New robust management and leadership framework for NHS to be created

NHS England has appointed the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) to lead a project with the Faculty of Medical Leadership & Management (FMLM), and the Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) to create a new NHS Management and Leadership Framework. 

The new multi-disciplinary framework will provide clear expectations of managers and leaders working across the service. A Code of Practice for all NHS and social care managers and leaders will also be developed through this work.

The decision to work with leading voices in health care leadership to develop a clear set of standards and development curriculum comes in response to the recommendations from the Messenger and Kark NHS leadership reviews.

Among the Messenger recommendations fully accepted by NHS England is the introduction of a single set of unified, core leadership and management standards and training for managers for those working in both clinical and non-clinical roles.

The new framework will span clinical and non clinical roles at junior, middle & board level, also delivering a curriculum for the training and skills to professionalise these roles. The creation of consistent standards and development curriculum will both contribute to greater public confidence in NHS management, and align all managers and leaders in a common purpose of improving patient outcomes. The framework and curriculum are expected to be delivered by June 2025.

In a speech to the NHS Confed Expo on 12th June, Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive, NHS England, said that the number one task for the NHS is leadership and management:

If we want a well-run NHS, we must support those who run it. If we want leaders to be accountable – which we do then we must give them the tools they need to do their jobs well. So, we’re taking forward the excellent work of Messenger and Kark and we’ll shortly begin developing a new, multi-disciplinary NHS Management and Leadership Framework.

As the professional body for management and leadership, CMI has a proven track record of successfully designing and developing leadership and management frameworks across the public and private sectors, accrediting training and awarding chartered status to individuals to turn accidental managers into conscious, inclusive leaders. With a membership community of over 220,000 managers and leaders, CMI works in partnership with over 900 training providers and educational partners to design, develop and accredit programmes, apprenticeships and qualifications and already works with over 70 NHS trusts.

As the professional home for medical leadership in the UK, FMLM have designed and developed leadership standards for the healthcare sector which underpin the principles of the General Medical Council’s Good Medical Practice and the guidance in Leadership and Management for all doctors, clinicians and healthcare leaders.  FMLM will assist in the co-development of the leadership and management framework standards to ensure they are accurate, responsive to clinical requirements and mapped against existing frameworks, guidance and standards.

FNF has a national reputation for developing and delivering exceptional and unique leadership programmes for nurses, midwives and nursing associates.  With a reach of over 250,000 nurses and midwives including 120 Chief Nurses as members, FNF will support the convening of key stakeholder consultation groups for effective co-creation.

Together, the group is committed to bringing its collective expertise to bear as they work alongside NHS England, its stakeholders and in-house experts to deliver a management and leadership framework that helps deliver a stronger, more efficient and accountable NHS. This unified approach will ultimately deliver better results for patients and staff working across the health service.

Ann Francke OBE, Chief Executive of CMI, said:

 The public rightly expects the highest standards from everyone working in the NHS and managers and leaders are no exception. We know from our research and our experience working with NHS trusts that skilled managers lead to better results for patients and a better workplace for employees.

“It is our sincere hope that, alongside valued partners and NHS England, this project will deliver a meaningful, long term plan to equip those running our health service today and in the decades to come with the practical skills and strategies that they need to deliver the best possible results.

Professor Rich Withnall, Chief Executive of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management (FMLM) said:

Good health and social care leadership saves lives.  The adoption of this NHS England framework will level up the quality of clinical and non clinical leaders and managers, giving patients greater confidence about their care.

Leadership in the NHS is rightly under the spotlight, with the recommendations of the Kark and Messenger Reviews back in clear focus. Recent months have seen increasing impetus with the Chief Executive of NHS England and the Health and Social Care Select Committee – to which FMLM recently gave evidence on leadership – all acknowledging the need for greater consistency in standards.

With the NHS currently having fewer managers than the wider UK workforce, it is essential that the ones we do have are of the highest calibre; this framework will help ensure they are.

Professor Greta Westwood CBE, Chief Executive of the Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) said:

We are delighted to be involved in this important and timely NHS and social care workforce reform project.

Service users expect excellent health and care provision led by first class clinical and non-clinical leaders and managers.  This work will provide the code of practice and standards required to improve leadership and management, and ultimately improve care to save lives. Nurses and midwives, the largest workforce, will have their voice, as clinical leaders and managers, represented in this work.