Supporting you to lead at every level
Empowering nursing leadership programmes – from early career to executive, across all specialities and areas
Welcome to the RCN Nursing Leadership Academy
Leadership in nursing is about more than job titles – it’s about inspiring change, driving innovation and improving patient care.
Whether you're newly qualified, stepping into your first leadership role, developing as an established leader or influencing health care at a senior or executive level, the RCN Leadership Academy is here to support your journey. Through tailored programmes, coaching and mentorship and expert-led resources, we help you navigate challenges, build networks and lead with impact.
Get started today.
Our leadership development programmes are designed for every stage of your career
Early career leaders
Build confidence, develop essential leadership skills and find your voice in the nursing profession.
Mid-career leaders
Strengthen your leadership approach, enhance team effectiveness and prepare for greater responsibility.
Senior and executive leaders
Influence policy, drive strategic change in your organisation and beyond, and shape the future of health care.
Explore more leadership programmes
- Fitness to practise This course encourages employers to take a learning approach when addressing conduct and capability issues.
- Demonstrating value This course equips leaders with the skills and techniques needed to secure commitment for their service.
- Changing the conversational culture This course equips leaders with the skills to promote compassionate leadership.
What our members are saying
'Excellent'
"An excellent programme with a lovely group of nurses from different ward settings and all levels of experience and grade."
Member, Doncaster
'An opportunity to reflect'
"The programme has allowed me to reflect on my current standing as a leader, and the kind of leader I want to become."
Member, Northampton
'Learnt a lot'
"I learnt a lot about delegation skills and communication techniques. I'll implement these to progress in my career."
Member, Harrogate
Find your nursing leadership community
Leadership is stronger when we grow together. The RCN Leadership Academy is a space for current and aspiring nursing leaders to connect, share experiences and learn from each other. Whether you're taking your first steps into leadership or shaping the future of health care in more senior roles, this is your community.
We're developing an exciting new platform designed to support collaboration, peer learning and the sharing of best practice, helping you to thrive.
Stay tuned as we build a dynamic space where leadership development meets real- world impact.
Meet the leadership team
We're a dedicated team of experienced nurse leaders, educators and mentors passionate about supporting your leadership growth. With expertise across clinical practice, policy, education, research and workforce development, we're here to share guidance and insights, and connect you with opportunities to thrive as a leader.
Professor Emily McWhirter
Associate Director of the Nursing Leadership Academy
Emily is a senior health care practitioner, with a PhD in nursing leadership, and strategic health care management education at Harvard Business School. She has worked across teaching hospitals, specialist centres and district general hospitals in the NHS and the independent and charity sectors for more than 35 years. Emily also spent three and a half years working for the Chief Nurse at the World Health Organization in Geneva, and is a visiting professor at Anglia Ruskin University.
Professor Dave Clarke
Associate Director for Education
Dave worked in higher education for 24 years before joining the RCN in 2022 to head up the (now) King’s Cadet Scheme. He has held roles at Cardiff University, the University of West of England and the University of Leicester where, as professor, he developed the university’s first nursing programme. Dave has published internationally and continues to be an editorial board member for health care journals.
Sheena Gohal
Head of the Nursing Leadership Academy
Sheena is a mental health nurse and programme director of a postgraduate leadership course in London. She has previously served as a national advisor for NHS England and has held senior clinical and operational roles. With significant experience in transformational change and national policy across healthcare, Sheena has worked with diverse health and care stakeholders. Her teaching interests focus on developing compassionate leadership practices in healthcare services.
Dr Ada Hui
Professional Lead for Research
Ada is a sociologist, registered mental health nurse and executive coach with extensive experience working in research, health and higher education. She specialises in working with people who are under-served. examining institutional injustice, emotional labour, role, identity and belonging. Her work addresses health and social inequalities, and has gained recognition through national and international awards and prizes.
Heather Randle
Head of Education
Heather has 35 years’ nursing experience working across NHS primary care, mental health, learning disability and community care, as well as in higher education institutes and private settings. She’s passionate about nursing leadership, education, advanced practice and portfolio careers. She joined the RCN in 2018 to provide vision and leadership to members nationally. She commends being able to progress in leadership, while maintaining a clinical role, and considers it a privilege to influence policy and the future of nursing.
Get in touch
We want to make sure our leadership programmes, and the content on this page, are accessible and relevant to you. If you have suggestions for how we can improve, or would like to learn more about our programmes, please get in touch using the contact form below.
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