Ward Manager Leadership Development Programme
We are delighted to announce that we have been commissioned to deliver a Ward Manager Leadership Development Programme as part of NHS England’s Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism (MHLDA) Inpatient Quality Transformation Programme. The aim of the overall programme is to re-imagine a bold new vision for inpatient services where people are treated with compassion, experience care that is safe and therapeutic, and the staff and people they support can flourish. These improvements are outlined in the co-produced Culture of Care Standards.
Ward Managers are crucial to the development of cultures of care that impact positively on outcomes and experiences for patients, families, carers and staff. The aim of the FoNS-led programme is to enable inpatient MHLDA Ward Managers to develop their leadership practices to ensure that they can work collaboratively with others towards realising the Culture of Care Standards.
We would like to invite Trusts to nominate three ward managers. Trusts are free to decide if the managers are from wards participating in the NCCMH Quality Improvement strand of the Transformation Programme or from other wards within the Trust.
An Executive Sponsor (Chief Nursing Officer or equivalent) is required for all applications.
Between November 2024 and June 2026, FoNS will be working with 180 Ward Managers from 60 organisations across England.
- Ward Managers will learn in groups of 14
- A total of 14 groups will be available with starting dates spread out between November 2024 and February 2026
- The programme involves seven full day workshops spread over a six to seven month period
- A blended approach to learning will be used consisting of three face-to-face and four online workshops
- Face-to-face workshops will be held in venues across England to facilitate access across all seven NHS regions
- The cost of accommodation and meals is covered for the face-to-face workshops. Travel to and from the venues should be funded by participants’ organisations or by using the bursary
- Online workshops will be facilitated using Microsoft Teams
- A variety of learning approaches will be used including creativity, reflection and discussion to draw on Ward Managers’ experiences of work to enhance their knowledge, skills and confidence as leaders of culture change. Learning will be further supported using relevant theoretical models and frameworks
Please read the programme information document before completing the application form. Both can be accessed via Programme Information and Application tab below.
Ward Manager Leadership Development Programme application form
Next dates:
| (All 0930-1630) | Group 7 dates – Primarily Thursdays | Group 8 dates – Primarily Tuesdays |
| 1 and 2 | Weds 21 and Thurs 22 May 2025 in York (arriving Tues 20 May) | Tues 10 and Weds 11 June in Milton Keynes (arriving Mon 9 June) |
| 3 | Thursday 19 June 2025 (online) | Tues 8 July 2025 (online) |
| 4 | Thursday 17 July 2025 (online) | Tues 2 Sept 2025 (online) |
| 5 | Thursday 4 Sept 2025 (online) | Tues 30 Sept 2025 (online) |
| 6 | Thursday 25 Sept 2025 (online) | Tues 4 Nov 2025 (online) |
| 7 | Thursday 16 October 2025 in York | Tues 9 Dec 2025 in Milton Keynes |
| Locations/ Venues | Novotel York Centre, Fishergate, York | Novotel Milton Keynes |
DanceSyndrome will be delivering their bespoke ‘Inclusion in Action’ workshop.
DanceSyndrome transforms lives, creating change and giving joy, hope and opportunities to people with learning disabilities, and their families. Through the vehicle of inclusive dance, the organisation challenges perceptions around disability in a unique, ground-breaking way which doesn’t exist anywhere else. The charity’s ethos is that disability should never be a barrier to following your dreams. DanceSyndrome has created an approach of working, through the medium of dance, that empowers those with and without learning disabilities to believe they can achieve their ambitions in life, and that having a disability should never be a barrier to following your dreams.
Visit the DanceSyndrome website for more information about this amazing organisation.
Neurodiverse Connection (NDC) is a neurodivergent led Community Interest Company (CIC) whose mission is to improve support and outcomes for the neurodivergent community. As a CIC, NDC reinvests in projects to support positive social change. They facilitate opportunities for creation, connection, fulfilment and purpose to help people to live happy, healthy and meaningful lives. NDC focus on supporting co-production and bringing lived experience leadership to health and social care.
NDC are a delivery partner on Culture of Care, a National Quality Improvement programme for Mental Health inpatient services, specialising in autism informed care. Previously NDC contributed to NHSE inpatient standards, as part of the core authoring team and led on the development of NHSE’s Sensory Friendly Ward Principles and the autism informed care guidelines.
To find out more about NDC visit the Neurodiverse Connection website.