We are living in an era where leadership is the buzzword of the moment. Social media is flooded with short videos from influencers offering bite-sized advice on leadership in under a minute, often ending up being more slogan soundbite rather than educational. How refreshing, then, to have the opportunity to read a comprehensive book like […]
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Navigating change: Leadership, followership, and the future of the NHS. By Professor Rich Withnall
Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher said, “Change is the constant in life”. The Prime Minister and Secretary of State’s announcements (13 Mar 25) herald another period of significant change for the NHS. The need to close a multi-billion-pound black hole will see a strategic re-set. In a transition expected to take up to two years, the […]
Bridging Personal and Planetary Health: Strategies for Addressing Burnout and Promoting Resilient Leadership. By Nivi Jaswal and Dr. Shireen Kassam
Confronting Corporate Demands and Personal Health After years in demanding corporate roles, along with a growing awareness of the climate crisis, I (NJ) faced severe burnout and worsening ill health. Traditional profit-focused business models that sacrifice personal and environmental well-being, left me feeling depleted. I wasn’t alone! While covering Hurricane Milton for NBC in 2024, […]
Lessons from beech masts, for clinical practice and beyond. By Gemma Wrigley
Climate action is indeed action; compassionate action, inspired by deep empathy with the ongoing and potential suffering caused by the climate crisis. To speak about climate action and climate leadership, we must first acknowledge the delicate symbiosis in which we coexist, or as the late Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh described, our ‘interbeing’ with nature […]
How will history view Physiotherapy Professional Bodies’ “neutrality” during the Israel- Gaza Conflict? By Uzo Ehiogu , Basman Aldirawi and Osman Ahmed
“Why have you not spoken up for us, you have forgotten us !…” (1) These are the words of Dr. Ala Shatali, former Secretary General of the Palestinian Physiotherapy Association (1994-2004), and an Orthopaedic Physiotherapist in Gaza who volunteered to work as an emergency department triage practitioner at the start of hostilities in October 2023. […]
In conversation with Charlotte Williams
To watch this interview, please follow this link Hello, I’m Domhnall MacAuley and welcome to this BMJ leader conversation. Today I’m talking to Charlotte Williams, Deputy Chief Executive, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust. But, you didn’t start off in management – you were a scientist… Charlotte Williams: I studied Science. But, I don’t think […]
Creating space for the right answers to emerge. By Laura Yearsley and Marc Harris
Darzi set out some significant challenges for the NHS yet nothing in the report was considered new and surprising 1 2 3 4. Wide ranging problems have been growing in plain sight for some time. We know that individual heroes will not solve our problems5, nor will tinkering around the edges. Darzi may have given […]
Accountability. By David Pendleton and David Haslam
The direction of travel for the NHS is now clear. The three key themes are Hospital to Community, Treatment to Prevention and Analogue to Digital. But there is also an attendant theme, ubiquitous and permanent. How do we increase productivity and get the best outcomes from the £180Bn currently spent per annum on health and […]
In Conversation with Nicki Macklin
To watch this interview, please follow this link Hello, I’m Domhnall MacAuley and welcome to this BMJ Leader conversation. Today I’m talking to Nicki Macklin in New Zealand. It’s the dark midwinter here and a beautiful sunny morning in New Zealand. Thank you very much for joining us today Nicki. Let’s take you back to […]
Lessons from Global Leadership. By Vincent Sai
Vincent Sai’s Reflections on Healthcare Systems and Leadership With a multinational upbringing across Singapore, Australia, the US, and the UK, my leadership journey has been shaped by diverse experiences. Despite over 15 years in the NHS, I remain a student of the system—curious about the global interplay of healthcare and leadership. In the past two […]