Chris Ham – författare

'Successful medical leaders are usually, but not always, experienced and credible clinicians with good people skills, who look beyond the boundaries of their own specialty or institution, who are positive and perseverant and who are prepared to take reasonable risks to achieve their goals. Most importantly they know how to engage their colleagues and effect change. They understand the principles of organisational performance and the balance between professional autonomy and corporate behaviour - ' Sir Bruce Keogh, in the Foreword This book is a comprehensive account of the key aspects of medical leadership. Easy to read and highly accessible, it explores how the medical profession has evolved in tandem with administrative and structural aspects of the NHS: previously reluctant leaders, doctors are increasingly positive about adopting management and organisational responsibility. Assuming leadership roles at all stages of their training and career is a progressively vital component of the definition of a 'good doctor'. Completely up-to-date, this book features exciting and critical developments such as the embedding of the Medical Leadership Competency Framework as a statutory element of the training and development of all doctors, and the establishment of a new Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management. It is highly recommended, inspiring reading for all medical professionals taking on formal leadership roles. Junior doctors, too, will find much of interest.

The power of purchasers exposes the weaknesses of conventional thinking on the costs and benefits of priorities. Health policy analysts now have to develop rational criteria to support decisions in a process which may be inherently intuitive. This authoritative and practical text points the way towards clear choices in resource allocation and the implications of these choices on expenditure diverted among different health care programmes.