Leadership skills for general practitioners in the new commissioning arrangements

This research explains what the new arrangements are and the leadership skills that are needed nationally.

It reaches the conclusion that GPs are not the only members who need to demonstrate leadership skills for development of the new commissioning arrangements, but also a non-clinical structure and other practices which form their consortia, and a wider field of providers and agencies who, with consortia, form clinical commissioning groups.

It goes on to state that members need skills in building relationships and helping others to lead. The leadership theories most applicable are: shared and distributed leadership models; adaptive leadership; relationships and collaboration; creativity and innovation; and transformational leadership as well as the roles of leader and follower which can be interchangeable depending on the context. It is recommended that leadership development needs to focus on organisational leadership rather than merely leadership skills for individuals to reflect the need for cross boundary working.