The 'Doctor who' medical leadership series

The Doctor who report draws on findings from a survey into leadership in the NHS and HayGroup's experience of working with healthcare leaders to explore why medical leadership succession planning and talent management is such a big challenge.

The report examines what is putting people off leadership roles and how these can be made more attractive. It includes suggestions on how these issues can be addressed – both nationally and locally – to develop the medical leaders needed to deliver safe, high-quality and efficient services for the future.

So - strategic orientation

The first paper in the series provides tips for creating medical leadership roles and career paths that are aligned with an organisation’s strategy, and that take account of the realities of medical life. It recommends the creation of clear and doable medical leadership roles with clearly defined career paths based on consideration of the:

• type of medical leadership roles needed to meet strategic objectives
• skills and behaviours required for these roles to be successful
• experiences that will prepare people for these roles.

Know - understanding the gap

When it comes to 'knowing' who your potential future leaders are, medical leadership poses some specific problems. The absence of traditional line management structures and the lack of a development ‘tradition’ makes it far harder to spot potential future leaders and identify skill gaps.

The second paper looks at:

• how to identify skill gaps
• how to begin assessing some of the behavioural elements of good medical leadership
• what you can do to understand and access a broader pool of potential future leaders.

Grow - how to develop the talent you need

With system changes in the NHS creating bigger and broader leadership roles for doctors, the focus has been on getting new medical leaders in these positions up to speed.

In this paper you will find out:

• where to focus time and energy to ‘grow’ the medical leaders you need, both now and for the future
• how to support doctors to make a successful transition from senior professional to leader.

Flow - how different work experiences can help medical leaders develop

The fourth episode of the series brings reflections from different medical leaders about what had motivated them to take on a medical leadership role, what had helped them along the way, and their advice for supporting the development of the medical leaders of the future.

One of the four interviewees is FMLM's Chief executive and medical director, Mr Peter Lees: "Often when I go out to talk to junior doctors, I say to them ‘recognise you’re leading now. Registrars practically lead the hospital at night – you are leading now’. How many of you at the beginning of the evening sit the team down and say ‘if you see something dangerous, i want you to come and tell me’?"