Through our HSMA programme, we aim to build a culture and skills base through which simulation and modelling techniques are routinely used to support decisions within health and social care organisations. The course supports participants to use Operational Research (OR) techniques within service development and decision making.
The HSMA programme is designed for staff based in health and social care organisations and the police service. Associates are selected on the basis of their current role, their analytical and computer skills and experience, and the completion of our suite of training modules, as well as an evaluation of their proposed project.
The Round 6 cohort of the HSMA Programme began in April 2024. The programme is the first course to be accredited by the Association of Professional Healthcare Analysts (AphA).
Associates are released for one day a week for up to 15 months from their substantive roles to undertake advanced modelling, simulation and analysis work on specific projects within their own organisations. They receive mentoring, support and training from our operational research team.
In Phase 1 (6 months), participants are taught a huge range of skills in Operational Research and Data Science via live online lectures and group exercises, including:
Programming in Python and R (no prior knowledge of programming required)
Discrete Event Simulation to model pathway and queuing problems
System Dynamics to model whole systems
Geographic Modelling and Visualisation methods to model location issues
Agent Based Simulation to model behaviour
Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches, such as Machine Learning to teach machines to make decisions, and Natural Language Processing to extract information from free text data
Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) development methods and tools
At any point during the programme a HSMA can register a project. By registering a project, the HSMA will receive a dedicated Slack channel that can be used to develop the project proposal, invite collaborators from the HSMA community, post updates of progress and ask for support. Phase 2 (9 months), will allow current HSMAs to undertake their Inception Project – first modelling or data science project – with access to a community of experts and regular drop in sessions for support.
We will only be able to register and support projects that are related to the modelling and data science areas taught within the HSMA programme and are in the areas of health, social care and policing.
Visit the HSMA resources website to:
Applications for HSMA 6 are now closed. If you’d like to be added to our mailing list to find out about the next round of the programme, please email penchord@exeter.ac.uk