Leadership in Professional Practice

Participants will be introduced to current theoretical frameworks which are used to underpin effective leadership within a variety of health and social care settings. They will critically appraise a range of leadership theories, styles and approaches, recognising that their own practice will often be informed by broader professional, political and organisational objectives. Exploring current principles and practices related to the leadership of individuals, teams and organisations, they will be encouraged to critically reflect upon their own values and principles, as well as the knowledge and skills needed to enable them to lead and manage others safely and effectively. 

• Enable participants to critically evaluate contemporary clinical leadership theories, frameworks, skills and approaches that can be applied in order to lead the provision of high quality health and social care.  
• Empower participants to analyse their own role as leaders; developing self-awareness, self-direction, originality and resilience and applying these to ethical decision making and problem solving approaches within health and social care settings. 
• Develop effective team working and communication skills within the context of multi- and inter-professional teams to effectively manage risk and improve the quality of patient care. 

• Demonstrate knowledge and a critical understanding of a variety of leadership concepts and theories.  
• Critically explore and evaluate concepts, processes and skills related to effective inter-professional team working within the context of multi- and inter-disciplinary care provision.
• Critically analyse and appraise concepts and principles of risk management, quality assurance and service improvement, considering their role as a clinical leader in relation to these.  
• Critically appraise a variety of coaching and mentoring approaches that can be used to lead, empower and develop others.

• Consider their own identity as clinical leaders as they embark upon the reflective process to improve their own leadership skills. 

• Apply a variety of leadership approaches in order to ensure the delivery and development of safe and effective health care practice.
• Lead and manage inter-professional teams, acknowledging the contribution of other members, managing conflict and poor performance effectively.  

• Develop the ability to articulate own values and principles, critically reflecting on personal emotions,  prejudices, strengths and limitations in order to improve leadership potential in self and others.
• Demonstrate personal resilience and emotional intelligence when faced with difficult and complex leadership problems and practice issues.
• Obtain regular feedback on own leadership style and impact, changing behaviour in response to feedback and personal reflection.
• Communicate effectively and work collegiately with individuals and groups, acting as a positive role model.
• Promote the development of peer-to-peer support and communities of  practice. 

Students will have the opportunity to receive feedback from peers and academics on formative work submitted before the summative assessment. Other feedback opportunities will be available in class and on online discussion boards. Online feedback is provided in Grademark. Provisional feedback based on internal marking will be made available before the Exam Board on the basis that these marks are yet to be ratified at the Exam Board and therefore may be subject to change. A standard feedback mechanism in Grademark is utilised across all postgraduate programmes within the School, which provides detailed and constructive feedback on each component and aspect of assessment and identifies areas of strength and those aspects which could be enhanced.

Student feedback is obtained through open discussion forums on blackboard, in class discussions, via formal University unit evaluation forms and qualitative, in house evaluations at the end of the unit.