This month marked the successful launch of the Suffolk and North East Essex (SNEE) Leadership Programme, an initiative designed to equip both senior and aspiring leaders with the skills, insight, and confidence needed to thrive in today’s complex healthcare systems. The programme recognises that effective leadership is not just about individual capability but about the ability to work collaboratively across organisational and professional boundaries to deliver tangible improvements in patient care.
Opening the programme
The launch was opened by leaders across the system, including Dr Claire Fuller, GP and Primary Care Medical Director for NHS England; Dr Frankie Swords, Executive Medical Director for SNEE ICB; and Dr Ed Garratt OBE DL, Chief Executive of the NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board. Their contributions underscored the programme’s focus on system-wide leadership and the importance of creating a shared vision for change.
First Sessions Delivered
Xytal advisors Sophie Dunwell and Greg Parry led the initial sessions, focusing on why improvement matters, exploring leadership identity, and demonstrating practical ways to translate learning into actionable steps. Participants were encouraged to reflect on their own leadership styles, consider the challenges of leading across complex systems, and identify opportunities to influence and drive change without relying on formal authority. The engagement, energy, and openness of participants made these first sessions highly impactful, setting a strong foundation for the programme.
Collaboration at the Core
The programme places collaboration at its heart. Leaders are supported to work together as a team, aligning their efforts to achieve shared objectives and delivering meaningful improvements across the system. By fostering a culture of collective leadership, the programme enables participants to tackle challenges with a unified approach, strengthening connections across primary and secondary care and within neighbourhood teams.
Blending Learning Approaches
Designed with flexibility and practical impact in mind, the programme blends virtual learning sessions, action learning sets, and follow-up progress meetings. This approach ensures participants can apply insights directly to their projects, share experiences with peers, and build momentum that extends beyond the classroom. The combination of learning methods not only strengthens individual leadership capabilities but also reinforces system-wide improvement and sustainable change.
Looking Ahead
Xytal is proud to support this journey and looks forward to seeing participants continue to develop their leadership skills, strengthen collaboration across boundaries, and drive tangible improvements in patient care. The launch of the SNEE Leadership Programme demonstrates the power of partnership, the value of practical learning, and the difference strong leadership can make within complex healthcare systems.
