Leading in the Health Sector: Research and Practice

Abstract

Leadership theory and practice in health reflect a complex and diverse environment with a wide range of interpretations. In most, there is an attempt to adapt leadership style or competences to be appropriate to the context within which the leadership activity takes place. Health sector leadership is related to organisation strategy, stewardship, policy, governance, and structure. There is no single, all-encompassing definition of leadership in health but that definitions embrace both transformation at the top and devolution ‘from Board to Ward—from Ward to Community.’ Increasingly there is recognition that the concept of leadership has greater scope than only the most senior members of the organisation and other leadership positions extend to the level of point of care.