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Developing leadership is an integral part of the Government's Modernisation Agenda and the NHS Plan. Effective leadership is crucial for improving the quality of care for patients, for developing staff and for creating the vision to take the modernisation agenda forward.

The past few years have seen increased activity to improve the provision of emergency care. However, the biggest principle driver for change has been the four-hour target. In order to achieve this target, emergency care providers have had to change the planning and delivery of services.

The coming years will continue to be challenging and will require sound effective leadership to ensure that these changes take place. Emergency nurses must play a pivotal role in the development of services, and rise to the challenge of finding new ways of working, while those staff working at a senior level within this environment, will be expected to influence and lead this change. It is because of this, and in recognition of the unique and challenging environment of emergency care, that this programme has been developed to address and support the leadership skills of this particular staff group.