Why do public health leaders and doctors need leadership skills and leadership training?

It is well established that the leadership behaviours of doctors directly impact the culture of an organisation and local system, outcomes for patients and populations, and also the satisfaction and wellbeing of staff. Doctors leadership development is a process over time which requires a high degree of self awareness, courage, and increasing insight into the impact of the medical leader on those around them.

Leadership training for medics and doctors is a way to gain maturity and gravitas as a medical leader and medical manager, for roles such as a medical director, clinical director or clinical lead, or other senior medical leadership roles.

How do I find a medical leadership training programme or medical leadership course?

The Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management is an organisation which sets standards for doctors leadership training and runs basic courses in medical leadership and courses in medical management for doctors. There are also basic management and leadership courses for doctors run by other organisations such as the BMA. Medic leadership development is a priority for all healthcare organisations and Royal Colleges, because the impact of medical leadership training and medical management training is fundamentally critical to a clinically-led service and system: most organisations and Colleges offer a basic in-house leadership and management development programme for doctors.

Why expert medical leadership development coaching is the best way to improve your medical leadership skills

Whilst a medical leadership course may add value to you, the research on adult education consistently shows that adults learn best when they are involved in planning and evaluating their learning, when it is experiential, based on problem solving real-life experiences, and directly applicable to their role. This is the context in which I work as a doctors leadership coach – an active, equal partnership between coach and client which includes medical leadership skills development – over a period of months or years.

The NHS Leadership Academy states that doctors leadership coaching is one of the most effective ways to develop medical leaders. As an expert medical leadership coach, I have worked with over 160 senior medical leaders such as medical directors, primary care clinical directors of PCNs, clinical leads, clinical directors and other medics in leadership roles including academia, global and public health leaders, and doctors in system leadership roles. You can read testimonials from my medical leadership coaching clinets here.

I specialise in leadership coaching for public health leaders and doctors who are working in the context of complex, system-based, transformational contexts. My medical leadership skills development programmes for doctors are a form of bespoke one to one (1:1) training and development courses for doctors leadership development and growth. My clients significantly improve their wellbeing scores (p<0.0001) while working with me as well as developing and growing their confidence as medical leaders, enabling them to impact patient and population outcomes at scale.

Please book a confidential consultation with me to find out more.