Celia Ingham Clark
We interview Celia Ingham Clark, Medical Director for Clinical Effectiveness NHS England and Founding Senior Fellow of FMLM, on her career and why FMLM Fellowship is so significant for medical leaders.
What motivated you to apply to become an FMLM Fellow and why do you think FMLM Fellowship is important?
I am a keen supporter of FMLM and want to promote the benefits it brings to others. If those of us who are in senior leadership positions in the NHS show that FMLM Fellowship is important to us, and that it signifies our credibility in the world of medical leadership, this should encourage other medical leaders to apply for Fellowship themselves. I see FMLM Fellowship as similar to Fellowship of an individual Royal College in this way.
What inspired you to join FMLM and how important do you see FMLM in enabling you to fulfil your leadership aspirations?
I joined FMLM to meet more doctors whose ambition is to improve patient care beyond the individual level and to learn from those who have succeeded in doing this. I see FMLM as an ongoing opportunity to learn to do this better through networking with other medical leaders.
Why is medical leadership so important?
Medicine is increasingly complex and the range of potential treatments is expanding exponentially. At the same time every country is struggling to balance this against the resources available to deliver healthcare. Medical leadership has to deal with this complexity and address the over- and under- treatment that exists, so that patients and the public are offered the best possible healthcare. As part of this medical leaders should inspire the teams that they work with so that every team member has the same aim: to deliver the best possible patient care.
How does effective medical leadership improve patient care?
Effective medical leadership provides a framework to ensure an equitable system of care so that patients are given good information about treatment options available, with the risks and benefits of each, and are supported to make good decisions about their care. Effective medical leadership also provides advice and guidance to managers to help optimise decision-making about provision of healthcare services in a financially limited environment. Thus there is a role for effective medical leadership in both patient and population health.
Can you tell us about an individual whose leadership has inspired you during your career?
Professor Richard Wood (sadly no longer with us) was an inspiring leader. I worked for him both in a clinical job and then in a research post for three years. He ran a busy clinical firm and a significant surgical research department. He had a keen interest in the development of all the members of his team, ensuring that we learned good presentation skills, robust research techniques, and to build links with others with similar interests both locally, nationally and internationally. He ran educational and social events for the whole team and joined in with these enthusiastically. He inspired confidence and a continually enquiring mind in each of us to deliver better care for our patients.
FMLM Fellowship exists at three levels to reflect different degrees of leadership experience: Senior Fellow, Fellow, and Associate Fellow. Read more about FMLM Fellowship and apply to become a fellow.