Leadership

Dr John Edmond5th July 2012

Why?

• Interviews• Complex medicine• Bristol Inquiry = 9 mentions of “leadership” in

summary alone.• Mid Staffs Inquiry

NHS changes

• Management = administrative = support the doctors (subservient role)

• 1980-1990s Management movement ........Us versus them

• Mid 2000s Leadership contributions from more branches and individuals

Bristol Inquiry

Learning from Bristol: the report of the public inquiry into children’s heart surgery at the

Bristol Royal Infirmary 1984- 1995.

Bristol Inquiry

The story of the paediatric cardiac surgical service in Bristol is not an account of bad people. Nor is it an account of people who did not care, nor of people who wilfully harmed patients.

It is an account of people who cared greatly about human suffering, and were dedicated and well-motivated. Sadly, some lacked insight and their behaviour was flawed. Many failed to communicate with each other, and to work together effectively for the interests of their patients. There was a lack of leadership, and of teamwork.

Bristol Inquiry

The story of the paediatric cardiac surgical service in Bristol is not an account of bad people. Nor is it an account of people who did not care, nor of people who wilfully harmed patients.

It is an account of people who cared greatly about human suffering, and were dedicated and well-motivated. Sadly, some lacked insight and their behaviour was flawed. Many failed to communicate with each other, and to work together effectively for the interests of their patients. There was a lack of leadership, and of teamwork.

Bristol Inquiry

The story of the paediatric cardiac surgical service in Bristol is not an account of bad people. Nor is it an account of people who did not care, nor of people who wilfully harmed patients.

It is an account of people who cared greatly about human suffering, and were dedicated and well-motivated. Sadly, some lacked insight and their behaviour was flawed. Many failed to communicate with each other, and to work together effectively for the interests of their patients. There was a lack of leadership, and of teamwork.

In the period from 1991 to 1995 between 30 and 35 more children

under 1 died after open-heart surgery in the Bristol Unit than might be

expected had the Unit been typical of other PCS units in England at the time.

Bristol Inquiry200 recommendations!

• Patients are entitled to expect that both the NHS and the hospital in which they are cared for is well led

• A patient is entitled to be cared for and by healthcare professionals with relevant and up-to-date skills and expertise

• Patients are entitled to care and treatment of an appropriate standard informed by current knowledge

• Patients are entitled to care that is safe

Mid Staffs inquiry

Mid Staffs inquiryThe culture of the Trust �The culture of the Trust was not conducive to providing good care for patients or providing a

supportive working environment for staff. A number of factors contributed to this:

• attitudes of patients and staff – patients’ attitudes were characterised by a reluctance to insist on receiving basic care or medication for fear of upsetting staff. Although some members of staff were singled out for praise by patients, concerns were expressed about the lack of compassion and uncaring attitude exhibited by others towards vulnerable patients and the marked indifference they showed to visitors.

• bullying – an atmosphere of fear of adverse repercussions in relation to a variety of events was described by a number of staff witnesses. Staff described a forceful style of management (perceived by some as bullying) which was employed on occasion.

• target-driven priorities – a high priority was placed on the achievement of targets, and in particular the A&E waiting time target. The pressure to meet this generated a fear, whether justified or not, that failure to meet targets could lead to the sack.

• disengagement from management – the consultant body largely dissociated itself from management and often adopted a fatalistic approach to management issues and plans. There was also a lack of trust in management leading to a reluctance to raise concerns.

• low staff morale – the constant strain of financial difficulties, staff cuts and difficulties in delivering an acceptable standard of care took its toll on morale and was reflected by absence and sickness rates in particular areas.

• isolation – there is a sense that the Trust and its staff carried on much of its work in isolation from the wider NHS community. It was not as open to outside influences and changes in practice as would have been the case in other places and lacked strong associations with neighbouring organisations.

• lack of openness – before obtaining Foundation Trust status, the Board conducted a significant amount of business in private when it was questionable whether privacy was really required. One particular incident concerning an attempt to persuade a consultant to alter an adverse report to the coroner has caused serious concern and calls into question how candid the Trust was prepared to be about things that went wrong.

• acceptance of poor standards of conduct – evidence suggests that there was an unwillingness to use governance and disciplinary procedures to tackle poor performance. The Inquiry has heard of particular incidents of apparent misconduct which were not dealt with appropriately, promptly or fairly.

• reliance on external assessments – The evidence indicates that the Trust was more willing to rely on favourable external assessments of its performance rather than on internal assessment. On the other hand when unfavourable external information was received, such as concerning mortality statistics, there was an undue acceptance of procedural explanations.

• denial – In spite of the criticisms the Trust has received recently, there is an unfortunate tendency for some staff and management to discount these by relying on their view that there is much good practice and that the reports are unfair.

• no clear registration of patients’ transfer from one ward to another

Questions I hope we can answer

1. What is leadership?2. Who do you think of as great leaders?3. Who have you seen leading in medicine?4. What are the main theories of leadership?5. How can you demonstrate leadership?

What is leadership?

Who do you thinkof as great leaders?

Who have you seen leading?

Or not?

Leadership theories

Leadership theories

GREAT MANTRAIT

SITUATIONAL

TRANSACTIONALCONTINGENCY

BEHAVIOURIST

TRANSFORMATIONAL

John Adair

Team

• maintain discipline • build team spirit • encourage, motivate, give a sense of purpose • appoint sub-leaders • ensure communication within group • develop the group

Individual

• attend to personal problems • praise individuals • give status • recognise and use individual abilities • develop

Task

• define the task • make the plan • allocate work and resources • control quality and rate of work • check performance against plan • adjust the plan

Task

• define the task • make the plan • allocate work and resources • control quality and rate of work • check performance against plan • adjust the plan

Team

• maintain discipline • build team spirit • encourage, motivate, give a sense of purpose • appoint sub-leaders • ensure communication within group • develop the group

Individual

• attend to personal problems • praise individuals • give status • recognise and use individual abilities • develop

Task

• define the task • make the plan • allocate work and resources • control quality and rate of work • check performance against plan • adjust the plan

Team

• maintain discipline • build team spirit • encourage, motivate, give a sense of purpose • appoint sub-leaders • ensure communication within group • develop the group

Individual

• attend to personal problems • praise individuals • give status • recognise and use individual abilities • develop

John Adair

Dispersed leadership

Leadership authority

Leadership vs management

Management or leadership?

• Management = planning, budgeting, organising, controlling resources, problem solving

• All vital

• All easy when the organisation/society is stable and relatively predictable.

Developing a new serviceLeadership or management?

Leadership• Discussing with interested

groups– Patients– Commissioners

• Ensuring colleagues will contribute

• Ensuring the Board support the process

Management• Writing the business case

• Organising the process– Referral pathway– Audit process– Governance

• Ensuring the Board support the process

What is leadership?

Demonstrating leadership

SETTHETONE