Website of the Department of Health

National  Leadership Council

As part of a package of proposals to support and champion leadership in the NHS, the final report of Lord Darzi’s Next Stage Review , High Quality Care for All committed to establishing a National Leadership Council (NLC), with the aim of creating a step change in the development of leadership across healthcare. 

Chapter 5, para 37 of High Quality Care for All stated:

 “We will establish an NHS Leadership Council which will be a system-wide body chaired by the NHS Chief Executive, responsible for overseeing all matters of leadership across healthcare, including the 250 leaders.  It will have a particular focus on standards (including overseeing the new certification, and development of the right curricula, and assurance) and with a dedicated budget, will be able to commission development programmes. “ 

The Department commissioned a team based at Cambridge University’s Judge Business School in August 2008 to determine the scope and role of the National Leadership Council.  They engaged with a wide range of stakeholders including Chief Executives of SHAs, Trusts, and PCTs, Royal Colleges, professional bodies, unions and the independent sector to shape our plans and ensure that we have a National Leadership Council that is fit for purpose to best deliver real benefits in the quality of healthcare.   

The team’s final recommendations and major messages (which are available below) informed proposals about the NLC that were agreed by the NHS Management Board on 14 January 2009.

The Department has commenced the recruitment process to appoint members of the National Leadership Council . 

• Download Design and establishment of the Leadership Council (recommendations and major messages from the Judge Business School, University of Cambridge) (PDF, 147K)