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Clinical Service Improvement Program
Clinical Service Improvement Program
Are you a junior doctor, nurse, midwife, dental practitioner or allied health professional looking to develop your leadership and service improvement skills? Have you ever wanted to lead a project at your hospital but haven't had the time or knowledge of how or where to start?
Previously known as the Medical Service Improvement Program, this program is open to nursing, midwifery, allied health, dental and medical (residents and some registrars) across many metro and regional sites.
As part of WA Health’s commitment to clinical leadership, the Institute for Health Leadership is offering this opportunity for junior clinicians to undertake a service improvement project, enabling them to acquire skills and experience in leadership and change management.
What is involved?
On a 10-13 week (full time or part time equivalent), non-clinical rotation participants will focus exclusively on completing a clinical service improvement project. Projects can be related to a wide range of topics relating to clinical care delivery, patient flow or clinical staff duties.
For example, previous projects have focussed on various areas including:
- efficiencies in elective and emergency surgery
- discharge planning and communication
- outpatient clinic waiting times
- improving communication between clinical staff.
Your project will have an ongoing, positive impact on patient care and/or clinical workflow.
Successful applicants will learn transferrable skills in the use of service improvement methodologies and tools. They will also have access to ongoing professional/leadership development workshops throughout the course of the year.
Program structure
All participants regardless of discipline will complete their project at full or part time during RMO term dates listed below:
- Term 1: 12 January – 29 March 2026
- Term 2: 30 March – 7 June 2026
- Term 3: 8 June – 16 August 2026
- Term 4: 17 August – 25 October 2026
- Term A: 20 April – 18 October 2026 (Nursing, Midwifery, Allied Health and Dental Practitioners only)
CAHS and SJOG Midland have different term dates (as per the Postgraduate Medical Council of Western Australia term dates (external site)) and Term A will run part time over a 27 week period.
Training in the use of service improvement methodologies and tools will be provided, in addition to ongoing professional development workshops throughout the course of the year.
For more information about the program structure email DOH.ClinicalLeadership@health.wa.gov.au
Who is eligible for the program?
Eligibility criteria:
- 12 months minimum post-graduate clinical experience in the public health system as a nurse*, midwife*, resident medical officer (RMO PGY2+), registrar, allied health professional or dental practitioner by commencement of program.
- *Nursing and midwifery: required to either be working as a Registered Nurse Level 1 or Clinical Nurse Level 2. SRNs may only apply if written documentation is provided with their application indicating support from their site to participate.
- Contracted to work clinically at a participating hospital site, clinic or health service in 2025 as a nurse, midwife, RMO, Registrar, dental practitioner or allied health professional at a minimum of 0.4 FTE (see list of participating sites in the section below).
- Current professional registration to practice in your clinical field.
Participating sites by clinical profession
In 2026, rotations will be undertaken at the following hospitals, clinics and services.
| Medical |
Nursing/Midwifery |
- Albany Health Campus
- Armadale Kalamunda Group
- Broome Health Campus
- Bunbury Regional Hospital
- Child and Adolescent Health Service
- Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group
- Geraldton Regional Hospital
- Kalgoorlie Health Campus
- King Edward Memorial Hosital
- Rockingham General Hospital
- Royal Perth Bentley Group
- Peel Health Campus
- Sir Charles Gairdner and Osborne Park Hospital Care Group
|
-
Armadale Kalamunda Group
- Bunbury Regional Hospital
- Busselton Health Campus
- King Edward Memorial Hospital
- NMHS Inpatient Adult Mental Health Service
- Rockingham General Hospital
- Royal Perth Bentley Group
|
| Allied health |
Dental |
- Armadale Kalamunda Group
- Bunbury Regional Hospital
- Busselton Health Campus
- Child and Adolescent Health Service
- Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospitals Group
- King Edward Memorial Hospital
- NMHS Inpatient Adult Mental Health Service
- Rockingham General Hospital
- Royal Perth Bentley Group
|
|
- RMOs are eligible to participate in the program at any of the above sites. Note: RMOs employed by SMHS/FSFHG are eligible to participate in the program at Rockingham General Hospital.
How to apply
Applications for 2026 will open on 11 August 2025.
Applicants will need to complete an application pack (including responses to application questions) and provide an up-to-date CV.
Applications are now open via Medcareers, learn more and apply (external site).
Last reviewed: 08-07-2025
Produced by
Institute of Health Leadership