Topics of interest

Action Learning Sets

Details about action learning sets and their use are at: http://www.primis.nhs.uk/attachments/538_Learning-Networks-Action-Learning-Sets.pdf, http://www.kssleadership.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/Action%20Learning%20-%20definition.pdf, http://www.actionlearningassociates.co.uk/action-learning/, http://www.actionlearningassociates.co.uk/learn/ (for videos, publications and case studies) and http://www.actionlearningassociates.co.uk/action-learning/reg-revans/

An Alternative Guide to the NHS

An updated version of a brilliant animation from the King's Fund showing the impact of the Health & Social Care Act: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/audio-video/how-does-nhs-in-england-work.

Best Management Practice

Best Management Practice, comprising the Office of Government Commerce, TSO and APMG, has together launched a number of official websites for its best practice guidance, ITIL, PRINCE2, MSP, MoR and P3O. See https://www.axelos.com/case-study-and-white-paper-search and https://www.axelos.com/store and follow the links. (On 1 July 2013 'AXELOS' was announced as the new Joint Venture company that the Cabinet Office has formed to deliver and commercialise the UK Government's portfolio of Best Management Practice accreditation and publishing services, including the ITIL and PPM product sets).

Building your Business Case

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) recognises that many staff working on the ground receive limited training or support to enable them to write a comprehensive and detailed business case, and so has produced this guide: https://www.bhf.org.uk/for-professionals/healthcare-professionals/commissioning-and-services/business-case-toolkit/getting-started and there’s also a summary version in PDF format: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/publications/healthcare-and-innovations/business-case-toolkit---template

Chairing meetings

The meetings management section of the Productive Leader material from the former NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement is very useful, and here is a downloadable version of this: https://www.hefteducation.co.uk/sites/default/files/Meetings%20Management.pdf. This website also explains how to chair meetings effectively: http://www.diycommitteeguide.org/article/chairing-meetings.

See also this: https://www.hefteducation.co.uk/sites/default/files/Meetings%20Management.pdf

Change Management Toolkit

These toolkits and guidance notes are designed to help manage the process of change which we are all experiencing in the NHS. Some of the toolkit focuses on organisational change and some is personally focused. Some of the toolkit is written for general information; some of it requires some thought about values and priorities:

See also this guidance on leading large-scale change:

Change the way you work and career advice – Changeboard

http://www.changeboard.com/: This is aimed primarily at HR professionals, but there is some useful material here for everyone. See especially the sections on:

Coaching

Two particularly good websites on coaching are The Coaching and Mentoring Network at http://www.coachingnetwork.org.uk/Default.htm and Mike Munro Turner’s website at http://www.mentoringforchange.co.uk/. And this website is aimed especially at doctors: http://www.thedoctorscoach.co.uk/.

Coaching - The Performance Coach

The Performance Coach has now been rebranded as TPC Leadership. It has a good selection of blogs at https://tpcleadership.com/uk/resources/blog/ . Its YouTube channel has many very good videos, and it’s at https://www.youtube.com/user/performancecoachtv.

Competence Application Tools

A range of tools and resources which are useful for personal skills development which can help you:

  • Define your current level of competence
  • Identify the competences you need to do your current job
  • Show you the competences you need to develop your career

You can see how your competences fit in with a wider team skills mix: https://tools.skillsforhealth.org.uk/ (you may need to register first to access these tools).

Common Purpose

is a not-for-profit organisation that brings together people from a wide range of backgrounds to help them become more effective leaders in society. They run a range of leadership development courses that offer participants the inspiration, knowledge and connections to help them become more active and engaged in society: http://www.commonpurpose.org.uk/.

Communication skills

There are some great free materials on all aspects of communication from the BBC College of Journalism at http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism, and see especially the skills section at http://www.bbc.co.uk/academy/journalism/skills and there are blogs at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/collegeofjournalism. Well worth a look, as we can learn a lot about this from good journalism.

