Leading Well for Staff Health and Wellbeing in the NHS

This is an online learning programme brought to you by The Kings Fund, available via FutureLearn. A free and a costed version are both available to access.

Develop your understanding of your own health and wellbeing to better lead and support your colleagues, and organisation.

Develop leadership skills that support staff mental and physical wellbeing

The health and wellbeing of NHS staff is essential to the quality of care provided to patients, service users and communities.

The Covid-19 pandemic placed unprecedented pressures on the health care workforce and is now compounding longstanding inequalities. Inadequate resourcing and chronic excessive workloads pre-date the pandemic, when stress, absenteeism and retention were already at very concerning levels.

Deepen your understanding of the health and wellbeing needs of your staff

The role of a manager and leader in protecting, supporting and promoting the health and wellbeing of staff has never been more necessary and urgent. Even if many of the forces that undermine workforce health are beyond the gift of any individual to change or influence, there are still things that managers and leaders can do to create cultures of care that foster wellbeing and create better mental and physical health.

Learning from specialists in leadership and organisational development within the UK health and care sector, you’ll explore different leadership styles and reflect on how your personal style impacts on staff health and wellbeing.

Learn where to focus your attention as an effective leader

You’ll consider how physiological, structural, cultural, and individual interventions and needs can inform a leader’s approach to supporting staff wellbeing.

Referencing real-life case studies, you’ll be able to shape a more inclusive and equitable work environment.

Put your leadership and communication skills into action and develop a culture of care

You’ll finish this course by exploring emotional self-awareness and self-compassion as a foundation for effective leadership, learning how to foster team dynamics using open dialogues, problem-solving, and inquiry and advocacy.

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for current and aspiring leaders within the NHS. It’s suitable for those working in clinical and managerial contexts, as well as senior leaders, team leaders and managers.

Whilst the course is focused on NHS leaders, it may also be beneficial to leaders and managers working in related fields such as social care, social work and the voluntary or community sectors.

Other learners said:

‘Brilliant course that really highlighted the need for staff wellbeing as a priority. This course really should be mandatory for leaders and managers in the NHS. Good morale and staff that feel valued and understood by management is one step toward retaining existing staff and recruiting new.’

‘The course is well designed, includes an appropriate range of activities, and gives plenty of space for reflection. Established ideas, in the main, but put into useful context. I’ll be applying some of personal actions from the course.‘

‘Excellent course, lots of opportunities for both self-directed reflection and course led reflection.’