Exploring diversity and inclusion in senior leadership across the health sector
At a time of significant change across the NHS, the people making decisions around board and executive tables have never mattered more.
Progress Under Pressure: Health explores diversity and inclusion in senior leadership across the NHS and associated health sectors, drawing on candid conversations with more than a dozen current and former executive and non-executive leaders with strong connections to the North East.
The report looks beyond representation alone to explore the realities of creating genuinely diverse and inclusive leadership: how we recruit senior talent, the barriers facing first-time and non traditional board candidates, socio economic and lived experience diversity, board culture, community representation and the role of mentoring and board readiness programmes.
It also considers why diverse leadership will be increasingly important as the NHS responds to major transformation; from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.
Our research finds genuine progress and a strong desire for change. But it also raises a challenging question: are some of the processes designed to ensure fairness actually contributing to the same people, profiles and experiences continuing to reach the top?
The report concludes with practical recommendations for Chairs, boards and health-sector leaders to help turn good intent into meaningful change.
Download Progress Under Pressure: Health to explore the findings, hear directly from health-sector leaders and read our recommendations for building more diverse and inclusive leadership.