Healthcare professionals would benefit from more investment in leadership programmes that enable them to directly see and understand how the upper layers of the NHS function. My experience as a Darzi Fellow helped me realise that cultivating the next generation of clinical leaders is essential if the NHS is to survive present and future challenges. […]
Latest articles
The just culture in the NHS – but not the one you know. By James Hadlow
I first came across the concept of the ‘just culture’ in healthcare several years ago during my Darzi Fellowship, a highly respected national clinical leadership programme. The concept of a just culture was one which was logical and the terms of it were clear to me but hadn’t been framed in formal terms in this […]
Nurturing Nature in the NHS. Isabella Fisk
All my life, I have had a wonderfully intimate relationship with nature. From bees to oceans, trees to mountains; everything is precious. In nature, there is no judgement, expectation or comparison. In nature, I am free to be me. Our natural world can have extraordinarily powerful health effects on our bodies and minds, fostering a […]
What even is productivity in healthcare? By Dr. Ryan Kemp
The UK National Health Service is under scrutiny for failures to increase productivity despite increases in funding1. What are services in the UK to do to increase their productivity, with issues of growing older populations, increased technology costs in a time of financial challenge? Perhaps a good place to start is to understand what productivity […]
In Conversation with David Pendleton
To watch this interview, please follow this link I’m Domhnall MacAuley and welcome to this BMJ Leader conversation. Today I’m talking to David Pendleton, who is Professor of Leadership at Henley Business School. But he has also recently taken on an advisory role with the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management. David, let’s take it […]
Professor Ian Wong: A Legacy of Leadership and Impact in Research. By Sinéad Peare
From the bustling streets of Tai Kok Tsui, one of the poorest areas in Hong Kong, to the prestigious role of Regius Professor at Aston University. Professor Ian Wong’s journey is proof that leadership isn’t about where you start but how you navigate the road ahead, his story is a testament to the transformative power […]
The Leadership Hike and Leading Primary Care: Tales from Leadership Hikers – Book Review by Dr. Sium Ghebru
We are living in an era where leadership is the buzzword of the moment. Social media is flooded with short videos from influencers offering bite-sized advice on leadership in under a minute, often ending up being more slogan soundbite rather than educational. How refreshing, then, to have the opportunity to read a comprehensive book like […]
Navigating change: Leadership, followership, and the future of the NHS. By Professor Rich Withnall
Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher said, “Change is the constant in life”. The Prime Minister and Secretary of State’s announcements (13 Mar 25) herald another period of significant change for the NHS. The need to close a multi-billion-pound black hole will see a strategic re-set. In a transition expected to take up to two years, the […]
Bridging Personal and Planetary Health: Strategies for Addressing Burnout and Promoting Resilient Leadership. By Nivi Jaswal and Dr. Shireen Kassam
Confronting Corporate Demands and Personal Health After years in demanding corporate roles, along with a growing awareness of the climate crisis, I (NJ) faced severe burnout and worsening ill health. Traditional profit-focused business models that sacrifice personal and environmental well-being, left me feeling depleted. I wasn’t alone! While covering Hurricane Milton for NBC in 2024, […]
Lessons from beech masts, for clinical practice and beyond. By Gemma Wrigley
Climate action is indeed action; compassionate action, inspired by deep empathy with the ongoing and potential suffering caused by the climate crisis. To speak about climate action and climate leadership, we must first acknowledge the delicate symbiosis in which we coexist, or as the late Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh described, our ‘interbeing’ with nature […]