Embedding the best practice principles of clinical leadership development within a multidimensional model of clinical leadership provides a promising approach to: equipping the healthcare leader with those transferable leadership skills required to help them embark on a journey of lifelong leadership learning; and producing the healthcare leader who is caring, compassionate and can confidently and effectively transform community services.

Whilst supporting new roles, the framework presented offers a wider dimension for enhancing organizational thinking and working practices. It is open to debate, which would be welcomed by the authors, yet provides a challenge to health care organizations in assessing how integrated their systems are in meeting its business, aspirations and new targets.

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This paper describes the conception and progress to date of the development of work-based learning as part of post-qualifying education in the School of Nursing at the University of Salford. There is a changing culture in the university in relation to the delivery of programmes via non-traditional routes. In this context, work-based learning is a radical change from current teaching and learning strategies in the School of Nursing and in the university as a whole. This creative approach contrasts significantly with the more traditional methods of teaching and learning in higher education. The paper reports on the development, introduction and evaluation of a work-based learning module as a pilot project. It then outlines the development of a work-based learning degree using the lessons learnt from the pilot.

Leadership is often the driver used to transform healthcare services. Healthcare leadership development is often situated around conceptual frameworks or leadership development models. The aim of the study reported here was to evaluate multistakeholder perspectives on leadership development when applying a Multidimensional Leadership Development Conceptual Model to post-graduate healthcare leadership programmes at a university in England. This exploratory qualitative study of healthcare leadership development comprised face-to-face interviews. Six interviews were undertaken with academics from a post-graduate leadership programme team, a family carer and service-user of health care services, and current United Kingdom students and former United Kingdom and international students who had undertaken the leadership development programme. Transcripts were thematically analysed. Three themes emerged: Expectations of the contemporary healthcare leader; Experiences of the Multidimensional Leadership Development Conceptual Model on leadership development; and Improvements to the model. We conclude that framing post-graduate leadership programmes around a conceptual model can aid identification of the key components required for effective leadership development. Evidence-informed recommendations are provided which seek to optimise healthcare leadership development using a leadership development conceptual model which (1) represents the values and beliefs of all stakeholders involved; (2) is reviewed annually to critically explore the internal and external evidence base for leadership development; gain stakeholder consensus of expectations of the healthcare leader; and provide the reality check to ensure a 'fit for purpose' programme; and (3) is constructively aligned to leadership programme curricula with sufficient flexibility to tailor an effective teaching and learning platform for preparing the individual leader, noting unique circumstances and contexts.