Public Servant Lifestyle

The NHS Confederation and Leadership Centre announce a joint initiative to interview all future departing chief executives.

The NHS Leadership Centre and the NHS Confederation are launching a joint initiative today to carry out exit interviews with all departing NHS chief executives - to help build up a greater understanding of why so many are leaving the Health Service.

The initiative follows the results of a survey conducted by Binley’s - on behalf of the Confederation - which revealed that 22.8% of acute trust chief executives left their post last year, and only 5% went to other trusts. The survey also found that turnover rates amongst ambulance trust chief executives has increased to nearly 16% in the 2002 – 2003 period.

The attrition rate in acute trusts is now running ahead of top jobs in the private sector, where turnover hit 20% four years ago but has since declined to 17%, according to Income Data Services.

The confidential Confederation/Leadership Centre interviews will identify key themes which will help inform better recruitment and selection processes, the design and range of development programmes and broader NHS organisation development strategies.

Welcoming the joint initiative, Nigel Edwards, Policy Director at the NHS Confederation said: “We need to understand why Chief Executives are leaving the NHS if we’re to recruit and retain the talented leadership we need to transform services. The Leadership Centre is to be congratulated on responding so quickly to our concerns”.

The NHS Confederation represents the organisations that make up the NHS. Members include the majority of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; trusts and NHS boards in Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

More information available in Professional Groups, Career Development