NHS management training through Healthcare Academies

Practical development for NHS managers leading complex services and sustainable improvement.

Led by senior NHS specialists, our CPD‑accredited programmes combine structured learning with practical application.

Louise Finch, Director

Explains how we help build local capability through practical, expert-led development programmes for NHS managers and improvement teams.

CPD‑accredited
Academy programmes

Each six-month programme provides recognised professional development grounded in the real operational challenges facing NHS services.

The Challenge

NHS managers are often asked to lead complex services and significant budgets without structured management development.

Role-specific training alone does not always prepare people to manage performance, finance, teams and organisational change. These capability gaps can make improvement harder to sustain and increase reliance on interim or external support.

Developing managers from within creates stronger teams, more resilient services and improvement that lasts.

How we help

Our Academy programmes build the rounded management capability needed to lead safe, productive and sustainable NHS services.

Six-month programme

Designed to help healthcare professionals improve productivity and performance within NHS trusts.

Virtual and in-person learning

Weekly two-hour virtual workshops are supported by in-person group sessions, giving participants regular opportunities to learn.

Cost improvement challenge

Each participant delivers a £5K–£10K cost improvement challenge during the six-month programme, helping the Academy pay for itself.

Stronger internal capability

Participants build the skills and confidence needed to improve trust finances and lead effective improvement programmes.

Which NHS services do our Academy programmes support?

Academy programmes can be tailored across primary and secondary care, including surgical and medical services, diagnostics, theatres, outpatients and mental health.

What’s the impact?

Developing people internally creates stronger teams, more effective services and sustainable improvement.

Stronger staff development

Create clearer development pathways for junior and middle managers.

Improve service performance

Build confidence in governance, productivity, resource use and data interpretation.

Enable progression from within

Prepare existing team members for greater responsibility and future leadership roles.

Sustainable improvement over time

Equip teams to maintain and build on change after the programme ends.

Broader management capability

Strengthen leadership, financial, strategic, operational and clinical engagement skills.

Less reliance on external support

Develop capability internally rather than repeatedly filling skills gaps with interim or external resource.

What Academy participants say

“I really enjoyed the training, not only because of the delivery from the Productive Partners team, but also because of the network that has been built. It really supports you when you are trying to make positive changes in productivity.”

Deputy General Manager, Trauma and Orthopaedics

Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals

“Both my colleagues and I found the session well facilitated, interesting and very thought-provoking. It made us think about how we can do things differently and how to challenge certain processes in the right way. We looked forward to the upcoming sessions.”

Business Support Manager, Critical Care

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital

“I really needed that mentoring session to clear my head and give me the headspace to focus and prioritise my workload. I appreciate Productive Partners going above and beyond the programme agenda, guiding, coaching and mentoring me so I could refocus on the strategy and performance of the department as a whole.”

General Manager, Patient Access

The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

“I just wanted to say a huge thank you for the training sessions you delivered. We took away such valuable learning and were really fired up to put some of the key points into action, particularly around theatres and outpatients. We would definitely welcome more sessions.”

Service Manager

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust

“Just a note to say thank you to you and your team for the session today. Both my colleagues and I found the session well facilitated, interesting, and very thought – provoking; it made us think about how we can do things differently in LHCH and how to challenge certain processes in the right way. Look forward to the up coming sessions.”

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Ready to strengthen capability within your organisation?

Tell us which people, services and priorities you need to develop. We will help shape an Academy programme around your organisation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the Academy programmes for?

Our Academy programmes are designed for NHS managers, operational leaders and improvement teams who need practical skills to lead services, manage performance and deliver sustainable change.

How are the Academy programmes delivered?

Our CPD-accredited programmes run for six months and combine weekly virtual workshops with in-person group sessions. Each participant also delivers a £5K–£10K cost improvement challenge based on a live organisational priority.

Can an Academy programme be tailored to our organisation?

Yes. We shape the programme around your organisation, participating teams and improvement priorities so the learning remains relevant to the challenges people face in practice.

How do the programmes help create sustainable improvement?

Participants apply practical tools and learning to live service challenges throughout the programme. This strengthens internal capability, supports better decision-making and reduces reliance on external support over time.