Will place-based leadership be the right remedy for health and social care?

Abstract

This article argues that developing more sustainable and effective local health and social care systems by taking a place based approach requires a new model for leadership development. Leaders will now be required to share power, contradicting a preceding social policy that emphasised competition – policy now places greater emphasis on collaboration and a ‘systems approach’. Leaders in this new environment will need to build mutual respect and trusting relationships in order to address complex issues – rather than thinking they can be managed from one organisation's perspective. This will require conscious development and an understanding of the cultural tensions involved. Place-based leadership development across health and social care systems offers leaders an opportunity to work on themselves, together, and it is this collective journey of discovery that creates the necessary leadership capability development as social capital, enabling place based public value to be achieved.