Today's chair:
Mr Steve Parker
Medical Director
Isle of Wight NHS Trust
What makes an excellent Clinical Director?
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Christine Blanshard
Chief Medical Officer
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
• the Clinical Directors role
• challenges and learning from the pandemic
• responsibilities: strategic, directorate and individual
• leadership qualities required for the role
• accountability of Clinical Directors
• supporting Clinical Directors under pressure through Covid-19
• the Clinical Directors role in driving improvement: learning from our experience
• where next for current Clinical Director
- Christine Blanshard Biography 0.01 MBDOCXfile
- Christine Blanshard Presentation Slides 7.03 MBPPTXfile
Christine asks "what are the Leadership Qualities needed for the role? "Commonest style is pace-setting – getting quick results from a highly motivated and competent team" "Learning from successes and failures, outward facing: “In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”Eric Hoffer
EXTENDED SESSION: Developing your skills as a Clinical Director
Dr Paul Mooney
Clinical Director
Elysium Healthcare
• the everyday life of a Clinical Director
• understanding and managing directorate performance
• what are the difficult issues you will face as a Clinical Director: difficult conversations and
managing colleagues
• setting goals as a Clinical Director
Paul discussed what he's learnt as a Clinical Director (aka What Makes an Effective Leader)? :
- "Not all organisations/services are equal (‘goodness of fit’ between individual & organisation may be required)
- Ensure a breadth & depth of knowledge… and pass it on (links with academia, research)
- Take the helicopter view & look ahead (keep abreast of internal/external events)
- Understand & navigate the political landscape (local and national)
- Consider your philosophy of the role…. motivate & inspire (be the conductor of the orchestra!)
- Know when to listen and when to make decisions (and stick with them through adversity)
- Relationships are everything… aim to win hearts and minds
- Be a reflective practitioner (know when you need support)
- Be able to communicate effectively & simply (including how to share the clinical vision to all)
- Compassion is key… consider the principles of compassionate leadership (eg, West, 2021) and emotional intelligence (eg, Goleman) as a gateway to success"