The importance of an inclusive approach to leadership

Pamela Shaw, health visitor and practice educator, explains why she was impressed by nursing students at a mental health conference

I was recently invited to address an audience of nursing students, at various stages of their undergraduate studies, at a conference for mental health nurses hosted by Birmingham City University.

My aim was to inspire students to go beyond their expectations and to impart the benefits of teamwork as a way of maintaining best practice in patient care.

I was asked to discuss the importance of an inclusive approach to leadership in the NHS, which was the subject of my MSc dissertation on black and minority ethnic (BME) leaders. Feedback from the students on my presentation was positive, particularly the findings from my dissertation on leadership as this touched on an area of nursing that the students said is not often discussed.

Read the full article