A unique and innovative Lean improvement programme for those involved in health and social care

This fully subsidised, CPD-accredited Lean online programme is the first of its kind in the NHS. It introduces Lean improvement concepts and tools through a series of practical, structured learning-in-action massive-open-online-courses (MOOCs) that can be applied immediately to your improvement priorities. 

NHS England’s Improvement Capability Building and Delivery (ICBD) Group has developed the Lean online programme to share learning from the Virginia Mason Institute Partnership with the wider NHS to help drive improvements further and faster. The programme has been developed with input from an advisory board that comprised chief executive representatives from Virginia Mason Institute (VMI) Partnership trusts and other trusts receiving NHS England Lean consulting support. The advisory board also included representatives from Warwick Business School who are evaluating the VMI Partnership. 

The Lean online programme has been designed by technology-enhanced-learning experts from within the ICBD Group and is delivered by a faculty of experienced Lean practitioners. The programme helps participants to apply Lean concepts and tools to improve processes and reduce non-value-adding activities to enhance care quality and outcomes for our patients, families, carers and staff. 

About the courses

Lean Fundamentals builds foundational Lean process improvement skills. The course is highly action oriented and introduces participants to a structured improvement routine to deliver and communicate a tightly scoped improvement project.

Lean Intermediate builds more advanced Lean process improvement skills. Also highly action oriented, the course introduces participants to an improvement leadership coaching routine to deliver flow improvement projects of focussed scope.

Facilitation and coaching is provided on both courses by expert ICBD faculty and associates.

Lean online courses running in 2022/23

Our schedule of courses is: