The government has launched the NHS Leadership Academy to inspire and develop a new wave of NHS leaders to ensure the success of its health reforms.
NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson claimed the newly-launched Academy will be “critical” in delivering the much-needed strategic shift in NHS leadership.
The Academy, unveiled by Health Secretary Andrew Lansley in July 2011, will be based in Leeds and aims to inspire current and future generations of NHS leaders to drive improvements in patient experience, health outcomes and wellbeing.
The iniative will focus on four main areas of work: developing the approach to leadership; providing and commissioning a range of cutting edge national programmes; supporting the development of local leadership capability; and supporting the changing and developing parts of the NHS system.
“The Academy will provide expertise and support to help the leaders we have now while at the same time supporting the development of a new generation,” said Jim Easton, Director of Transformation for the NHS Commissioning Board.
“They will steer the NHS into a future which builds on our existing strengths and adds new ones, championing clinical leadership, inclusion, equality and diversity, and encouraging innovation.
“‘With change at a scale and pace the NHS has never seen before, the fundamental difference between success and failure is the calibre of leadership.”
As of 1 April, Jan Sobieraj, Managing Director of NHS and Social Care Workforce, will be interim Managing Director of the Academy, with the “small core team” all expected to be in place during the next three months.
