Four years after Maggie Oldham took on the task of turning around Isle of Wight NHS Trust, the NHS Staff Survey identified it as one of the most-improved trusts. Maggie explains how the NHS England and NHS Improvement I Culture and Leadership Programme helped her revive its fortunes and put compassionate leadership at the heart of change.

Clerical Officer, Oswaldo (Os) De Alva, describes himself as a jack of all trades. But through his varied roles – including nightclub manager, nursery nurse and civil servant – he has picked up a wealth of experience, spanning practical tasks, interpersonal skills and problem solving, making him one of the Culture and Leadership Programme’s most versatile members.

As a self-taught manager following a career in pub restaurants, school catering and eventually healthcare, Facilities Manager Mark Fulford leapt at the chance to develop compassionate leadership skills as part of the culture change team for his Trust’s Culture and Leadership Programme.

Eda Yardimci has worked hard to become a junior doctor. But she describes herself with two job titles: senior house officer and culture change agent – PHU’s name for members of its culture change team. By pulling together these two roles, Eda feels she is getting the most well-rounded development possible, while giving her maximum to the Trust.

For Specialist Cardio Thoracic Physiotherapist Megan Gregory, getting involved in the Culture and Leadership Programme was the chance she’d always wanted to work alongside people from different disciplines and develop her own leadership and quality improvement skills.

At North Middlesex University Hospital, staff stories about their experiences play a central role in the Culture and Leadership Programme: not just in diagnosing the problems but in offering solutions. Workforce Programmes Director Alfredo Thompson explains.