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Implementation of a Leadership Development Programme for Cardiac Network Leaders with NHS England to support cardiovascular disease transformation

A Collaborative Working Project between Boehringer Ingelheim Limited (BIL) and NHS England (NHSE) and implemented through the Faculty of Medical Leadership Management (FMLM), aims to co-create and deliver a leadership development programme for clinical leaders across the Cardiac Networks in England as they embark on shaping local cardiac services. 

NHSE established a programme in early 2021 to integrate cardiac care across health care systems, with a key element - the further development of the Cardiac Networks (cardiovascular). Local clinical leadership is core to the delivery of the networks and required across all pathways related to cardiology and cardiac surgery.  There has been a recognised requirement to support this with clinical leadership development.

The specific objectives of this collaboration were: 

  • To work with NHSE and the FMLM to identify and co-design a programme to support the newly established Cardiac Network clinical leaders in order to achieve the aims of the NHS Long Term Plan, and to deliver the Cardiac Network specification.

  • To identify the key skills and learning needs for clinical leads, which will enable them to operate and influence across their wider peer group and system.

  • Provide opportunities for clinical peer support and learning

  • Provide and facilitate an awareness of wider population health, inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access

  • By taking a population health approach and evaluating the impact of service transformation create the opportunity to deliver increased productivity and value for money thereby establishing a sustainable model

The project commenced in October 2022 and completed in October 2023. 

Project Outcome Summary:

The programme was delivered over a number of modules from Feb 2023 – September 2023 to 2 cohorts of NHS Leadership responsible for delivering the Cardiac Transformation Programme, in Cardiac Networks. 40 individuals went through the programme in total and came from the whole NHSE geographical footprint.

The Leadership Programme received extremely positive feedback across the board. Participants left the programme feeling more confident and empowered, with greater knowledge of their own leadership styles and how to effect change. There was particular praise for sessions on health inequalities, working with data on population health as well as change management, stakeholder mapping and complex structures. 

All the participants would recommend the Programme to a colleague. and the overall comments on the Programme were very positive. The choice of facilitators and speakers was particularly highlighted as excellent.

The majority of programme participants felt that their wider networks and increased confidence in leading change would lead to better patient care and more effective delivery of goals and objectives in their organisations.

 

NP-GB-104208        March 2024