title: Encouraging formative assessments of leadership for foundation doctors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical leadership is considered essential for maintaining and improving patient care and safety in the UK, and is incorporated in the curriculum for all trainee doctors.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Despite the growing focus on the importance of leadership, and the introduction of the Medical Leadership Competency Framework (MLCF) in the UK, leadership education for doctors in training is still in its infancy. Assessment is focused on clinical skills, and trainee doctors receive very little formal feedback on their leadership competencies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this article we describe the approach taken by Health Education Kent, Sussex and Surrey (HEKSS) to raise the profile of leadership amongst doctors in training in the South Thames Foundation School (STFS). An annual structured formative assessment in leadership for each trainee has been introduced, supported by leadership education for both trainees and their supervisors in HEKSS trusts. We analysed over 500 of these assessments from the academic year 2012/13 for foundation doctors in HEKSS trusts, in order to assess the quality of the feedback. From the analysis, potential indicators of more effective formative assessments were identified. These may be helpful in improving the leadership education programme for future years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a wealth of evidence to highlight the importance and value of formative assessments; however, particularly for foundation doctors, these have typically been focused on assessing clinical capabilities. This HEKSS initiative encourages doctors to recognise leadership opportunities at the beginning of their careers, seeks to help them understand the importance of acquiring leadership skills and provides structured feedback to help them improve. Leadership education for doctors in training is still in its infancy.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Medical Education, School of Clinical Leadership, Health Education Kent, Surrey and Sussex, London, UK.
authors.forename: Lindsay
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hadley
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Medical Education, School of Clinical Leadership, Health Education Kent, Surrey and Sussex, London, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Black
authors.affiliation: South Thames Foundation School, Health Education Kent, Surrey and Sussex, London, UK.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.affiliation: Neonatology Department, Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals Trust, Chertsey, Surrey, UK.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Medical Education, Queen Mary, University of London, UK.
authors.forename: Clare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Penlington
mesh_terms: D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000592:standards; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D006113:United Kingdom