The report highlights how both clinical and managerial leaders are integral to the success of a CCG, bringing different strengths to the organisation and its ability to deliver more for patients.
For example, clinical leaders bring a working knowledge of their local healthcare system and are able to draw on their clinical expertise to make a credible case for change, whereas leaders with a professional managerial background tend to have clearer insight into operational and financial details.
Qualities that make a top clinical commissioning leader are identified and include resilience, openness, emotional intelligence and being good communicators, with excellent listening skills and the ability to instil clarity of purpose. The report also sets out that clarity about the future of the commissioning system, a commitment to developing GP leadership, and improved leadership programmes, are critical to supporting current and prospective clinical commissioning leaders.
NHSCC Chief Executive Julie Wood said: “Clinical leadership has had immense benefits for patients and must be nurtured or the NHS will be poorer for it. At the same time, managerial leaders also bring important skills and expertise to CCGs and make essential contributions to their success, which is why we looked through both a clinical and managerial lens in this report. It is clear that we need to provide support for both types of leaders, who work together in an equal partnership to transform their local health services for the benefit of their local patients and populations.”
Dr Andy Harris, Chief Clinical Officer of Leeds South and East CCG said: “The report sets out the qualities we need from leaders and the recommendations aim to ensure that we have a vibrant and sustainable cohort of clinical commissioning leaders for the future. While the focus of the report is on what we are seeing in CCGs, the lessons are as relevant to the wider healthcare system as they are to the leadership of individual organisations.”
Damian Tatlow, Director, Hunter Healthcare said: "Given our role in supporting Clinical Commissioning Groups to identify and source their leaders, we have always recognised the need to achieve the right blend of skills and competencies in the top team at the CCG. In supporting this research, our aim was to understand what exceptional looks like and to provoke some thought as to how we can support clinical and managerial leaders to be successful in the future. Getting the blend right when developing clinical commissioning leaders or appointing to governing bodies is critical in delivering the significant agenda that CCGs face moving forwards."
You can see the report “What makes a Top Clinical Commissioning Leader?” here: http://www.nhscc.org/latest-news/4787/