National Leadership Academy programmes

The Edward Jenner Programme – For first time leaders working in primary care

The Edward Jenner Programme is your first port of call if you’re looking to build a strong foundation of leadership skills that can help enhance your confidence and competence in your role.

This programme is an open access, online learning package that will support you as you develop essential leadership skills; open to all, this programme leads to an NHS Leadership Academy award in Leadership Foundations.

If you are new to the NHS and you want to feel more able to deal with the daily challenges of working in healthcare, care for patients – however you contribute and whatever role you play – and inspire your team with strong leadership then the Edward Jenner Programme is for you.

It’s flexible and enlightening, helping you get a fresh perspective on the impact you have on the patient experience – either directly or indirectly.

The Mary Seacole Programme – For new leaders working in Primary Care

The Mary Seacole Programme is a six-month leadership development programme which was designed by the NHS Leadership Academy in partnership with global experts, the Korn Ferry Hay Group, to develop knowledge and skills in leadership and management. 

The concept of learning how to be a leader when you’re in the thick of your day to day responsibilities can seem rather abstract, but the Mary Seacole programme is grounded in reality and results in real workplace application.

It aims to provide the balance between learning the theory and putting it into practice. Designed for those in their first formal leadership role it empowers people to turn their success into consistent team success and to champion compassionate patient care.

The Rosalind Franklin Programme – For mid to senior leaders working in primary care

The Rosalind Franklin programme is for mid to senior roles working in primary care aspiring to lead large and complex programmes, teams, services or systems of care and services. 

As part of our continuous commitment to developing outstanding leadership at all levels across the NHS, this programme has been commissioned by the team leading the NHS England General Practice  Ten Point Plan and adapted and developed to meet the needs working in mid-level leadership positions in primary care.

Elizabeth Garret Anderson Programme – For those talented leaders working in primary care

We are looking to identify talented leaders with excellent potential from across Midlands who can take up the challenge to further develop their existing leadership knowledge, skills and behaviours.

If, as a middle leader, you’re aspiring to take one a more senior role while, at the same time, looking to have a wider impact by leading a culture of compassion, then this programme, inspired by the visionary leader Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, is ideal for you. It will equip you with the confidence to challenge the status quo and drive real and lasting change to improve the patient experience. From the last three intakes, almost 50% of participants reported that they had been promoted during the programme, with over 90% attributing this to learning. 

The Elizabeth Garrett Anderson programme is a unique healthcare leadership programme delivered as a joint award from the University of Birmingham and the University of Manchester with additional contributions from the UK Improvement Alliance, Eden & Partners, National Voices, and the Social Care Institute for Excellence. This world-class provider mix of internationally renowned healthcare, business and academic experts brings with it a comprehensive perspective. Our part-residential programme allows cohorts of participants to develop together, to draw upon one another’s experiences and build bonds that they can take into their careers.

Above all, the focus is on helping you to become more resilient and able to meet the demands of working in often high-pressured healthcare environments so that patients see improved outcomes and experiences.

The programme is fully accredited, leading to an NHS Leadership Academy Award in Senior Healthcare Leadership and a master’s in healthcare leadership.

Nye Bevan Programme – For senior leaders working in primary care

Leadership for today. Leadership for tomorrow.  The Nye Bevan programme has been specifically designed to develop senior leaders. It’s been shown to accelerate individuals into executive roles, helping them perform better at board level, and help boards better meet operational challenges today and enable change for tomorrow.

Designed with national and international experts in health and organisational performance, the programme offers support and learning to build personal resilience, confidence and capabilities over 12 months. The Nye Bevan programme has developed over 1,000 senior leaders, with nearly 40% of recent graduates reporting being in a more senior role, which 90% directly attribute to the programme.

The Nye Bevan programme is intended for:

  • Senior leaders looking to move into a board role.
  • Senior leaders who are likely to be ready to apply to such a role in the next two years, or in their first two years in the role.
  • Those who are able and keen to work on a demanding programme of development with peer assessment.

This is a rewarding, yet demanding, programme and will require dedicated time outside the residential activity and application of learning in the workplace. You will undertake activities involving your team, colleagues (including board-level observations), patients, service users and carers. You will also participate in a range of self-directed, experiential learning activities, which will focus on self-awareness and personal development.

The programme is based on the principles of self-managed learning. You will take responsibility and accountability for the areas you choose to focus on. You will assess and be assessed by your peers within learning sets with the full support of the set advisers.

Aspiring Chief Executive programme

For directors aspiring to lead at chief executive level in an NHS accountable role focused on both service provision and system development within the next 12-24 months

Chief Executive Development Network

Aimed at leaders at chief executive level in an NHS accountable role, focused on both service provision and system development.

Designed to support chief executives with their personal development and ensure they are the best they can be in these challenging roles, both for themselves and their organisations/systems.

Stepping Up programme

Leadership development programme for black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) colleagues working in bands 5 to 7 or equivalent

Between two to three months long and runs across four or five residential dates depending on banding

Ready Now programme

For senior black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) leaders working in the NHS or providing NHS funded services (in England) at band 8a, or clinical equivalent or above.

Ethical Mentoring programme

Aimed at prospective and accredited mentors who could give colleagues timely, relevant and impactful mentoring support during difficult times.

As a mentor, you’ll provide, relevant and impactful mentoring to empower them to a range of different problems.

Return to Work Mentoring programme

Transitioning back into a complex and changeable system can be a difficult and lonely journey, which is why we’re offering NHS leaders at all levels an inclusive mentoring support package

Coaching for Inclusion programme

Coaching is one of the most powerful leadership development interventions an organisation can deploy. We want to harness this power to make a meaningful difference to diversity and inclusion within the NHS by recruiting 300 committed and ambitious coaches to develop as a Coach who has specialised in inclusion.

Through this programme, as an inclusion coach, you will be trained to deploy powerful coaching interventions with participants on our positive action programmes.

Health and Care Leaders Scheme (HCLS)

The Scheme has a range of different aims to help develop leadership.

There are currently two programmes within HCLS: 2025 Leaders and Aspiring Director programme.