Foghound

This is about 'empowering leaders inside' by Lois Kelly - articles, presentations and audio at http://foghound.com/ with her blogs at http://foghound.com/blog/

Getting Things Done

For those of you who are interested in the theme of the how to be a productive manager see the David Allen’s “Getting Things Done website - https://gettingthingsdone.com/ . The GTDTimes is at https://gettingthingsdone.com/gtd-times/ and podcasts on https://gettingthingsdone.com/podcasts/ . There’s a good summary of Getting Things Done on this slideshow, with excellent diagrams on slide 20 - https://www.slideshare.net/vandda/getting-things-done-2360605 (and also http://kk.org/cooltools/getting-things/ )

How to be happy, by Liggie Legg

For a free sample of this, go to http://issuu.com/wiley_publishing/docs/how_to_be_happy_esampler2?e=1085234/3437296. And if you do not know about the Action for Happiness movement, please find time to take a look at this excellent website - http://www.actionforhappiness.org/, especially http://www.actionforhappiness.org/10-keys-to-happier-living and http://www.actionforhappiness.org/resources

The Influence Blog

The Gautrey Group is an organisation that focuses on helping people to become more influential. So if you are interested in influencing skills, take a look at the website at http://www.gautreygroup.com/index.php. The Influence blog is at https://www.learntoinfluence.com/blogroll/.

Improvement model - PDSA cycle

See https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/pdsa-cycles/ where there is a downloadable PDF on this improvement model. There's also a slide presentation on PDSA (and lots of other relevant material) on the 'Learn to Make a Difference' section of the Royal college of Physicians website at https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/guidelines-policy/ltmd-quality-improvement

Innovation - Rogers' diffusion of innovation/adoption curve

There’s a useful summary of this at http://www.enablingchange.com.au/Summary_Diffusion_Theory.pdf (see diagram at top of page 4) and see also

http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_rogers_innovation_adoption_curve.html.

King’s Fund Report: Leadership needs of medical directors and clinical directors

The King's Fund conducted a survey of clinical and medical directors to find out what skills they believed they need to face future challenges. This report summarises the findings: https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/files/kf/Leadership-needs-clinical-directors-medical-directors-Richard-Giordano-Kings-Fund-August2010.pdf.

King’s Fund Report: Quality Improvement in General Practice http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/current_projects/gp_inquiry/dimensions_of_care/quality_improvement.html.

Manager's toolkit

Here is a very helpful toolkit published by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust designed for both newly-appointed and established line managers, and much of the second half of this is applicable throughout the NHS. It can be downloaded from http://www.leicspart.nhs.uk/Library/ManagersToolkitPublishedV1Jan15.pdf - the relevant parts are from page 19 onwards.

Mindful leadership

Maria Gonzalas has written about this - http://eu.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118127110.html (and you can download a chapter as a PDF free at http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/10/11181271/1118127110-397.pdf.

Motivation Index

This is very simple to do and is free (you just need to register via email). It covers commitment, energy, competence and confidence, all qualities of leadership, and then offers some prompts for reflection and action. It takes about 10 minutes and here is the link: http://www.100wattcoaching.com.

NHS numbers in graphs

For those of you who love graphs, see this link: http://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/nhs-numbers-0

NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming)

NLP has been variously described as the technology of the mind, the science of achievement, and the study of success. It is based upon the search for and the study of the factors which account for either success or failure in human performance. These are useful websites: http://www.nlp-now.co.uk/nlp-what.htm and http://www.nlp-now.co.uk/tips-n-tech.htm. Also there are lots of NLP videos at http://www.nlpacademy.co.uk/videos/.

ODI communication tool

A website on successful communication: http://www.odi.org.uk/rapid/Tools/Toolkits/Communication/tools.html.

5 operating principles of the 21st century manager

Blog at http://blog.alliedtalent.com/2015/04/30/5-operating-principles-of-the-21st-century-manager/.

Person-centred care

See https://www.nationalvoices.org.uk/publications/our-publications/person-centred-care-2017 ‘Policy makers have been aspiring to a ‘patient-centred NHS’ in England for at least 20 years. Person-centred care has become an increasingly prominent stated ambition both of national policy and local practice. What difference, if any, have these stated ambitions made to the experiences of people who need and use services and support? This report attempts to create a snapshot of the extent of person-centred care in the English health and care system, based on how people report their experience of treatment, care and support.’

