Rose review: Health Education England to take over Leadership Academy

Jeremy Hunt said he would accept the recommendation made in Lord Rose’s long awaited review of NHS leadership, published today, that the academy should shift to HEE.

In a speech setting out his 25 year vision for the service, Mr Hunt said: “In line with [the review’s] recommendations, the national responsibility for nurturing and developing talented leadership in the NHS - including the NHS Leadership Academy - will be brought together and become the responsibility of HEE.”

HEE welcomed the decision, which it said would “be good for leadership development in the NHS and good for patients”.

“HEE already includes NHS Careers and, together with our wider workforce development responsibilities and work on promoting continuing professional development in the service, adding the NHS Leadership Academy makes great sense,” a spokeswoman said.

“This helps to provide us with the chance to encourage the best talent at the earliest possible opportunity to look at the benefits of the many roles available within the NHS and develop our future clinicians and leaders in an integrated way that will provide the best outcomes for patients.”

She said HEE would look to manage the change “smoothly to ensure the least possible disruption for staff and services”.

HEE is primarily responsible for the future NHS workforce, so gaining a greater role in the training of current employees could entail a significant change in the direction of the organisation.

Mr Hunt commissioned Lord Rose to review NHS management in February last year, with a remit to look into how the health service could attract and retain top leaders and improve its organisational culture.

His 19 recommendations, all of which have been accepted “in principle” by the health secretary, include two relating to HEE.

As well sponsoring the Leadership Academy, it also recommends that HEE should coordinate the content, progress and quality of all NHS training”, including “coordinating the teaching of management basics such as appraisal, negotiation and leadership”.