The CSP is investigating how members can best develop and use their influence. Sue Hayward-Giles welcomes your comments.
We build the foundations of our leadership abilities as students. We strive to achieve the skills, knowledge and experience necessary to bring about positive outcomes for patients. We start by making a plan of action, and then we motivate patients to follow a rehabilitation programme.
As our careers progress, we are exposed to examples of good and bad leadership. We develop our own understanding that the quality of patient care, the quality of research, and the outcomes of education can be improved through effective leadership.
We work in a complex system, which is under significant scrutiny and pressure to improve. Physios need support to develop their resilience, to keep focused on the results of their interventions and to develop mature leadership skills to improve the value of those interventions.
The society has set an objective in its work plan for 2015: to ‘improve the capability and capacity for members to lead and influence locally’.
The aspiration is that, by developing our ability in these areas, we will give patients better care and improve outcomes. The profession’s value will then be more easily understood and physios’ skills will be used more widely. In effect, physiotherapy will be recognised as having a real impact on public health.
The first task in the CSP’s programme is to unpack what it means to improve capability and capacity around leadership and influencing skills. The society believes that there is significant potential within the membership to be unlocked. It believes that the power of physiotherapy services, organisations and networks – as well as individuals – to improve health has not yet been realised.
The first step of this UK-wide programme is to identify what members need to develop their leadership and influencing skills. The programme will consider the needs of all types of members and associates, whether in research, education, practice or policy spheres.
Why not help shape the debate?
Sue is interviewing a range of members, associates and external stakeholders to explore their views and experiences in relation to leadership.
The results of this needs assessment will allow the society to define the programme more clearly. If you would like to make a contribution to the needs assessment, please contact her directly at haywardgiless@csp.org.uk
Author
Sue Hayward-Giles is the CSP’s assistant director of practice developmentNumber of subscribers: 0
Log in to comment and read comments that have been added