Developing nursing and allied health professional leaders: the wider impact of a professional development initiative on leadership.

Background: Effective leadership is necessary across healthcare systems to ensure person-centred safe and effective care delivered by a workforce that is empowered to flourish. Similarly, research is essential to underpin evidence-based clinical practice to optimise the quality of care provided. It is important to develop the capacity and capability of the healthcare workforce to become effective clinical and research leaders; however, there are challenges. The creation of fellowship programmes such as the Director of Nursing and Allied Health Professions (AHPs) Fellowship was inspired by this need to support the skill development of these clinicians.

Aims: To report the experiences of nurses, midwives and AHPs (NMAHPs) completing the Director of Nursing and AHP Fellowship programme; a 1-year development programme focussing on leadership, research and quality improvement. To describe the broader impact of the fellowship on NMAHP leadership. To consider the implications of the fellowship on the fellows and the wider organisation and healthcare system.

Methods: The evaluation consisted of surveys and focus groups with fellows and mentors supporting them. These included clinical mentors, academic mentors, quality improvement advisors and improvement partners.

Findings: The following four themes were identified from the survey and focus group data: leadership development, networking and relationships, collaborative working and communication.Fellows' development within the programme translated into multiple clinicians securing new job roles in clinical leadership positions, and key learning has been incorporated into future iterations of the programme.

Conclusion: High-quality patient care relies on the support of research and implementation of evidence-based practice. Investment in the leadership of clinicians is key to promoting a culture of high-quality patient care and evidence-based practice. The Director of Nursing and AHP fellowship contributes to the development of nurses and AHPs implementing national priorities optimising patient care.