Skip to main content

Quality coach development programme

Develop the confidence and capability to coach meaningful improvement

The Quality Coach Development Programme (QCDP) is a practical, six‑day development journey for people who support teams to design, test and deliver improvement. Through a blend of coaching practice, quality improvement methods, collaborative learning and personalised faculty support, participants grow the skills needed to help others lead successful and sustainable change.

QCDP is ideal for anyone involved in enabling improvement across health and care.

Registrations are now open for the Autumn 2026 and Winter 2027 cohorts.

Click here for registration

Please contact qi@elect.nhs.uk if you are interested in future cohorts.

About the programme

QCDP brings together the core elements needed to support meaningful and sustainable improvement: Coaching, facilitation, quality improvement methods, measurement, the psychology of change, and more. The programme has been designed and refined by national quality improvement experts from across the UK and Ireland, ensuring it reflects leading practice and real‑world experience.

QCDP strengthens an organisation’s capacity for improvement by developing confident, skilled coaches who can guide teams through change. The benefits extend beyond individual capability as organisations with skilled Quality Coaches see improved outcomes, better experiences of care, enhanced staff engagement, stronger retention, and a growing culture of continuous improvement.

You can explore the programme in more detail, including what to expect and how it can support your development, in our applicant guide.

Download our applicant guide to find out more >

Who is it for?

This programme is designed for people working in health and care who want to deepen their capability to support, coach and lead improvement across teams, services, or organisations. It’s ideal for:

  • Clinical or operational managers who need to guide teams through change more confidently.
  • Emerging improvement practitioners who have some QI experience and want to apply it more consistently in real settings.
  • Quality improvement leads or facilitators who want to enhance their coaching skills.
  • Multi‑disciplinary team members involved in redesigning pathways, improving access, or strengthening patient‑centred care.
  • Project or transformation leads looking for structured techniques to drive sustained improvement.

Whether you are new to coaching or already experienced in supporting improvement work, QCDP provides practical tools, structured practice and expert guidance to help you lead and sustain meaningful change.

Six taught lessons

1:1 Mentorship from our QI faculty

Coaching circles

Support for a QCDP delivery plan

What does the programme cost?

This programme is available to staff at both member and non-member organisations. The cost for staff at member organisations is either six tokens or £1,800 per participant, subject to approval from your account lead. 

Staff at non-member organsiations can join this programme for £2,000 per person.

Find out more about sessions we run for the Quality Coach Development Programme, as well as dates for your diary.

We will kickstart the next two groups on the following dates:

  • Autumn 2026 - starts 2nd September
  • Winter 2027 - starts 13th January

 

Session 1

2026 Autumn: 9th September 2026
2026 Winter 20th January 2027

  • How QI relates to other change approaches, such as audit, research, transformation etc.
  • The fundamental skills and knowledge every coach needs such as GROW coaching, coaching an aim and the common challenges in coaching QI.
Session 2

2026 Autumn: 23rd September 2026
2027 Winter: 3rd February 2027

  • How to contract as a coach and a first go at coaching
  • Key Quality Coach concepts: Just in time teaching, coaching an aim and workin with groups
Session 3

2026 Autumn: 14th October 2026
2027 Winter: 3rd March 2027

  • The importance of systems thinking and a relational approach to change
  • Fostering psychological safety in teams
Session 4

2026 Autumn: 4th November 2026
2027 Winter: 14th April 2027

  • Coaching measurement, sustainability and creativity
  • Strategies to advocate for better inclusion and engagement of patients.
Session 5

2026 Autumn: 18 November 2026
2027 Winter: 28th April 2027

  • How to use data to support teams, breaking down measurement into easy, practical methods.
  • How to use Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts, a common feature of many providers’ reports, as well as improvement work.
  • Coaches are also given the chance to individually teach a technical concept.
Session 6

2026 Autumn: 2nd December 2026
2027 Winter: 12th May 2027

  • Behaviour change models and the psychology of change
  • Consolidating your learning: Coaching the stages of improvement

Got a question?

If you have any questions, drop us an email at qi@elect.nhs.uk