Wales Clinical Leadership Fellowship Programme evaluation

The 12-month Programme ran for the second time in 2014-15. It is designed for core, higher specialist trainees who have an interest in clinical leadership and health service management.

Success of the programme was facilitated by: a flexible approach to the projects; regular contact with supervisors; peer support from other Fellows on the programme; workplace introductions and being valued as a member of the team; and Academi Wales training.  Trainees also benefitted from a visit to MIT, Boston. Of particular value were the action learning sets, which also provided a network of people to whom Fellows could turn to in the future.  Challenges to the programme included fiscal and practitioner disengagement for projects which constrained project progress; a need to maintain clinical skills which limited involvement in Fellowship activities.

Fellows benefitted from the Fellowship programme and developed skills which set them up to be future leaders in the NHS.  Host organisations reported gaining from the input of the Fellows. Attendance at high profile events helped to enhance the appeal of the Fellowship scheme and develop its world-class status.

The third year of the programme is also being evaluated.