Medical Leadership and Management Program
The purpose of the Medical Leadership and Management Program is to enhance the leadership and management capabilities of senior medical staff in NSW Health. The program blends in-person and virtual learning, focusing on the practical application of knowledge and skills within the NSW Health environment.
The 10-week hybrid program includes two, two-day in person workshops with online components between sessions for medical leaders holding Staff Specialist positions such as Head of Department or Director of Training.
Key themes explored in the program include complex systems, skills for leading and managing teams, strategic financial thinking and effective approaches to conflict management.
Learning will be supported by a 360-degree assessment, four one-on-one executive coaching sessions and peer group sessions fortnightly between in-person workshops. It is anticipated participants will need to dedicate up to 2 hours per week for this program for the full 10 weeks.
Coaching: What You Can Expect
The MLMP Experience
Program Dates 2026
There will be three cohorts of the program run in 2026.
Cohort 1: 3 March - 14 May 2026
Cohort 2: 26 May – 6 August 2026
Cohort 3: 11 August – 29 October 2026
Program registration fee: $4,300.00 (excluding GST)
| 2026 Workshops | Cohort 1 | Cohort 2 | Cohort 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orientation (online) | Tuesday, 3 March 2026 6pm – 7pm | Tuesday, 26 May 2026 6pm – 7pm | 11 August 2026 6pm – 7pm |
| Day 1 & 2 (In-person) | Wednesday and Thursday, 1 – 2 April 2026 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards NSW 2065 | Thursday and Friday, 25 – 26 June 2026 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards NSW 2065 | Thursday and Friday, 17 – 18 September 2026 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards NSW 2065 |
| Day 3 & 4 (In-person) | Wednesday and Thursday, 13 – 14 May 2026 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards NSW 2065 | Wednesday and Thursday, 5 – 6 August 2026 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards NSW 2065 | Wednesday and Thursday, 28 – 29 October 2026 1 Reserve Road, St Leonards NSW 2065 |
Program Overview
- Introduction to program
- Introduction to coaching components (including 360-degree assessment)
- Starting with the big picture: leading NSW Health
- The connection to NSW Health vision and values
- Complexity Theory: NSW Health as a complex adaptive system
- Adopting a systems perspective: Influencing the system
- Leadership styles and approaches
- Leadership vs Management
- Wellness centred leadership
- Professional identity
- Transitioning from clinician to manager
- Leadership, authority and professional expertise
- Emotional intelligence and growth mindset
- Enhancing the performance of teams
- Impact of team culture on individuals and patient care
- Change management
- Education and training
- How health services are funded / flow of funds
- Activity based management
- Understanding financial reporting and terminology
- Budget management
- Writing effective business cases with a strategic focus
- The impact of team culture on individuals and patient care
- Enhancing performance in individuals
- HR policies and procedures
Practical application of:
- Effective approaches to conflict management including the capacity to productively work with diverse and contrary perspectives
- Effective strategies to manage underperformance in doctors
- HR policies and procedures within NSW Health
- Panel discussion
In addition, participants will receive one-on-one executive coaching, fortnightly peer group sessions and additional optional reading and resources to support their learning.
Learning Outcomes
- Demonstrate the connection between effective leadership and the delivery of safe, quality healthcare to elevate the patient experience.
- Apply a knowledge of 'self', self-awareness and professional identity and appreciate the impact of these on individual leadership approaches within the healthcare setting.
- Acquire and apply knowledge to achieve effective outcomes in clinical service development, medical workforce and financial management within NSW Health facilities.
- Recognise the importance of promoting and integrating education and training activities as critical components of high functioning and sustainable clinical services.
Amidst all the qualities of a health care organisation - its culture, high-level organisational strategy, compensation models, benefits, efficiency of the practice environment, and the impact of the electronic health record - the single biggest driver of professional; satisfaction in the behaviour of an individual's immediate leader.
- excerpt from the STEPS Forward® Cultivating Leadership Toolkit by Stephen Swensen, MD and Tait D Shanafelt, MD
Enquiries
For more information about the Medical Leadership and Management Program, please contact Alpana Singh, Project Officer at heti-mlmp@health.nsw.gov.au.