Valuing leadership development; exploring self-perceptions of leadership through a dedicated secondment opportunity

INTRODUCTION: Leadership is a recognised pillar of practice for all UK healthcare professionals and is critical at the advanced and consultant levels. A six-month national fellowship secondment provided experience and exposure to strategic level leadership activities for a cohort of imaging and oncology practitioners. During the fellowship, their self-perceptions of personal and professional leadership development were evaluated to identify the impact of the secondment. METHODS: Seven secondees were recruited to the fellowship in 2023. The multi-method evaluation comprised pre and post-secondment surveys alongside analysis of work activity diaries. Individual reflective diaries provided qualitative data subsequently analysed using narrative inquiry methodology. RESULTS: The surveys demonstrated a significant increase in self-rated confidence levels associated with leadership development and skills attainment in relation to communication (Z = -3.42; p = 0.01), networking (Z = -4.61; p < 0.01), policy (Z = -4.11; p < 0.01) and management (Z = -6.7; p < 0.01). In-depth analysis of the reflective diaries corroborated these findings, and four clear narrative threads were identified as being central to their experiences: self-belief, independence, partnering and visioning. CONCLUSION: The fellowship opportunity improved the practitioner's self-perception of their own leadership skills development. The evaluation also highlighted specific areas of leadership which they had not been exposed to previously, and which then having experience in via the secondment, were identified as being of benefit to them in future strategic leadership activities. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Non-medical practitioners working at advanced and consultant levels are not exposed to sufficient leadership development opportunities and therefore greater support for practitioners looking to align to higher levels of practice is necessary. Experiential opportunities working with leaders at system, regional or national levels, or dedicated education and training programmes that focus on key skills are required to successfully operate at this level of practice.