title: An evaluation of experiences and views of Scottish leadership training opportunities amongst primary care professionals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine experiences of leadership training of six primary care professions in Scotland and consider future development.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire on previous leadership course attendance and future intentions was distributed to community pharmacists, general dental practitioners, general practitioners, practice nurses, practice managers and optometrists. Analysis comprised descriptive statistics for closed questions and management of textual data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Formal leadership training participation was fairly low except for practice managers. Leadership was perceived to facilitate development of staff, problem-solving and team working. Preference for future delivery was similar across the six professions with e-modules and small group learning being preferred. Time and financial pressures to undertake courses were common barriers for professionals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Leadership is key to improve quality, safety and efficiency of care and help deliver innovative services and transformative change. To date, leadership provision for primary care professionals has typically been patchy, uni-disciplinary in focus and undertaken outwith work environments. Future development must reflect needs of busy primary care professionals and the reality of team working to deliver integrated services at local level.
authors.affiliation: a NHS Education for Scotland , Glasgow , UK.
authors.forename: Ailsa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Power
authors.affiliation: b NHS Education for Scotland , Edinburgh , UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Allbutt
authors.affiliation: c Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland , Edinburgh , UK.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Munro
authors.affiliation: a NHS Education for Scotland , Glasgow , UK.
authors.forename: Marion
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: MacLeod
authors.affiliation: a NHS Education for Scotland , Glasgow , UK.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.affiliation: b NHS Education for Scotland , Edinburgh , UK.
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: b NHS Education for Scotland , Edinburgh , UK.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scoular
authors.affiliation: d NHS Education for Scotland , Aberdeen , UK.
authors.forename: Graham
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orr
authors.affiliation: c Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland , Edinburgh , UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gillies
mesh_terms: D004517:Education, Professional / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Primary care; Scotland; leadership; training