22 April 2026

At Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL), we believe good Quality Improvement (QI) training should change practice, not just inform it. That is why the CNWL Improvement Academy keeps reviewing its training offer, using data and feedback to build learning experiences that are authentic and effective.

We listened. Feedback from previous cohorts told us the original programme, four sessions spread across four months, was not working for busy healthcare staff. So we didn't just adjust the format, we applied Learning Design Theory, a learner-centred framework with strong evidence behind it that is underused in designing QI training.

Using this approach, we co-developed learner personas, identified design challenges and used Bloom's Taxonomy to set clear, measurable outcomes. We built the course with staff from across the Trust and our Experts by Experience whose input shaped both the content and structure. This is your course. You shaped it.

The redesigned course now runs across just two days, plus a follow-up half-day within six weeks. To pass, participants submit a project charter showing how they have applied their learning in practice. The focus stays firmly on real-world impact.

Staying true to QI principles, we treated the redesign itself as an improvement intervention and evaluated its impact. Overall satisfaction increased across cohorts. Three of eight cohorts recorded 100% learner satisfaction. Skills assessments showed marked improvements in every area, from applying QI tools to involving Experts by Experience and developing implementation plans.

"The training provided some really helpful concepts in a clear and interactive way, with the facilitators answering all questions asked very well and the breakout rooms were a nice way to encourage interactions" Cohort 8 learner

Three lessons stand out from this work.

Structured learning design works. Theory-informed design improves both engagement and outcomes.

Co-production is not optional. Involving learners and Experts by Experience creates training that reflects real needs.

Measurement matters. We apply improvement science to our own work. We are now gathering more data to plot on SPC charts.

This redesign reflects how we approach QI at CNWL: understand the system, test changes and measure impact.