Culture change, leadership and the grass-roots workforce
- Mark Edwards, quality improvement and leadership fellowA⇑,
- Clare Penlington, senior lecturer in medical educationB,
- Varadarajan Kalidasan, director of medical educationC and
- Tony Kelly, associate medical director for Quality and InnovationD
- ADepartment of Safety and Quality, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Brighton, East Sussex, UK
- BInstitute for Health Sciences, Department of Medical Education, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, UK
- CDepartment of Postgraduate Medical Education, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Brighton, UK
- DDepartment of Safety and Quality, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Brighton, UK
- Address for correspondence: Mr M Edwards, Department of Safety and Quality, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Eastern Road, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 5BE. Email: mark.edwards13{at}nhs.net
Abstract
The NHS is arguably entering its most challenging era. It is being asked to do more for less and, in parallel, a cultural shift in response to its described weaknesses has been prescribed. The definition of culture, the form this change should take and the mechanism to achieve it are not well understood. The complexity of modern healthcare requires that we evolve our approach to the workforce and enhance our understanding of the styles of leadership that are required in order to bring about this cultural change. Identification of leaders within the workforce and dissemination of a purposeful and strategic quality improvement agenda, in part defined by the general workforce, are important components in establishing the change that the organisation currently requires. We are implementing this approach locally by identifying and developing grassroots networks linked to a portfolio of safety and quality projects.
- © 2014 Royal College of Physicians