The practice of system leadership: Being comfortable with chaos

This King's Fund report by Nick Timmins (2015) draws on the experiences of 10 senior leaders to look in depth at the skills needed to be a system leader - http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/sites/files/kf/field/field_publication_file/System-leadership-Kings-Fund-May-2015.pdf.

Presentations

‘10 slideshows to help you create killer presentations’ – you can see these at http://econsultancy.com/uk/blog/8514-10-slideshows-to-help-you-create-killer-presentations-in-2012. Some good tips here.

Project management

Free templates for project management: www.businessballs.com/freematerialsinword/projectmanagementtemplates.doc. Also, The PRINCE2 templates are available to download, and can be customised for your own personal use. They are based on Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2: Go to https://www.axelos.com/store and click on 'PRINCE2' and to look at a pocket guide, see http://www.vanharen.net/Samplefiles/9789087535445_prince2-edition-2009-a-pocket-guide.pdf.

Primary Care Commissioning

Primary Care Commissioning is a key part of the changes in the NHS. For useful websites and resources on commissioning see these links:

Quality Improvement: theory and practice in healthcare

A comprehensive and invaluable publication from the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement – see https://www.england.nhs.uk/improvement-hub/publication/quality-improvement-theory-practice-in-healthcare/.

Return on Investment (ROI) calculator

This tool calculates the return on investment (ROI) of a quality improvement initiative using the financial benefits and costs data you insert from your project. The ROI calculator can be used at the start of a project to provide an estimate of the costs for upfront justification and again towards the end of a project as a measure for the success of the improvement project. https://www.england.nhs.uk/improvement-hub/wp-content/uploads/sites/44/2017/11/2010-Measurement-for-Improvement-and-ROI.pdf

Root Cause Analysis Using Five Whys

By repeatedly asking the question ‘why?' (use five as a rule of thumb), you can peel away the layers of an issue, just like the layers of an onion, which can lead you to the root cause of a problem. The reason for a problem can often lead into another question; you may need to ask the question fewer or more than five times before you get to the origin of a problem. https://improvement.nhs.uk/resources/root-cause-analysis-using-five-whys/

Social media - Effective ways of using social media in healthcare

This is a Northern Ireland webpage, but is applicable generally: http://stevenkinnear.com/the-ni-healthcare-social-media-guide/.

Social media highway code

is a practical and encouraging guide for doctors and other healthcare professionals who use social media and want to ensure they get the most out of their online communications, while ensuring they meet their professional obligations and protect their patients - http://www.rcgp.org.uk/social-media.

Social media - How to use social media to become a thought leader

https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/300170

Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool

The Health & Safety Executive’s line manager stress management competency indicator tool is at http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/mcit.htm and the tool itself is at http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/mcit.pdf. This measures how effective line managers are at preventing and reducing stress in their staff.

SurveyMonkey

This has a single purpose: to enable anyone to create professional online surveys quickly and easily - http://www.surveymonkey.com/

Talent Management in the NHS Managerial Workforce

This is the title of an interesting report published by the National Institute for Health Research. The full report can be downloaded from http://www.netscc.ac.uk/hsdr/files/project/SDO_FR_08-1808-247_V01.pdf.

Thinking Differently

The Thinking Differently book will provide you with a range of practical approaches and tools that many NHS leaders and front-line teams have already used to fundamentally rethink pathways of care and service delivery. This guide will not only help you to learn how to improve the services you provide, but how to transform them. http://www.innovationagencynwc.nhs.uk/media/documents/PIP/thinking_differently%20Book%20(2).pdf

Tools for learning

https://www.toptools4learning.com/ - The Top 200 Tools for Learning 2017 list was compiled by Jane Hart at the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies from the votes of 2,174 learning professionals from 52 countries worldwide in the 11th Annual Survey. It was released in October 2017.

The links in this section have been tested and should still work, but this is a fast-changing world. If you find that any of the links do not work, or if you discover any new ones, or have any suggestions for additional resources, please email john.hunt@gmx.co.uk.