Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, you must also meet the following employment and academic requirements, as well as ensuring the sponsor requirements detailed also apply.

Employment requirements

As places are centrally funded for our NHS workforce in England, you must be employed by an NHS organisation or commissioned NHS service in England to be eligible to apply for the Digital Health Leadership Programme.

This programme represents significant central investment in each learner so you must be intending to be employed in an NHS organisation in England and enthused to make a difference for the NHS until the end of the cohort, and ideally far beyond.

You must have the support of a senior (typically executive) sponsor from your organisation to demonstrate your suitability for undertaking the programme (see Sponsor requirements).

You must not be on notice (have given notice) to leave your current role (as described in your application) or the NHS in England and you must not be currently undergoing any formal performance review process in your current role.

Academic requirements

You must: 

• Not currently be enrolled on another substantive education and training course that goes beyond September 2025
• Be able to fully participate in the programme over 12 months, committing to (anticipated) 10 to 15 hours of study a week and attending in-person events, i.e. the 3 leadership forums in York, London and Birmingham/Manchester (to be confirmed)
• Be able to demonstrate that you are able to study at ‘Level 7’, for example, having obtained a 2.2 undergraduate qualification or equivalent. Evidence will be required during onboarding and processes are in place to support accepted applicants who do not, for example, have the requisite degree level qualification
• Be able to demonstrate proof of English language proficiency (if required to as part of Imperial onboarding process)
• Be able to demonstrate proof of right to study in the UK for the whole duration of the eligibility period for the cohort.

   

Sponsor requirements

• We ask that, as part of the application process, all applicants identify a senior (typically executive) sponsor who can provide a supporting statement that demonstrates your organisation’s buy-in for your involvement. They will be assuring us that you will be given the time to learn and the opportunity to apply – and demonstrate the value of - the learning in your role so it is your responsibility and indeed very important to maintain an effective relationship with your sponsor throughout the programme
• One of the main aspects of this programme is the need for learners to be able to demonstrate, through agreed measures, the direct impact of the learning on the change they are leading. We are therefore asking your sponsor to support the measures to do this as they are agreed, to be aware of and ideally oversee the agreed action plan and realisation of value measures. The sponsor should hold an interest in digital, should have the ability to influence decisions about digital transformation, and ideally should be experienced in digital transformation
• The sponsor is there as a conduit to resolving issues, barriers and challenges that may arise and we hope can act as an excellent, engaged supporter throughout the programme, taking an interest in academic life and supporting – where necessary - with pastoral care (e.g. attending touchpoint calls between you and Imperial College London, if appropriate).