Lessons in leadership from Sir David Sloman
In our debut episode of the Unprescribed podcast, it was an absolute privilege to welcome distinguished health system leader Sir David Sloman , who has held significant roles within the NHS over the past 40 years.
Tune into the whole episode on Apple podcasts or Spotify, to get the full experience of David’s candour and vulnerability in sharing stories from his extensive career in our health system during some incredibly transformative times.
In the meantime, we wanted to pull out some of the leadership lessons that David shared in the episode, which we hope will be useful for any aspiring, upcoming or current leaders in the NHS today.
Empower staff to innovate
Empowering staff to innovate is a hallmark of David's leadership. By encouraging clinicians to propose solutions and lead with data-driven insights, he was able to create an environment where innovation thrived.
“If you bring clinicians together around data and give them the opportunity to improve - they will play.”
The definition of opportunity, he says, is “capacity and capability”, i.e. that clinicians need both adequate time and resources. He underscores the need for:
Only then will they be able to work to the optimum of their ability, he says.
Build strong relationships
"We got what we deserved... because we put a strong year's work into developing those strategic relationships."
David credits much of London’s successful pandemic response to deep, pre-existing relationships with partners across local government, public health, and the NHS. Before COVID-19 hit, he had spent a year co-developing a vision to make London the "world’s healthiest global city" - a process that involved collaboration with the GLA, London Councils, and others.
These partnerships proved critical:
"It wasn’t just about the NHS. It was about local authority leadership, political leadership... everybody came to the party in a really joined-up way."
David reinforces that investing in relationships during stable times creates the trust and alignment needed to lead effectively in crisis.
Create space for others to lead
"The job of a chief executive is to appoint a team of people, all of whom are better than you, and get them to work together as a team."
David sees leadership not as control, but as empowerment. He takes pride in the careers of those he mentored, many of whom went on to senior NHS roles. For him, legacy is about building up the next generation.
Go to the frontline
"I love the mosh pit... you've got to find out where the riot is and go and stand in the middle of it."
David consistently showed up on the ground - whether greeting doctors at the front door of the hospital on Monday mornings or genuinely listening to nurses on ward rounds. He sees visibility and presence as vital, not just symbolic. Leadership happens where the work happens.
Lead with humility and conviction
David talks about the importance of listening deeply and genuinely hearing people out before making a decision - but that “once you’ve listened and decided what you’re going to do, you lead with conviction. You don’t go half in - you go all in.” He speaks of the importance of balancing the humility to listen and hear all diverse perspectives, with the courage to act decisively once the moment calls for it.
His method? Seek input. Ask:
“What do you think? What do you think?” - until the time comes to say, “This is my decision.”
As he puts it:
“If people feel their voice has been heard - even if you don’t go with their view - they’ll work with it.”
Through his 40 years in the NHS, Sir David Sloman has undoubtedly left a mark, steering through crises with resilience and foresight. His approach serves as a guide for current and future healthcare leaders aiming to navigate complex challenges with strength and clarity.
About the Unprescribed podcast
In the Unprescribed podcast, we go beyond the headlines to uncover the stories of leadership, innovation and change in the NHS. Hosted by Jacob Haddad, CEO and founder of Accurx, in each episode we sit down with NHS leaders - past and present - for candid, unfiltered conversations.
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Tune in now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts: https://link.accurx.com/4jBimmW Spotify: https://link.accurx.com/4jB6uRN