Making evaluations useful for healthcare leadership development programmes.

Background: Effective healthcare leadership has been linked to improved individual and organisational outcomes globally. However, evaluations of healthcare leadership development programmes have often been of low quality. This study investigates the evaluation and decision-making needs of stakeholders for the Oxford Emerging Leaders Programme and aims to redesign its evaluation approach.

Methods: Drawing from Michael Quinn Patton's utilisation-focused evaluation approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 key programme stakeholders. Interviews were thematically analysed to identify key areas for useful and impactful evaluation.

Results: Three main themes were identified: impact on patients, impact on healthcare organisations and individual outcomes. Individual outcomes were further divided into skills and qualities. Stakeholders emphasised the importance of measuring improvements in organisational culture, as well as from the perspectives of patients and individual leaders. The need for a multifaceted and longitudinal evaluation approach was highlighted.

Conclusions: The study underscores the importance of aligning evaluation methods with stakeholder needs. Tailoring evaluations to specific programme aims and incorporating both qualitative and quantitative measures can enhance their utility. These insights contribute to the broader literature on healthcare leadership development and programme evaluation.