Implementation Science Masterclass

The Masterclass will not take place in 2024 and will be delivered again in 2025.  If you want to find out more about our courses please visit the NIHR ARC South London website here and you can also sign up to the newsletter here. 

This is a two-day course organised by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London for health and social care professionals, researchers, patients and service users who want to make sure health and care services routinely offer treatment and care that is based on the most recent research evidence. The Implementation Science Masterclass includes lectures from world-renowned experts in the field plus guidance to help participants work more effectively on their own implementation projects.

The course is led by international experts in the field of implementation science including: Dr Brian Mittman, senior research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Department of Research.

This course is CPD Accredited.

Watch a video of the highlights of the 2018 Implementation Science Masterclass. 

The first segment of the course will provide general information on the field of implementation science, including definitions and descriptions of the aims and scope of the field, its policy/practice motivations and goals, and its relationship to other types of health research. For the first segment, advanced sessions will run in parallel with the general introductory lectures. The advanced sessions are for those who have more experience of using implementation science principles or who have attended previous Masterclasses. Details of the advanced sessions are to follow.

The second segment of the course will cover the intervention issues in implementation science, i.e. guidance in planning and designing an implementation strategy and achieving successful practice change (quality improvement) in healthcare delivery or public health settings.

The third segment of the course will cover the 'evaluation' issues in implementation science, i.e., guidance for designing a comprehensive evaluation plan to measure and understand the impacts of an implementation strategy or to study naturally-occurring implementation processes, barriers and facilitators.

Following the first segment of the course, you should be able to define the field and distinguish implementation studies from other types of research, clearly describe an implementation study you wish to conduct (in terms of its background and motivation) and justify the type of study and methodology (with reference to the status of relevant implementation-related practice and evidence). You should also be able to describe the clinical or public health intervention you wish to implement or study.

Following the second segment of the course, you should be able to describe a proposed approach for assessing an implementation or quality gap, identify its root causes and determinants, and design a multi-faceted, multi-level strategy for overcoming barriers to practice change. You should be able to describe relevant methods you would use to do this including the use of theoretical frameworks, pragmatic implementation planning frameworks, and other diagnostic and implementation planning tools.

Following the third segment of the course, you should be able to select an appropriate study design, specific key dependent and independent variables, and describe a rigorous and appropriate approach for assessing implementation processes (mechanisms of action) and outcomes (impacts) and the full range of factors influencing both of these.

The course is aimed at health and social care professionals, researchers, patients and service users who want to make sure health and social care services routinely offer treatment and care that is based on the most recent clinical evidence and best practice standards.

The Masterclass may also appeal to policy-makers, commissioners and managers in both the public and private sectors who want to ensure clinical practice is evidence-based.

It is relevant to those at any stage of their career who are carrying out or are involved in health services or quality improvement projects; both research/academic projects, as well as practical implementation work.

International experts will provide short lectures on the topics detailed above. These lectures will be followed by question and answer sessions and then group workshops which will be based on the lectures.

The full cost of the course is £800 per person.

There are limited, discounted places available for:

• KCL / ARC / NHS / Kingston and St George’s Staff: £600 per person
• KCL / ARC / NHS / Kingston and St George’s Student: £400 per person
• Non-KCL student: £600 per person
• Charity/NGO Participants: £600 per person
• Participants from middle income countries: £400 per person
• Participants from low income countries: £200 per person
• Service Users: £200 per person

If you are eligible for a discounted place, please contact arcshortcourses@kcl.ac.uk for the relevant discount code before you make your booking.

Employer Funded - Payment by Invoice

This option is only available if your course fee is being paid for by your employer or company. If you are eligible for any discounts, you will be able to select this during the checkout process.

Please note you will need to provide the following information during checkout:

• full name of the company
• web URL address of the company
• company finance department address to which the course fee invoice will be posted to
• email address where the invoice can be sent
• purchase order reference (if needed) – this is a reference which your company may need to be shown on the invoice in order to make payment to King’s
• the name of the individual at the company, responsible for approving the invoice from King’s
• the contact details of this individual, including their job title, department; email and telephone number

Please note that King’s College London payment terms are 30 days from the date of the invoice.