Executive-level leadership and talent management in NHSScotland: overview paper

Strategic Engagement

14. Over the last 12 months the dimensions and actions set out in this paper have been discussed across a range of stakeholders including NHS Board Chairs and Chief Executives, and the Chairs of the Executive Director level professional networks (eg the HR Directors, the Directors of Finance, the Scottish Executive Nurse Directors and the Scottish Association of Medical Directors). More widely, discussions have taken place across NHS organisations in Scotland and with other large organisations elsewhere in the UK (including NHS organisations such as the NHS Leadership Academy ⁶ and NHS Improvement ⁷ in England), with a number of professional organisations and through established arrangements such as the Everyone Matters Implementation Group and the Strategic Workforce Advisory Group.

15. Other engagement opportunities, including discussions with the Scottish Partnership Forum, are planned to ensure there is a broadly based understanding of the new approach. Thus far, the proposals have been well received with a clear consensus that NHSScotland is well placed to develop national level, co-ordinated arrangements for leadership development and talent management for the most senior cohort.

16. Continuing and extending strategic engagement across a range of stakeholders will be an essential element of developing this new approach - NHS Scotland cannot work in isolation. Indeed, much of the success of the existing approaches relies on the proximity of employers, a range of delivery partners, academia, and professional bodies. The redesign of national governance and oversight arrangements described elsewhere in this paper will ensure that the necessary levels of strategic engagement are brought in from the outset.