The Society is building a leadership development strategy looking to identify, develop and support local pharmacy leaders. As the majority of our members work for, are contracted to, or work with, the National Health Service, this is where we have decided to begin. The Westminster Government, the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales have all recognised that top quality leadership is required at every level within the NHS to support transformational change. It is our experience that there is considerable variation in the awareness of the need to involve and develop pharmacists’ leadership skills, the opportunities that are available and the numbers taking up these opportunities.
Skills development within the NHS is linked to national frameworks in each of the home countries and is linked to management development to varying degrees. More information about these frameworks can be found via the following links:
A core personal and skills development programme, Leading across boundaries is one of the foundation stones of the Society’s strategy and was developed in consultation with the former NHS Leadership Centre of the Modernisation Agency in England and is endorsed by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement at Warwick University. The programme has a generic framework that can be adapted to incorporate national leadership frameworks and local priorities. The programme develops both individuals and networks and incorporates an opportunity to work on a local initiative to practise skills and achieve practical results for your local area. The programme can be run for either a cross-sectoral pharmacy or a multidisciplinary group and can be delivered either by the RPSGB team or in conjunction with local suitably experienced facilitators. In line with the aspirations of Our health, our care, our say and Department of Health strategies, key pharmacists across the various sectors are working to complete the programme with the confidence and supportive local networks to become innovative clinical and professional leaders.
For more information on local pharmacy leadership or the Leading across boundaries programme, click here.
Contact:
Anne Adams