about us
Our Mission and Values
HAT represents a revolution in communication training, role play assessment and health simulation. We use tried and tested techniques from professional performance training to clarify and improve skills in person-centred care, self-care, teamwork and quality improvement.
Our mission is to help people to connect with themselves and each other, as individuals and communities, supporting a global network committed to an ethics of care and meeting the needs of all people everywhere. We do that by teaching skills of attention, collaboration, and respect, building on the relationships, courage and compassion that make us human and help us grow.
What HAT can help you to achieve
40% of staff in the NHS
have taken time off due to stress
HAT can help to develop staff resilience and management of stress. HAT also helps staff and managers to identify the root cause of this acute stress and develop strategies to change workplaces into supportive and less-stressful environments.
70% of staff don’t believe their trust takes
positive action on health & wellbeing
By working with HAT trusts can ensure they are taking positive actions on the health and wellbeing of staff. HAT creates meaningful dialogue with staff to determine what issues they feel are most important to them and how to address them. HAT helps staff to take purposeful action on their own and other’s health and wellbeing.
30% of staff had no
non-mandatory training
HAT is a dedicated form of training that addresses communication in a unique, flexible, and accessible way. We tailor our approach to suit specific needs and are experts at adapting to new contexts, ensuring training is delivered to a high standard that suits learners needs
30% of complaints in some trusts are based entirely on issues with communication.
Our research has identified that 80% of the positive resolutions to the complaints at the same trust relied on effective communication. HAT is a revolution in healthcare communications training. Through our approach we can help you to reduce instances of problematic communication and increase positive and effective communication. HAT helps you and those you care for to be heard.
Improve outcomes for your patients and support the wellbeing of your staff
What clients say about us
Bob BrownDirector of Nursing, Western Health and Social Care Trust, NHS, UK
I have had direct experience of the Health Action Training approach to communication training and recommend that every nurse should take part in these workshops.
Keith McDowellRegistered Nurse in Acute Care, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, NHS, UK.
As a newly qualified nurse I found this approach to communication training invaluable. I would thoroughly recommend this training to health care professionals of all experience levels as communicating is a skill we should always try to improve.
Valerie CurrieTeam Leader and Practice Educator in Teletriage and Teleconsultation
The Graduate Certificate in Health Action Training (Teletriage) is great. It is fun learning. Applied Drama, Role Play, Video Play-back and high quality assessment methods make it really good for professional and personal development. Personally I found that the course helped me apply person centred care and quality improvement methods in the field of Teletriage. It also helps me with personal resilience in these demanding times.
Our leadership team
Pat Deeny
Senior Fellow of the United Kingdom Higher Education Academy and an experienced External Examiner for the Higher Education Sector
Dr Matt Jennings
Lecturer in Drama at Ulster University. Originally from Sydney, Matt has worked as a performer and teacher in Australia, Ireland, the UK, Italy, France, Netherlands, Morocco, and South Africa.
Karl Tizzard-Kleister
Karl holds a MA in Theatre from Chichester University and has worked as a professional performer, writer, director, and technician for the last 5 years. His interdisciplinary PhD research undertaken at Ulster University focuses on how drama can enhance nursing education. For his PhD studies, he designed and delivered a 24-hour drama-based course with nursing students. He also has a pair of double-blind peer-reviewed publications based on his PhD, with two more currently in press. From the success of the intervention in Karl’s PhD he co-founded Health Action Training, a company dedicated to providing effective and sustainable communications training for healthcare staff using similar methods as the course he designed for his PhD. Karl is a member of a currently unnamed special interest group which brings together experts in the theory and delivery of drama-based approaches to healthcare education. Karl helped to organise the group’s very successful inaugural event, where he also presented on his experiences of using drama to enhance healthcare education.
Susan FosterCurriculum Design & Accreditation Manager
Sue Foster is a Nurse and Nurse Educator with more than 30 years standing. She has worked in a variety of settings including at senior level management. The early part of her career was firmly rooted in the clinical setting before moving into nurse education. She is passionate about Palliative and End of Life Care and has specialised in this field for 20 years - as a Nurse Specialist, a Lecturer in Palliative Care and as Head of Hospice Education and Research Department. Her specialist interests are Effective Therapeutic Communication and Loss Grief and Bereavement. She has extensive experience in delivering Therapeutic Communication Skills to Health & Social Care Professionals particularly in the realm of Palliative and End of Life care; communication issues in complex situations, breaking bad news, intercultural and multi-professional communication. She has hands on experience in developing, delivering and evaluating interdisciplinary education and facilitating professional development, hence the role as Curriculum Manger in HAT.
Matt WillsDirector / Business Manager
Matt Wills has held a succession of senior roles within the media industry running global networks for the likes of The BBC, The Press Association, Shutterstock and Pond5. Managing teams in 3 continents and responsible for delivering projects in excess of £15million. Recently he has overseen the recruitment and development of the International team at Pond5 numbering over 150 staff. With a long history of developing business and in particular their go to market strategies, Matt is responsible for the business side of Health Action Training.
Valerie CurrieAssociate HAT Trainer
Valerie Currie is an experienced Practitioner, Team Leader and Lecturer\Practice Educator in Teletriage and Teleconsultation in Healthcare. She is also a Nurse Advisor for the ‘Out of Hours’ service and Team Leader for 60 Nurse Advisors in Craigavon Area Hospital, Northern Ireland. She has degree from the University of Hull, specialising in education.