The complexity of leadership in the NHS.

No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Eddison, Nicola
Mckeown, Catherine
Woodward, Katie
Flatt, Claire
Issue Date
2022-11-22
Journal
Type
Article
Keywords
Leadership
National health service
Job satisfaction
Teamworking
Leadership development
Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
Journal Title
Volume
Issue
Begin page
End page
DOI
Abstract
The most critical resource in any organisation is people. The leadership staff receive is vital to their job satisfaction and in healthcare, it is decisive in influencing the quality of care. It is essential to every aspect of the organisation, and it is the glue that holds everything together. A leadership culture that promotes an enabling and psychologically safe environment, and the capacity, time, and skills for people to learn and experiment is the true driver for change. To achieve a leadership culture leaders must navigate complex challenges which demand effective team-based working within and across traditional organisation and sector boundaries. They must be innovative and experiment to find new ways of delivering care, demonstrating collaboration and compassion. With the NHS attempting a cultural shift towards a more psychosocial model of care approach which considers the wider determinants of health, it is clear leadership will be key to realising this goal. The NHS long-term plan devotes less than two pages to leadership yet we know that the effect of poor leadership can have catastrophic long-term consequences for individuals, teams, and organisations.
Citation
Eddison, N. McKeown, C. Woodward, K. Flatt, C. The complexity of leadership in the NHS. November 2022. Institute of Health and Social Care Management. https://ihm.org.uk/2022/11/22/the-complexity-of-leadership-in-the-nhs/
Rights