New director ‘competency’ requirements unveiled by NHSE

The new leadership competency framework, published today, sets out six domains which board members are required to assess themselves against as part of an annual “fitness” appraisal.

Each domain (see below) contains competencies directors must exhibit, such as:

• Speak up against any form of racism, discrimination, bullying, aggression, sexual misconduct or violence, even when [they] might be the only voice;
• Challenge constructively, speaking up when [they] see actions and behaviours which are inappropriate and lead to staff or people using services feeling unsafe, or staff or people being excluded in any way or treated unfairly; and
• Ensure there is a safe culture of speaking up for [their] workforce.

Each competency statement gives board members a multiple choice to assess themselves against, ranging from “almost always” to “no chance to demonstrate”. Organisations have been told to incorporate the six competency domains into role descriptions from 1 April, and use them as part of board member appraisals.

Board members – in trusts, integrated care boards and NHS England – will be expected to discuss their assessments with their chair or chief executive as part of the 2023-24 annual appraisal.

It comes after NHSE announced an overhaul of the fit and proper person test last August, responding to a review of the regulations carried out nearly five years earlier by Tom Kark KC.

Departing board members will have their details held on file until age 75, while the national electronic staff record will be updated with results of previous assessments of whether they are a “fit and proper person” to be an NHS director, as part of changes announced by NHSE.

A revised chair appraisal framework has also been published. It includes all the competencies outlined in the new framework but also requires approval from NHSE’s chief operating officer, a role currently held in the interim by Emily Lawson.

A new board appraisal framework will be published this autumn, NHSE said, describing ”how to assess performance against the six competency domains”.

Navina Evans, NHSE’s chief workforce officer, wrote to local leaders today, saying: “The three frameworks [leadership competency, chair, and board appraisal] are part of a wider programme of management and leadership development being led by NHSE with education partners, staff and stakeholders, to implement recommendations in the [Messenger review], as well as the recommendations from other reviews and reports on NHS leadership and management.

“We will publish a three-year roadmap setting out more details of this work shortly.”

The changes also come amid greater scrutiny of regulation of NHS leaders following Lucy Letby’s conviction last year; and follow on from the Messenger review of NHS leadership published in 2022.