HLG Nursing Bulletin Vol 36 (3/4)
Sam Burgess
Library Service Manager
Hampshire Healthcare Library Service
sam.burgess@southernhealth.nhs.uk
Heather Steele
Library and Knowledge Lead
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Trust
h.steele@nhs.net
In 2016, 23 library and information professionals in the health sector became the first cohort to take part in the HEE/CILIP Leadership Development Programme. This has been designed and implemented to strengthen and develop the effectiveness of LKS staff in England in leadership roles and responsibilities, as these will be the drivers and leaders of the changes envisioned in Knowledge for Healthcare. In June 2017, recruitment for the second cohort to undertake the programme commenced. Two of the successful applicants, Sam Burgess and Heather Steele, are allowing us to accompany them on their journey through the programme – in the first of a series of articles for HLG Nursing Bulletin, they briefly explain their reasons for applying to undertake the programme, as well as what they hope to achieve by doing it.
Heather Steele
I was very pleased to be offered a place on the HEE/CILIP Leadership Programme as an opportunity to develop my leadership skills, network and learn anything new. I always look for opportunities to learn more and develop as a person and a leader, so this programme really appealed.
I’ve been in a leadership role for just over a year, and I will admit it has been challenging. One thing I struggled with was my confidence in my own abilities and being satisfied with the decisions I made. After years of having my decisions given approval by a library manager, to make those decisions myself has been difficult.
I hope that the programme will increase my confidence in my role and allow me to learn from others’ experiences. I can’t wait to start.
Sam Burgess
Having heard so much about this course from the first cohort of LKS staff attending the leadership programme, I was pleased to see that they were running it again when I spotted the call for applications via the Knowledge for Health blog.
Although the information provided on the KfH blog is sparse with regards specific programme detail, I am particularly interested in developing my leadership skills and exploring other approaches to strategic thinking, change management, and evaluation.
I think that I am right in saying that many people feel as though they are expected to lead or manage without truly exploring what it means to do so or being given the opportunity to do. So, I am certainly very keen to take advantage of this opportunity and to explore issues with colleagues.
Although I expect to discuss common themes and topics, I also hope to be able to cover particular issues with regards leading a team across a wide area. I am the library service manager for Hampshire Healthcare Library Service; we cover much of Hampshire with 19 staff with eight library locations and this does raise certain issues!
In writing a semi-regular column for HLG Nursing we hope to take you with us on our journey of discovery into our leadership skills and teasing out ways of working with colleagues, both around the country and within our teams.
Health Libraries Group 