HEE Kent, Surrey and Sussex (HEE KSS) offers experience and guidance to enable trainees and learners, and the teams they work in, to develop leadership skills which will help them provide the highest standards of clinical care. In 2020, the KSS Deanery appointed Dr Sarah Rafferty as the Associate Dean for Clinical Leadership. This role will facilitate leadership development work across KSS and develop and deliver the KSS Deanery leadership development strategy. You can find out more about Dr Rafferty’s role by visiting the meet the team webpage.
Why is leadership important?
The term leadership is used in many ways within the health service, but whichever definition you use leadership is a process which involves influencing others within groups to achieve common goals. Leadership is an interactive ability which utilises skills developed from learners’ earliest days in medical school. The GMC has emphasised the importance of leadership development within the generic professional capabilities for doctors in training – capabilities that are integral components within each of our new specialty curricula. The GMC framework sets out the essential generic capabilities needed for safe, effective and high quality medical care in the UK. To find out more visit the General Medical website.
How do I develop my leadership skills?
It may be best to start by considering one of the recommended leadership skill frameworks or sets of domains. These will help you to identify sets of skills which you may not have had the opportunity to practice, and also those which you may have strong experience in but find it difficult to articulate your expertise.
Below we have provided links to relevant frameworks and resources to enable you to develop your leadership skills:
Click here to find out about leadership frameworks
Healthcare leadership model
The healthcare leadership model describes 9 leadership dimensions allowing you to relate the dimensions to your current role or job. A self assessment tool is included to help you assess your own leadership behaviours and understand your potential development needs.
View the healthcare leadership model
Medical leadership competency framework
The medical leadership competency framework was first published by the NHS institute for innovation and improvement and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges in 2008. It describes the competencies that doctors require to be actively involved in the planning, delivery and transformation of health services.
Click here to view recommended e-learning
The e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH) website has various online learning available including topics on leadership. e-LfH has developed the Leadership for Clinicians (LeAD) e-learning resource to support clinicians, of all professions, to develop an understanding of their role in contributing to the management and leadership of health care services.
The domains of the medical and clinical leadership are the same but the worked examples differ slightly. The module will support reflections on personal leadership experiences and also have very useful materials that could form the basis for group discussions or learning sets.
View the e-LfH LeAD e-learning resource
Click here to find out about podcasts
The Leadership Today podcast provides weekly research-based leadership tips and advice to tackle today’s biggest leadership challenges, all in under eight minutes.
Listen to Leadership Today podcasts
Click here to find out about blogs
Below we have provided some suggested blogs and articles that will provide inspiration and get you thinking about leadership.
Click here to find out about TED talks
TED talks are a great way to explore other people’s ideas around leadership, which may help us to create ideas and develop personal leadership approach. They cover a vast range of topics, but many cover leadership skills and topics.
Click here to find out about other support and resources
The KSS Leadership Academy
The KSS Leadership Academy supports its leaders to think strategically, and to work collaboratively to enable stronger relationships within teams, organisations and across traditional organisational boundaries. They also aim to develop leaders who can initiate change and have the ability to adapt to changing environments. The Kent, Surrey and Sussex Leadership Academy offer various resources, case studies, leadership programmes and workshops.
To find out more visit the KSS Leadership Academy website