Scholars programme with HCPA, which includes 5 sessions

  • Introductions and set up
  • 3 Project Management Training Sessions
  • Presentation and assessment
C

Implement a Change Management Project to improve quality of care in your service working in line with your chosen NICE Quick Guide or guideline

C

Attend Coaching sessions with a nominated HCPA Coach, available to you throughout your project

C

Attend  and complete Level 4 Project Management training sessions (*T&C’s apply)

C

Complete assignment based on your project and achieve Level 4 Project Management Qualification FREE (*T&C’s apply)

C

Deliver a presentation to the Academy and fellow scholars at the end of the program

C

Submit your portfolio for evidence

(*) assessed at time of final registrations as per T&C’s

Option 2

Attend Scholars programme with HCPA, which includes 2 sessions

  • Introductions and set up
  • Presentation and assessment
C

Implement a Change Management Project to improve quality of care in your service working in line with your chosen NICE Quick Guide or guideline

C

Attend Coaching sessions with a nominated HCPA Coach, available to you throughout your project

C

Deliver a presentation to the Academy and fellow scholars at the end of the program

What does it involve?

hcpa

What support do I get?

You will be assigned a ‘coach’ from HCPA, who will support you with implementing your project at work.

The course trainer will also be available to support with your assignments and general queries throughout the programme.

On average, you will devote 4 hours per month to the scholar programme, but this is dependent on the size and scope of your work project. Many of your project activities will become a part of your day-to-day work.

 

What is the timeframe to completion?

The 2023/24 Scholar programme will be completed by end of March 2024 for both options.

 

Why apply?
  • Improve an element of care you are passionate about  
  • FREE accredited Level 4 Award in Project Management – optional
  • Your project published on the Academy peer learning webpage 
  • Receive a Scholar status certificate and pin badge 
  • Scholar logo for your email signature 
  • Support to get your project endorsed by NICE 
  • Your opportunity to act as an ambassador for high quality, evidence-based care 
Is the Scholar Programme right for me?

The Scholar programme will be most suited to someone in a Senior or management position, who has the capacity to implement a site or team wide project for improving standards within your organisation. 

It is open to Academy affiliates who have reached tier 3 and above.  If you have not reached tier 3 but meet other criteria, please do apply, we can support you to upload certificates to reach tier 3.

What are the terms of becoming an Academy Scholar?

Becoming an Academy Scholar is a commitment to completing your project, maintain contact with your HCPA Coach and implementing your project within your workplace.

For the Scholars taking the qualification option, once committed you will be registered and required to complete the Level 4 Project Management qualification, maintain contact with your HCPA Coach, and implement your project within your workplace.

NICE guidelines are best practice guidelines, and your project must be based around a Quick Guide or guideline of your choice. We can provide you support to choose the best guideline for you, your interests, and your workplace.

For full Terms and Conditions click here.

How do I enrol?

Applications are open from 17th April to 12th May 2023

Click here to complete application form

Each application is reviewed, and we will be in touch.

Read what the Academy Principal has to say about the Scholar Programme...

Read what the Academy Principal has to say about the Scholar Programme...

Sharon Davies, OBE. NICE Fellow.

“Working in the Care Sector is not just a job, it is a calling, it requires individuals to act on the 6 C’s of Care: Care; Compassion; Courage; Commitment; Communication and Competence. Being part of the Care Professional Academy is your way of showing that you are a Professional Person proud to say that you can meet the requirements of the 6’C’s.  

Becoming a Scholar in the Academy is an excellent way of taking your ‘Competence’ to the next level. Scholars will have an amazing opportunity to look at their own care service, recognise an area that needs consideration or improvement, consider researched evidence (through NICE) and set up a project to prove or raise standards. Scholars typically will have a passion for a certain aspect of care and will base their project on this area. We want to reward Academy Scholars with an additional qualification and because they will be running a project (with the support of workshops and a mentor), they will be able to complete the Level 4 Project Management Qualification as an additional option to add to their Training Passport. The project will then be turned into a case study that can be shared with other Care Professionals so that the learning can be extended around the country through the peer learning webpages. 

The organisation will benefit from having a Scholar complete our Scholarship Programme, they will be able to benefit from a well run project, see how evidence-based research from NICE can support the organisation, use it in their marketing and more importantly they will be able to consider other projects which may go on to benefit the business and take them to ‘outstanding’ as they will have the skills in their organisation to research, manage and evaluate projects. 

Our Academy Scholars will be showcasing their ‘Care Professional’ status with a recognised qualification, published project and Academy (and possibly even NICE) Recognition. 

This is the second year of our scholarship programme and we really are excited about passing on great peer learning. This programe supports our mission to ‘professionalise the sector’ and we are really looking forward to welcoming new scholars.”