Leadership - other support
Guidance and tools
The section includes resources which can help with the understanding of and implementation of particular aspects of policy, and support processes for improving care.
This is not a comprehensive listing. If there are any tools you are using in your workplace which you feel should be included here, please let us know. The documents are listed alphabetically by title.
You may also find relevant guidance and tools in RCN publications and RCN products and services.
Some of the resources on this page are in PDF format - see how to access PDF files.
Board leadership programme
The NHS Sustainable Development Unit's resource pack is designed to help leaders and those responsible for developing board leadership programmes integrate sustainability in their leadership programmes. This programme will help boards understand that making decisions with sustainability in mind will reduce costs, while improving patient healthcare and system efficiency. It also promotes a better use of natural resources. The pack consists of a summary report, a full report, a facilitator’s guide and slideshow.
Delivery through leadership (2005)
'Delivery Through Leadership' is the Leadership Development Framework for NHS Scotland. The framework focuses on improving the health of Scotland by developing effective leadership at all levels of NHS Scotland. The framework and plan identify the leadership qualities and behaviours required of NHS Scotland leaders and sets out national priorities for action in leadership development.
How to achieve effective clinical engagement and leadership when working across organisational boundaries (2007) (PDF 1,021.9KB)
Practical recommendations from the modernisation initiative (MI) which aim to pick out the main elements that facilitate clinicians to lead change across organisational boundaries. The MI is a major three year project working across the health care sector in Lambeth and Southwark to modernise local health care services. The basic tools and techniques and how they can be applied are explored. These include contextual factors, skills and individual behaviours.
Leadership
The Health Foundation website has a range of resources supporting leadership development. These include case studies featuring the work of individuals and organisations taking part in a broad range of Health Foundation schemes, publications, features, current activities and latest news.
Leadership and Management Programme
This course is organised and run by NHS Education for Scotland for all trainees (ST3 and above). It is mandatory and is NHS Education for Scotland's response to the Medical Leadership Competency Framework (MLCF) created by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.
Leadership in the NHS
The King's Fund has produced a series of reading lists on popular topics. Current leadership reading lists include: leadership in the NHS; clinician-led change; NHS workforce and workforce diversity in health and social care. Resources include books, reports, journal articles and web resources.
Literature review on team leadership (2005) (PDF 632.9KB)
This report was compiled by the European Nursing Leadership Foundation for the Health Foundation. It contains an analysis of key literature on leadership theories and approaches, teams, team development and team leadership and leadership development programme evaluations.
Managing change in the NHS
A series of publications on managing change in the NHS are available from the NHS Service Delivery and Organisation R and D Programme (SDO) website. These publications and web based resources are aimed at helping those leading change in health care.
Medical Leadership Competency Framework
The Medical Leadership Competency Framework describes the leadership competences doctors need to become more actively involved in the planning, delivery and transformation of health services.
Midwifery leadership programme development workbook (2006)
A Department of Health development workbook providing learning support to enable the development of critical midwifery leadership competencies. These competencies include; developing a vision, thinking strategically and systematically, driving change, influencing others and communicating effectively.
NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement: Leadership
The NHS Institute provides a range of interventions to help build leadership capability and capacity across the NHS. The board-level development team aims to help all NHS senior leaders with their personal and leadership development needs.
NHS Leadership Framework
The NHS Leadership Framework (2011) supersedes the Leadership Qualities Framework and has been designed to develop the leadership skills of health care staff, with the primary objective of improving patient care and outcomes. It is applicable to everyone in health and care, no matter what their discipline, role or function. Fundamental to its development is a desire to create a common approach to leadership development across the professional, regulatory and education sectors of healthcare and the NHS. The framework has been designed to develop the leadership skills of health care staff, with the primary objective of improving patient care and outcomes.
The Healthy NHS Board: Principles for Good Governance (2010) (PDF 2.7MB)
The NHS Leadership Council principles, tools and resources will help NHS boards share ideas and best practices to the benefit of patients and the local community.
The Productive Leader
The NHS Institute, as part of their 'productives' series, has launched the productive leader. The programme is about releasing time - in this case, time to lead - and is aimed at chief executives, their executive team, and their executive and personal assistants.