Wednesday 11 March 2026 | 13:00 - 14:00
Stream: Leading
Chair: 
Jan Frich Central Norway Regional Health Authority; Norway
Mathieu Louiset PAQS; Belgium

Part 1 - Connecting international experiences: optimising the physician learning journey in leadership and quality improvement

Nearly 20 years after IHI’s white paper call to involve physicians in quality leadership, many hospitals and regions still struggle to embed quality improvement (QI) and clinical leadership into medical identity and daily practice. Learning opportunities remain fragmented and lack alignment across career stages.

What if we could design a learning journey that develops clinical leadership in QI across professions, organizations, and career phases? This session presents experiences from Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands, each targeting a distinct stage in the development of clinical leadership.

By connecting these international approaches, we outline a continuum that equips physicians to lead in QI. Participants will leave with concrete ideas to strengthen clinical leadership in QI across borders, disciplines, and career stages.

Relinde de Koeijer Erasmus University; Netherlands

Part 2 - The Emerging Leaders Programme: A mixed-methods evaluation of four cohorts of a leadership development programme for healthcare professionals

This session presents a mixed-methods evaluation of the Emerging Leaders Programme (ELP), a multidisciplinary leadership development initiative delivered within a UK hospital trust. Designed for early-career healthcare professionals, the programme combined evidence-based teaching, experiential learning through quality improvement (QI) projects, and real-world leadership exposure. Evaluation across three cohorts (n=54) demonstrated significant improvements in leadership competencies, confidence, and motivation, with enduring organisational outcomes including service improvements, career progression, and increased QI engagement. Drawing on Kirkpatrick’s framework and long-term follow-up interviews (3–5 years post-programme), this session explores what works in leadership development and why. Attendees will gain insight into the design principles, evaluation strategies, and practical lessons learned—applicable to those commissioning, delivering or researching healthcare leadership programmes. Join us to explore how multidisciplinary, experiential programmes can unlock leadership potential and deliver lasting impact in healthcare systems.

Juliette Phillipson Thrum Leadership; UK