Leadership is widely seen to be central to improving the quality of healthcare. Further, existing research suggests that absence of leadership is related to poor quality and safety performance. Leadership training might therefore provide an important means through which to promote quality improvement and, more widely, performance within the healthcare environment.
It is against this background that Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust implemented a Fellowships in Clinical Leadership Programme, supported by NHS London. RAND Europe was commissioned to evaluate this programme.
The programme had notable impacts at individual and organisational levels. Examples of individual impact include enhanced communication and negotiation skills or increased confidence as a result of multi-modal leadership training. At the organisational level, participants reported indications of behaviour change among staff, with evidence of spill-over effects to non-participants towards a greater focus on patient-centred care.
Our findings suggest that there is potential for combined leadership training and quality improvement programmes to contribute to strengthening a culture of care quality in healthcare organisations. Our study provides useful insights into strategies seeking to achieve sustainable improvement in NHS organisations.
Celine Miani
Sonja Marjanovic
Molly Morgan Jones
Martin Marshall
Samantha Meikle
Ellen Nolte
