Government policies, health circulars and European strategies have all made explicit reference to the need for healthcare staff with health informatics education and training to keep in line with new developments and the changing nature of new technology.

MSc Health Informatics course at Swansea University, established since 2001 and has an international reputation, is a one year full-time taught masters programme (three years part-time) designed for healthcare professionals and those who want to increase their knowledge of and skills in health informatics.

One of a kind in UK, the programme is accredited by the UK Council for Health Informatics Professions (UKCHIP). The programme uses state-of-the-art technologies and has a strong focus on practical experience is strongly linked with National Health Services organisations and industry within the Life Science sector in Wales, UK.

This programme is based within the award winning Centres for Excellence for Administrative Data and eHealth Research of Swansea University, awarded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Medical Research Centre (MRC).  

Who should take this course
This course is suitable for current informaticians, those working in the health and healthcare sector, and graduates preparing for a career in health informatics. Applicants from non-graduates with domain experience are welcome.

How to apply for this course
Application is via the University on-line system

For detailed information about the course modules, requirements and how to apply for the course, scholarships and bursaries, please visit Swansea University's Postgraduate Taught Courses or contact Course Director, Tony Paget 

Course structure
Students must complete 6 modules (5 core and 1 further module from a choice of two) to earn a minimum of 120 credits in total in Part One and produce a dissertation of not more than 20,000 words on a relevant health informatics topic in Part Two to graduate. Each module for this course requires five days of intensive study in Swansea. This will be augmented by preparatory and reflective material supplied via the course website before and after your visit.

Attendance pattern
Students are required to attend the University for 1 week (5 consecutive days) for each module in Part One. Attendance during Part Two is negotiated with the supervisor.

Course modules
The core modules and the dissertation are compulsory, and must be completed when undertaking the programme. Each module develops students' research skills in relation to the topics covered.

Specialist pathways
New for 2013/14 intakes and leading in the UK, this course introduces two new pathways for health informaticians who wish to specialise in one of the following areas:

1. Health Informatics Research

2. Leadership in Project Management

Research dissertation and work-based project internships
NHS and industry internships form part of the dissertation and work-based project of this course. In partnership with the National Health Service (NHS) Wales Informatics Services and Health Boards in Wales, this course is able to offer NHS research opportunities within the NHS Wales Informatics Research Laboratories based at Swansea University. In collaboration with the e-Health Industries Innovation Centre UK, this course offers you a unique opportunity to work with the industries to develop your work-based project that will give you the competitive edge and enhance your future employability. 

The internships are beneficial to international students and others who may not have ready access to NHS facilities, and provide invaluable real life industry scenarios that helps you to start networking and making contacts.

Health informatics has been defined as the knowledge, skills and tools which enable information to be collected, managed, used and shared safely to support the delivery of healthcare and promote health.

This concept is illustrated in the diagram on the left, which shows how the generic sciences of health care, information and computer technology interact to create the domain of Health Informatics.

Source from UK Council for Health Informatics Professions

Informatics is an essential tool in all areas of healthcare, everyone working in healthcare uses informatics but some individuals specialised in this area and they are all called Health Informaticians. 

The roles of Health Informaticians can be split into seven main areas and they include:

1. Knowledge management
2. Information management
3. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
4. Health records and clinical coders
5. Clinical informatics
6. Education, training and research
7. Project and programme management

And there maybe other staff who work across a number of these areas and Health Informaticians also have another professions such as doctors, nurses or allied health professionals.

In summary, Health Informatics is an important specialist area which depends on Health Informaticians having knowledge skills and expertise in both health and informatics. Health Informaticians may have a specialist area such as project management but they still need to have a grounding in the core range of informatics and health issues.

Source from UK Council for Health Informatics Professions