Management Capacity and Capability in Healthcare
What Difference Can it Make
How can we define the value of NHS management in a time when innovation is no longer a luxury, but a necessity for survival? While often viewed as a bureaucratic burden, managers are the essential “lifeblood” that keeps the system functioning. This blog captures a recent Health Foundation webinar, exploring how managers in the NHS transforms daily firefighting into sustainable improvement for patient care.
The event on 29 April 2025 gathered academics, policymakers, and healthcare leaders to discuss NHS management. Key insights included the undervaluation of managers, the need for professional regulation, and the importance of supporting management capacity. Recommendations emphasized reframing management perceptions, defining standards, and investing in development pathways to enhance effectiveness in challenging environments.
On 22nd January, 2025, the first in a series of events linked to the Health Foundation funded project ‘Management capacity and capability in NHS trusts and system-level partnerships’, led by the School for Business and Society at the University of York, was held. This inaugural event, titled “The State of NHS Management Today,” was hosted … Continue reading The State of NHS Management Today
As the UK government sets its sights on building an NHS fit for the future, one critical but often overlooked question remains: Does the NHS have the management capacity it needs? A common narrative suggests that the health service is burdened by excessive bureaucracy and too many managers. However research challenges this perception, revealing that … Continue reading Increasingly Under-Managed NHS: University of York Submission to ‘Independent Investigation of the NHS in England’ (Darzi Review)