Level / 7
Credit Value / 20 credits
Student Study hours / 200 hours comprising:
36 Contact hours -Timetabled hours during which the students learning activity is undertaken under the direct supervision of a module tutor.
164 hours student managed learning hours including 14 hours of blended learning activities - weekly access and use of electronic resources through Moodle that support the module.
Pre-requisite learning / Relevant first degree or equivalent
Co-requisites / None
Module Coordinator / Dr Elaine Maxwell
Description / This Module introduces students to theoretical frameworks which underpin the practice of leadership in Healthcare.
The Module will introduce health professionals to major leadership theories within the policy context of healthcare in the UK. Students are required to reflect on the importance of considering the context, policy and regulatory environment and the nature of the task when selecting leadership approaches.
Students will bring their experience of working, and leading, within healthcare roles to the module and learn to place their experience in the context of leadership theory.
The learning throughout this module, and the assessment of this module contributes towards the following domains of the Healthcare Leadership Model:
Inspiring shared purpose, leading with care, connecting our service, sharing the vision
Aims /
- To enable students to critically evaluate major theories relevant to leadership in health careand healthcare leadership models and to apply leadership theory to day to day healthcare practice
- To enable students to understand the role of strategic leadership in managing performance to improve quality and cost effectiveness
- To equip students with the knowledge, skills and abilities to develop leadership behaviours in current roles and prepare for future leadership roles
Learning outcomes / Knowledge and Understanding
- Critically review and analyse a range of theoretical frameworks for leadership
- Critically appraise theories of leadership in the context of health care.
- Critically appraise healthcare leadership models
- Review and evaluate the role of leadership in improving quality and cost effectiveness
- Critically review context of own organisational setting
- Develop and enhance critical and analytical thinking
- Critically analyse, synthesise and apply complex ideas
- Analyse, interpret and evaluate relevant research and policy literature.
- Develop skills in problem identification, goal setting, and horizon scanning
- Enhance self awareness
- Align strategic to local and national policy and regulatory frameworks
- Develop a ‘toolkit’ of leadership behaviours that may be used reflexively to achieve strategic leadership objectives
- Critical and analytical thinking through research, class discussion and assignment preparation
- Reflective understanding of own leadership role within the context of current position and organisation
- Application of a broad range of leadership behaviours
Indicative content /
- Introducing theories and models relevant to leadership in healthcare
- Leadership and managing change
- Leadership in teams
- Proactively using policy
- Organisational culture
- Application of leadership theory to complex adaptive problems
- Understanding and using self and Critical reflection on practice
Assessment method
(Please give details – elements, weightings, sequence of elements, final component) / Formative assignment : Weighting: zero %
Students are required to write a 500 word introduction to their service issue and identify one or more leadership theories which may have impact or relevance to this issue. Feedback will be given to enable students to develop their learning for this module.
Written assignment Weighting: 100%
4000 word assignment reviewing the application of leadership theory to a challenging issue in healthcare.
Students are required to identify a problematic issue of service in health care.In addition to generic criteria, this coursework will be assessed according to the following:
-Identification (from local evidence) of an area for service improvement in own organisational setting and describe the current challenges
-Demonstrate of an understanding of a range of leadership theories and justify the choice
-Discuss how the chosen leadership theory illuminates and assists with understanding of the challenge and how it might help frame the service improvement strategy
Pass Mark: 50%
Indicative Reading / Core Reading
- Alimo-Metcalf, B. and Alban-Metcalf, J. (2012) Engaging Leadership: Creating Organisations that Maximise the potential of their people London, CIPD.
- Ballat, J. and Campling, P. (2011) Intelligent Kindness, Transforming the Culture of Health Care London: Royal College of Psychiatrists.
- Gill, R. (2011) Theory and practice of Leadership (2nd edition) London: Sage
- Goffee, R. and G. Jones (2006) Why Should Anyone Be Led by You: What It Takes To Be An Authentic Leader Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
- Schein, E. H. (2010) Organizational culture and leadership San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons
- Bass, B. M. (1990) From transactional to transformational leadership: learning to share the vision Organizational Dynamics. 19(3): 19-31.
- Burns, J. M. (1978) Leadership New York: Harper & Row.
- Conger, J. A. and Kanungo, R.N. (1998) Charismatic Leadership in Organizations Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage.
- Gladwell, M. (2000) The Tipping Point London: Abacus
- McKee, L., Charles, K., Dixon-Woods, M., Willard, J., & Martin, G. (2013) ‘New’ and distributed leadership in quality and safety in health care, or ‘old’ and hierarchical? An interview study with strategic stakeholders Journal of health services research & policy 18(2 suppl), 11-19
- Latta, G. F. (2009). A Process Model of Organizational Change in Cultural Context (OC3 Model) The Impact of Organizational Culture on Leading Change Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies 16(1), 19-37
- Senge P (2006) The Fifth Discipline: the art and practice of the learning organisation Doubleday
- Uhl-Bien, M., Riggio, R. E., Lowe, K. B., & Carsten, M. K. (2014) Followership theory: A review and research agenda The Leadership Quarterly 25(1), 83-104
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