How to develop and assess the leadership skills of psychiatrists

Abstract

SummaryThe General Medical Council suggests that leadership skills are a core requirement for all doctors. The NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement goes further, stating that doctors have not only an intrinsic leadership role but also a responsibility to contribute to the effective running of healthcare organisations. The Medical Leadership Competency Framework (MLCF) outlines a structure with domains, elements and competency outcomes, all of which are clearly spelled out with examples and methods of learning for different stages of a medical career. The revised curriculum for postgraduate training in psychiatry contains many aspects of the MLCF, both complementing and supplementing its emphasis on the development of personal qualities and skills. This article highlights this approach and describes how the development of leadership and management skills fits with the current structures for training in psychiatry.