About
Former NHS pharmacist, senior manager and improvement leader. Involved in developing leaders and supporting system improvers.
Dr Alan Willson
Senior Research Officer
Business
Career Highlights
Research
Improvement Science Research Group
"Innovating improvement of health and social care services” – a proactive and collaborative approach to translational research
Publications
Research Highlights
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Willson, A. (2015). Communication for collaboratives. All in. Using healthcare collaboratives to cave lives and improve care (pp. 239-262). Cynosure healthSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa39926
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Ruck, K., Cooper, A., Hurley, A., Ashton, K., Lines, C., & Willson, A. (2017). Effective messages and media for employee health campaigns. Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 1-8.
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Willson, A. (2015). The problem with eliminating ‘low-value care’. BMJ Quality & Safety, 24(10), 611-614.
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Cooper, A., Gray, J., Willson, A., Lines, C., McCannon, J., & McHardy, K. (2015). Exploring the role of communications in quality improvement: A case study of the 1000 Lives Campaign in NHS Wales. Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 8(1), 76-84.
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van Woerden, H., Ashton, K., Garlick, C., Hurley, A., Cooper, A., Willson, A., Henry, R., Kiparoglou, V., & Potter, C. (2014). Evaluation of a web based tool to improve health behaviours in healthcare staff. International Archives of Medicine, 7(1), 44
All Research
Journal Articles
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Williams, S., Caley, L., Davies, M., Bird, D., Hopkins, S., & Willson, A. (2022). Evaluating a quality improvement collaborative: a hybrid approach. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 36(8)
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Caley, L., Williams, S., Spernaes, I., Thomas, D., Behrens, D., & Willson, A. (2021). Frameworks for evaluating education programmes and work related learning: a scoping review. Journal of Workplace Learning, 33(6), 486-501.
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Lucas, B., Cooper, A., & Willson, A. (2021). The undervalued role of communication in healthcare improvement and its critical contribution to engaging staff and saving lives. Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 14(1), 5-7.
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Hughes, D., Jordan, M., Logan, P., Willson, A., Snelgrove, S., Storey, M., Vaismoradi, M., & Jordan, S. (2020). Looking for the “Little Things”: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Medicines Monitoring for Older People Using the ADRe Resource. Geriatrics, 5(4), 79
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Ruck, K., Cooper, A., Hurley, A., Ashton, K., Lines, C., & Willson, A. (2017). Effective messages and media for employee health campaigns. Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 1-8.
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Willson, A. (2015). The problem with eliminating ‘low-value care’. BMJ Quality & Safety, 24(10), 611-614.
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Cooper, A., Gray, J., Willson, A., Lines, C., McCannon, J., & McHardy, K. (2015). Exploring the role of communications in quality improvement: A case study of the 1000 Lives Campaign in NHS Wales. Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 8(1), 76-84.
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van Woerden, H., Ashton, K., Garlick, C., Hurley, A., Cooper, A., Willson, A., Henry, R., Kiparoglou, V., & Potter, C. (2014). Evaluation of a web based tool to improve health behaviours in healthcare staff. International Archives of Medicine, 7(1), 44
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Garfield, S., Eliasson, L., Clifford, S., Willson, A., & Barber, N. (2012). Developing the Diagnostic Adherence to Medication Scale (the DAMS) for use in clinical practice. BMC Health Services Research, 12(1)
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Garfield, S., Clifford, S., Eliasson, L., Barber, N., & Willson, A. (2011). Suitability of measures of self-reported medication adherence for routine clinical use: A systematic review. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 11(1)
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Garfield, S., Barber, N., Walley, P., Willson, A., & Eliasson, L. (2009). Quality of medication use in primary care - mapping the problem, working to a solution: a systematic review of the literature. BMC Medicine, 7(1)
Book Chapters
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Willson, A. (2015). Communication for collaboratives. All in. Using healthcare collaboratives to cave lives and improve care (pp. 239-262). Cynosure healthSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa39926
Other Research Outputs
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Willson, A. & Caley, L. (2022). Avoidable Harm in Health and Social Care: How has COVID - 19 changed risks and the priorities for intervention?SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa62279
Supervision
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Nurse management and leadership in Turkish hospitals: modernization and professionalism in a changing healthcare system (awarded 2024)
PhDOther supervisor: Dr David Rea -
The effects of the new model care on health care delivery in Saudi Arabia (current)
PhDOther supervisor: Dr David Rea -
Untitled (current)
DBAOther supervisor: Dr Simon Brooks
Taught Modules
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PMLM20 Developing Leadership, Innovation and Change
This module enables students to explore the nature of system, organisational and personal change. It looks at how innovations are developed and implemented and how healthcare organisations consider, develop and evaluate evidence from a range of sources. Students explore systems theory and the role of disruptive technologies in stimulating change and reflect on their own capacity and resilience to cope with change. Additionally, it aims to develop students¿ familiarity and understanding of research methods used in healthcare leadership and management research. The module also develops students¿ awareness of critical appraisal techniques and the various sources of evidence used in leadership/management research and development. It also considers how the findings of research are translated into practice and inform innovation.
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SHC137 Study Skills, Health Informatics and Health Service Practice
This module provides an introduction to student skills, learning skills, IT skills, communication skills and elements of Health Informatics that prepares the student for work in the clinical environment of the National Health Service as an Assistant/Associate audiology practitioner.
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SHQM29 Quality Improvement
This module will examine the development of quality issues mainly in public health services. Attention will be paid to the political and ideological impetus for stressing quality as a central concern. Different perspectives on quality will be examined and the validity and appropriateness of criteria for assessing quality in the health services will be critically scrutinised. Managerial and professional mechanisms for improving and monitoring quality will be compared along with the drive to involve patients in the design of health care services and the assessment of quality in health service provision.
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SHQM43 Theory of Leadership, Management and Quality in Health Care
This module will enable students to develop a critical understanding and appreciation of the theories of leadership and aspects of management and quality of healthcare. The module will have a dual focus on theoretical perspectives and applied health care management. Theoretical perspectives will be drawn from business, health and further afield, to examine their application within health and social care and the public sector. Contemporary health and social care examples will be used as points for discussion and learning.
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SHQM48 Social, Cultural and Economic Context of Health
This module will enable students to develop a critical understanding and appreciation of the wider context of healthcare management and decision making within healthcare. We will explore the way healthcare systems are financed and sustained and evaluate the social and economic considerations required for equitable and efficient resource allocation and prioritization within the wider context of competing demands for healthcare interventions and services.
Career History
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Improvement consultant, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board
2015 - Present
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Director, NHS Wales
2000 - 2014
Key Grants and Projects
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All Wales Framework for Cancer in Primary Care Programme - Scoping and Baseline Report for Macmillan Cancer Support 2015 - 2016
Working as sub-contractor to Frontline Associates