Advanced Certificate in Health Service Governance

Summary

The challenges faced by the NHS are unique and the provision of high quality services requires robust governance systems and practices. This qualification is designed to equip you with the advanced knowledge and skills needed to ensure effective governance service delivery in your NHS organisation.

This Level 6 qualification is the only one of its kind and covers the specific governance needs of the NHS in England and Wales. It is ideal for those who work in a management or administrative role in the NHS with governance responsibilities, such as board or trust secretaries in Integrated Care Systems, Commissioning Support Units, Trusts or Foundation Trusts, directors of corporate governance or affairs, governance officers, those in non-executive or lay roles or General Practice managers.

Students who successfully complete the Level 6 Advanced Certificate in Health Services Governance qualification and have at least two years’ work experience are eligible to become Affiliated members and continue to benefit from the knowledge and support of our governance and compliance community.

Entry

This qualification is designed for those working in a management or administrative role in the NHS, usually in Integrated Care Systems, NHS Trusts or Foundation Trusts, with responsibility for health service governance/administration, or for those wanting to work in the health service sector in a governance capacity, for example:

• Board or trust secretaries in Integrated Care Systems, Commissioning Support Units (CSUs), NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts
• Directors of corporate governance, corporate affairs, legal, or compliance in CSUs, NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts
• Governance officers or managers in Integrated Care Systems, CSUs, NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts
• Non-executive directors in NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts
• Lay members and accountable officers in Integrated Care Systems
• Practice managers in GP practices

The Advanced Certificate in Health Service Governance is an open-entry qualification, although we recommend that students are working in a relevant role and have some work experience in the area.

If you would like advice on how well your prior work experience or qualifications prepare you to undertake this course, please contact Enquiries or call +44 (0)20 7580 4741.

Content

This course will cover:

• Introduction to the course and study skills
• The governance landscape and theoretical frameworks
• Governance Structures and individual duties
• Roles and responsibilities
• Foundation Trusts
• Integrated Care Systems and new models of care
• Risk Management, Assurance and Audit
• Exam overview and skills

Study

The 25/26 cohort will start in October 2025.

The recommended study time for the Level 6 Certificate in Health Service Governance is 200 hours which includes the online content, webinars, practice tasks assessment exercises. The course is based around a self-study model and therefore requires a significant commitment to study, on top of the provided webinar sessions. You will be expected to study approximately eight hours per week to prepare for your assessment.

The course schedule will deliver up to 12 live webinars with one of our experienced tutors using Microsoft Teams.

As a student you will have access to a community of practice with like-minded professionals and resources on our learning management system (LMS).

Assessment

Successful completion of this course will be dependent on you passing the assessment. Your overall grade at the end of the course is made up of marks from two components: 

• A written assignment worth 60% of your overall result 
• A multiple-choice assessment worth 40% of your overall result 

To pass the course and achieve the qualification, you will have to achieve a pass for the written assignment and a pass for the multiple-choice question exam.

Fees

The fee for this qualification is  £1,281.

This includes:

• Registration and certificate
• One assessment entry
• Electronic copies of the syllabus, materials and study text on the LMS.
• Access to study support webinars
• Student membership and benefits for the duration of your course.

Register

Are you ready to start the Advanced Certificate in Health Service Governance? Select the following button to begin your registration.