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This paper reports on the findings of work to develop a Clinical Leadership Competency Framework (CLCF) that will be used by all the regulated clinical professions across the UK. The CLCF was created, with the agreement of the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, from the Medical Leadership Competency Framework (MLCF), which was created and developed and is owned jointly by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges. Although the context and scenarios described in the MLCF are particular to doctors, the generic leadership competences were considered potentially applicable to all clinicians in their practitioner roles. The aim of this project was to work with the clinical professions to build leadership awareness and capability across the health service, by assessing the readiness of the clinical professions to embed leadership competences in undergraduate education, postgraduate training and continuing professional development. The work that has been undertaken to date shows that there is widespread recognition that leadership is important, and that the development of clinical leadership is viewed as absolutely critical. It represents a fundamental change in the way we train and educate clinicians. The next step for the CLCF project team is to work with professional bodies, regulators and education establishments to help them to embed the CLCF effectively, and this work is already under way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the knowledge and opinions of UK medical undergraduates on NHS structure medical management and leadership. Recent reports have emphasised the importance of developing these attributes in future doctors whilst highlighting currently an uncertainty and possible knowledge gap amongst undergraduates. This study investigates these areas by surveying 240 students from one UK medical school. Forty-eight percent can correctly identify all the hospitals making up their trust, 39% can identify the medical director of the NHS and 60% the nature of the Quality and Outcomes Framework. Seventy-six percent think that doctors should understand the economic factors affecting the NHS, 84% think that NHS structure, medical management and leadership are important and 64% feel more is required from their curriculum in these areas. Knowledge levels and perception of its relative importance both increase as medical students become more senior. Medical management and leadership knowledge and skills are currently lacking in undergraduates but there is a desire amongst many to learn and develop these areas, and a responsibility upon teaching faculty to ensure this is embedded in clinical placements. This study supports teaching of medical management and leadership as an integrated subject into all aspects of the medical curriculum currently being implemented at Imperial College London and other UK medical schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]