South West England leadership training survey (2019)

Introduction The National Health Service Long Term Plan recognises that excellent quality care requires great leadership. Understanding junior doctor experiences of leadership development can inform organisations to improve trainee leadership skills. Methods A survey of South West (SW) England trainees was conducted to capture views on leadership and management training. Results Results came from 190 trainees across both SW deaneries, areas of practice and all training stages. Respondents agreed that leadership skills are important for doctors (n=186; 99%). Lack of time was indicated as a barrier to developing leadership skills (n=139; 75.5%). Audits and quality improvement projects were used for developing leadership skills. Colleagues were the main source of support. Discussion SW trainees recognise the importance of developing leadership skills, underlining the need to prioritise opportunities for leadership development. Respondents had ideas to improve areas of practice, where ideas were supported, they were implemented. Conclusion Compared with national findings SW trainee experiences are positive, with more ideas implemented, more time for developing skills and more resources used. Activities engaged in closely aligned to the 70:20:10 model of leadership. Trainees should be encouraged to access support from peers and create networks of opportunity. Additional research in this area is needed.