Mary Seacole Local Programme Empowering Leadership
The Impact
The Mary Seacole Local Programme has had a profound impact on Vicky’s leadership style and effectiveness. Colleagues have noted her increased confidence and positive energy.
Why the Mary Seacole Local Programme?
Aimed at both clinical and non-clinical leaders who are new to leadership development, the Mary Seacole Local Programme adopts a blended learning approach, grounded in the day-to-day reality of leadership in the NHS.
Seeking to address these gaps, she chose the Mary Seacole Local Programme, attracted by its reputation and alignment with her leadership goals.
Vicky Blackburn, a Service Delivery Manager at North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), embodies the essence of aspirational leadership development within the NHS. With over three decades of experience in the service, her commitment to professional growth led her to the Mary Seacole Local Programme. In recent years, Vicky has faced challenges in securing promotions despite her extensive experience. She observed other colleagues excelling in interviews, which prompted her to consider improving her communication and confidence. “I could walk the walk with my experience, but I couldn’t talk the talk in interviews. I knew what I wanted to talk about, but I expected the other person to understand what was in my head, without being able to get that message across.”
self-learning and supporting each other as a diverse learning network. With various roles and experience in different local organisations, he comments
Participants are empowered and encouraged to explore their behaviours as a leader across a six-month programme, regionally commissioned by the NHS North West Leadership Academy and supported by regional hosts across the three North West footprints. The North West host organisations have created a community of local facilitators delivering the Mary Seacole Local programme; bringing their knowledge of local health and care systems to further enhance learning. Participants attending the programme are able to build connections across their system and create a supportive community of practice that continues long after the programme has completed. Richard Sharp is an organisational development practitioner at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and has been facilitating the Mary Seacole Local Programme alongside his colleagues in the OD team, since 2022, supporting over 150 participants to date successfully through the programme. Richard credits the success of the programme to the dedication of regional facilitators, but even more so to the participants themselves committing to
“Mary Seacole makes you feel confident as a leader, that’s the main thing I got from it and that’s what I wanted. It also gives you awareness of what you should be doing and signalling as a leader. I need to link in with my staff. I need to go out and speak to them. I need to be visible.” Within her team, the programme’s tools fostered improved communication and conflict resolution, strengthening team cohesion. On an organisational level, her focus on patient-centred care has influenced operational decisions, prioritising resources for the most critical cases. You can read the full case study exploring Vicky’s experience and reflections on our website. If you would like more information about the Mary Seacole Local programme please get in touch at nwla.leadership@nhs.net.
“Someone I know had done the Mary Seacole Programme previously and I could see that it had really benefited them. You can tell when someone has been on one of the programmes, you can just see it in the way they lead.” Vicky’s experience on the programme was both challenging and rewarding. She appreciated the structured approach, with clear timelines and deliverables, which she integrated into her schedule to stay on track. She describes the facilitators as “brilliant,” noting their ability to create a supportive and inclusive environment.
“it’s very warming to see that everybody is kind of on the same hymn sheet…to all achieve the same kind of goal for the patients and their family members”.
Richard observes that
“A lot of the time people step into a leadership or management position and then they aren’t provided with the tools for how to lead and how to manage. And I think because the NHS is changing so quickly at the moment, it’s very important that people are able to adapt and be quite agile with this kind of uncertainty. Understanding what leadership in the NHS actually means”.
nw.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk | Leader
Leader | nw.leadershipacademy.nhs.uk
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