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NHS takes the lead on leadership

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service. 20 January 2009

- National Leadership Council takes shape; recruitment begins -
- New Talent & Leadership guidance launched -

Health Minister Lord Darzi and NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson unveiled plans today for a new National Leadership Council (NLC) that will help nurture the next generation of NHS leaders.

The Department of Health today also published new guidance for talent and leadership planning that will help Strategic Health Authorities design their own leadership development plans.

Improving leadership across the health service was a key commitment within High Quality Care for All, Lord Darzi's review of the NHS. The NLC will be responsible for building a strong culture of leadership across the health service. Some of its key areas of work will be:

* Gathering intelligence and evidence
* Setting standards
* Taking a strategic role in commissioning leadership development programmes
* Ensuring that leadership capacity is improved across the NHS

The NLC will be a sub-committee of the NHS Management Board. It will have up to 18 members including five part-time leads for priority areas: Clinical Leadership, Top Leaders, Board Development, Emerging Leaders and Inclusion. The seven confirmed appointments so far are:

* David Nicholson, NHS Chief Executive (Chair)
* Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS Medical Director
* Clare Chapman, Director General Workforce NHS and Social Care
* Dame Christine Beasley, Chief Nursing Officer
* Bill Moyes, Monitor Chair
* Cynthia Bower, CQC Chief Executive
* Steve Barnett, NHS Confederation Chief Executive

The Department of Health has now launched an open recruitment process to appoint the remaining members. The results of this process and details of the first meeting will be announced in March.

Health Minister Lord Darzi said:

"Strengthening leadership across the service is vital as we enter this new stage of reform. Leadership development must start with every individual and organisation in healthcare. We have a responsibility to learn continuously, seek development and career opportunities, and spot talent. This is where the National Leadership Council comes in. The Council will act as a guardian for leadership in the NHS, setting standards and campaigning for change."

NHS Chief Executive David Nicholson said:

"We are extremely lucky to already have fantastic leaders throughout the NHS. But if we are to realise our vision of an NHS that puts quality at the heart of everything it does, we need to embrace more leaders from all levels in the service and from a wider range of backgrounds.

"The NLC will champion the new priority being attached to leadership in the NHS, to ensure that the system supports high quality leadership and to challenge it where it does not."

Mark Goldman, Chief Executive of the Heart of England Foundation Trust, said:

"Timing is everything. If ever there was a moment for leadership in the public sector this is it. It is a time for all leaders in the NHS, from all backgrounds, to stand together and support this nations' health and the National Leadership Council is perfectly positioned to make a difference."

Talent and Leadership guidance
The new talent and leadership guidance is based on extensive feedback from SHAs and best practice across the NHS. It sets out how best to assess current leadership capacity and demand, as well as setting out collaborative methods to meet gaps between demand and supply.

By July, SHAs will be expected to have assessed the state of talent and leadership across their area and set out measures for fostering talent at a regional level.

NHS Leadership Awards Scheme
The Department of Health today also announced more details on the creation of a new NHS Leadership Awards Scheme that will champion leadership and quality throughout the NHS.

Nominations will be peer-to-peer and service-wide. The seven categories are:

* NHS Leader of the Year
* NHS Quality Champion of the Year
* NHS Innovator of the Year
* NHS Change Leader of the Year
* NHS Mentor of the Year
* NHS Partner of the Year
* NHS Award for Inspiration

The website for the NHS Leadership Awards Scheme goes live on 1 March, when the nominations open. However, from 2 February the website will be online with information about the nominations process. Cynthia Bower, Chief Executive of the CQC, will chair the judging panel.

The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of the NHS Chief Executive's Conference in November.

Notes to Editors:

1. The 'Inspiring Leaders: leadership for quality' talent and leadership guidance is available at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_093395

2. The Department commissioned a team based at Cambridge University's Judge Business School to undertake the Leadership Council Design Process, which involved engaging with stakeholders to develop the scope and purpose of the Leadership Council so that it can best deliver real benefits in quality to the NHS. The consultation process led to the production of Final Recommendations and Major Messages and these documents are available at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/DH_093342

3. For all media enquiries, please call the Department of Health Newsdesk on 020 7210 5221.