Senior Leadership Development Programme for Remote, Rural and Island Localities
An opportunity from NHS Education for Scotland for senior leaders in Health and Care working in a remote, rural or island area, including senior leaders in community and non statutory organisations collaborating to deliver services.
Applications open until 30th October 2025.
About the Programme
We are developing a pilot programme designed specifically for senior leaders in Scotland’s remote, rural and island areas. It’s a collaboration between the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care (NCRRHC ) and Leading to Change (L2C) at NHS Education for Scotland (NES).
Launching in November 2025, it will build on proven national leadership development models, and take a fresh, tailored approach using an action inquiry model. Content will evolve based on the cohort’s real-world leadership challenges and development needs operating in the Remote, Rural and Islands context.
Who can apply?
- Leaders who work within or serve a rural or remote area are in scope—this includes parts of Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Borders, Ayrshire and Arran, Highland, Grampian, Tayside, Western Isles, Orkney, and Shetland.
- The programme will focus on multi-disciplinary senior leaders or aspiring directors (AfC Band 8+ or equivalent) in remote, rural, and island health and care, including community and non-statutory organisations collaborating to deliver services.
Programme Outline
We’re planning a “blended learning” approach of in-person and online sessions, taking place between November 2025 and May 2026. Applicants must be able to attend all sessions.
Interested?
Join a drop-in session for more information:
Submit an application or contact us for more information by using the links below:
Inquiry Findings
Throughout September 2025, we held a number of inquiry sessions which developed the foundations of this programme.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are participants from previous Leading to Change senior leadership development programmes in scope to apply?
Anyone who has participated in previous programmes is not precluded from applying or taking part in the new offer. The key consideration is whether the applicant is at the appropriate level and has a real-life adaptive issue* to bring to the programme. If you’re unsure, getting in touch with the programme delivery team or discussing with a sponsor is encouraged.
*When you have a problem or challenge for which there is no technical remedy, a problem for which it won’t help to look to an authority for answers – the answers aren’t there – that problem is an adaptive challenge. Heifetz et al (2009)
I have somebody in mind who would be a great sponsor, should I mention the programme at this stage?
Yes, please do mention the programme to potential sponsors and signpost them to the drop-in sessions. Early engagement is welcomed.
What is the role of the sponsor?
Over the years we have learned that sponsors have an important role to play in senior leadership development. They play a role in sustaining change, leadership culture and behaviours beyond the lifespan of formal development programmes. Sponsors are often line managers of a participant or other senior leaders or directors who want to be supportive of the participant’s development. All applicants must have a sponsor’s statement of support included in their application. At a minimum they are committing to ensure you will be able to attend all sessions and fully participate in the programme. We also recommend that you have regular conversations with your sponsor about your learning on the programme, it’s application in your organisation and system, including progress on your chosen adaptive issue.
How do you envisage the content evolving based on the cohort’s real-world challenges?
The programme content is intended to be emergent and shaped by the live adaptive issues and challenges that participants are facing in the RRI context and exploring together. The programme will use Adaptive Learning Sets (ALS) to surface thematic challenges and evolve programme content based on this. We also use intelligence from participants’ applications and initial one to one coaching sessions to identify shared cohort development needs. We will also draw upon the collective knowledge and experience of National Centre for Remote & Rural Health & Care (NCRRHC) and Leading to Change teams in NES regarding senior leadership development in this context.
How do I apply for the programme?
Download and complete the structured application form above. Please ensure you answer all questions in full and have your sponsor complete the statement of support. You must be able to identify adaptive issues you want to work on whilst on the programme and be able to attend ALL programme dates.
How to identify appropriate participants in third and voluntary sectors at the right level who would benefit from this offer?
The programme aims for a broad range of participants across sectors, including social care, social work, health, local government, communities and third sector. For smaller organisations, we’re keen to help applicants understand if they are functioning at the described cohort level. A helpful guide may be the work you are currently collaborating on with partners in your local system – are you working alongside other senior leaders? Our learning is that a variety of participants including those from third sector and communities will enrich the learning experience and outcomes for everyone. Please contact the delivery team if you have questions on this you would like to discuss or join one of our drop in information sessions.
What is equivalent to Agenda for Change Band 8 or above for other types of service?
A senior leader working at a Band 8 or above in the health service is a senior leader with a portfolio of responsibilities or manages a major workstream with a range of projects. Alongside other roles they’re responsible for business planning and management, risk management, people management, and support strategic planning and development. They have highly specialised knowledge in their subject area and are leaders with considerable responsibility. For this programme, the key requirement is that applicants are collaborating with other senior leaders in their systems on complex system issues.
Please contact the delivery team if you have questions on this you would like to discuss or join one of our drop in information sessions.
How many participants will be in the pilot programme?
Cohorts will typically comprise 14 or 21 participants, split into 2–3 sets per cohort, with each set containing up to 7 people. There is no quota per board or organisation.
Will the programme (ALS, workshops and masterclasses) be in-person, online or a mix?
The programme will use a hybrid approach: currently the delivery is planned to include a face-to-face launch event and closing event, with online onboarding and ALS sessions in between. This balances the benefits of in-person connection and time together to build psychological safety, with the practicalities of geography and travel.
What is the delivery timeline for the programme?
The programme will run from late November 2025 to May 2026, with initial onboarding starting in early November 2025.
Who is facilitating the offer – NES or external facilitators?
Facilitation will be led by Joanne Rafferty from the L2C delivery team in collaboration with experienced external facilitators, for which procurement is underway. The programme will also feature contributors from experienced senior leaders across the system and from the RRI context. We will also be procuring specialist input / contributors for specific development sessions, informed by the development needs of the cohort.
