Learning systems

The learning system is at the core of good quality management. It ties the other components of the Quality Management System framework together. 

A learning system should:

• support individuals to learn through its culture and networks
• be informed by evaluation and reflective practice
• enable people to assess what is and isn’t working through the use of qualitative and quantitative data, stories and insights
• develop processes to aid decision-making and turn knowledge into action and;
• build systems to identify ​“bright spots” and generalisable learning.

Visit the web pages below and use the right hand side links to explore the content. You can see practical examples of learning systems in the ​‘getting started’ section.

It is for anyone working on health and care improvement projects who wants to better understand learning systems and their use.

The Health Improvement Scotland Quality Management System framework places the component ​‘Learning System’ at the centre of the framework, overlapping the other essential areas. 

Despite being at the core of quality management it felt hardest to define. Healthcare Improvement Scotland has set out to define and illustrate the theory, and show how it can be put into practice.