Management development in the NHS

The district health authorities and trusts of the National Health Service (NHS) are taking steps to develop management development programs in response to the organizational changes in the NHS. One of the challenges is to provide physicians and consultants with management skills. Each region has developed its own management development criteria. The methods used by the NHS include quality circles; management clubs, which consist of managers from all levels and guest speakers who meet on a monthly basis; and 'diagonal slice' programs, which consist of teams of employees from various levels and disciplines who are given the authority to assist management in decision making.