The role of the clinical director is evolving. With a greater emphasis on partnership working, driven by Sustainability Transformation Partnerships, clinical leaders are expected to engage at a local level with colleagues from primary care, community services and mental health. Finance is still a major focus for all NHS trusts and clinical directors are expected to be making a contribution to savings plans while also maintaining quality of care.
While the role of the clinical director is viewed as critical in maintaining quality and safety in the NHS, there is no standard job description and the expectation of the role varies from trust to trust. There is often little access to leadership or management training or opportunities to influence the board or be involved in any decision-making. Caught between two camps (being a clinician and a manager), the role often has a negative perception and is viewed as doing extra work for very little reward.
In our upcoming thought leadership report, we will be exploring the complexities of the role, the qualities required for success, and the challenges clinical directors face, in addition to the steps that need to be taken to ensure leadership talent is nurtured and developed for the future.
Are you a past or present clinical director? We are looking for people to inform the publication either by participating in an interview or completing our short survey.
To have your say please click here to complete our survey.