This activity is part of Healthy Working Life, a joint programme of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
Putting health at the heart of leadership
A leadership programme in Wakefield is helping health and care staff stay well at work by changing how people are supported, managed and led. The Compassionate Leadership Programme aims to help leaders create healthier working environments where people can stay well, stay in work and support each other.
As Natalie Dickman, System Lead for Organisational Development in the System Workforce Programme Management Office, explains: “Work is one of the biggest drivers of health. If people feel unsafe, unheard or unsupported at work, that shows up in stress, sickness absence and people leaving. Compassionate leadership isn’t optional - it’s fundamental to a healthy workforce.”
The flagship leadership development offer supports our commitment to building a resilient, compassionate and sustainable workforce, helping organisations respond to shared workforce pressures across health, care and community services.
“This is about creating workplaces where people can stay well, stay in work and do their best work, says Natalie. “That means improving psychological safety, reducing unnecessary stress and giving leaders the confidence to handle difficult situations with care.”
About the programme
Funded through Healthy Working Life, the programme is open to people in staff-supporting roles across Wakefield, including the NHS, local authority services, social care, primary care and the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector.
Natalie says: “We deliberately bring people together from across organisations. Staff and patients move across the system - leadership behaviours should feel consistent wherever people work.”
The programme directly responds to shared workforce challenges and supports our priorities to:
- improve staff wellbeing and psychological safety
- strengthen inclusive and compassionate leadership
- support retention and reduce avoidable sickness absence
- embed consistent leadership behaviours across organisations
From theory to practice - how it works
The Compassionate Leadership Programme is delivered through three days of face-to-face learning, with a strong focus on practical behaviour change rather than theory.
Natalie says: “The programme focuses on real conversations, real pressures and real situations leaders face every day - from managing conflict to supporting people through stress and change.
“The programme includes learning alongside peers from different parts of health and care, using evidence-based tools grounded in compassion and emotional intelligence - and working through real scenarios that leaders recognise immediately.”
There is also a strong emphasis on leaders looking after themselves:
“If leaders don’t have boundaries or self-compassion, burnout becomes inevitable. Supporting others starts with managing your own energy and wellbeing,” adds Natalie.
The programme was designed and delivered by the Kirklees Health and Care Partnership and endorsed by Professor Michael West MBE. Following proven impact in Kirklees and Calderdale, Wakefield has since commissioned the programme to support a consistent approach to compassionate leadership across West Yorkshire.
What difference has it made
Feedback from participants shows clear changes in confidence and leadership practice, with people reporting they feel better equipped to support their teams.
Participants said they are more able to:
- handle emotionally complex conversations
- create psychologically safe, supportive team environments
- reduce conflict and stress at work
- improve communication, trust and empathy
What people are saying
One NHS manager said: “This programme has fundamentally changed how I show up as a leader. I feel more confident having difficult conversations, setting clear boundaries and creating a psychologically safe environment for my team. I’m already seeing a difference in how my team communicates and responds.” NHS manager, cohort 1
Another highlighted the impact on their own wellbeing: “The biggest shift for me was recognising the importance of self-compassion. I now manage my energy and boundaries better, which has made me a calmer and more effective leader.” Local authority, cohort 1
Evaluation data shows all respondents said they feel confident and equipped to practise compassionate leadership in their daily work, alongside improvements across all key survey measures - pointing to real, lasting changes rather than short-term enthusiasm.
What’s next
The next round starts in February 2026, with at least three further cohorts planned to meet rising demand. Next steps include:
- ongoing evaluation using both quantitative and qualitative data
- targeted promotion to under-represented groups and smaller providers
- exploring how we build compassionate leadership into support for people new to leadership roles
Natalie concludes: “If we want healthier working lives across West Yorkshire, we have to invest in how people are led. This programme is about prevention - supporting wellbeing, reducing burnout and improving health at work.”
If you would like more information about the Compassionate Leadership Programme, or to register your interest in a future cohort, please email: wyicb-wak.
You can also read the compassionate leadership helping people stay well at work case study as a PDF.
This project is part of Healthy Working Life - reducing the number of people in West Yorkshire who may become unable to work because of ill health. Find out more on our Healthy Working Life website pages.