Leading Integrated Teams: Aqua’s Impact on System Leadership Development

Leading Integrated Teams (LIT) is one of Aqua’s flagship programmes which we deliver alongside Affina OD, Aspire and PACE. Over 150 participants have completed the programme since 2017.

The programme aims to supports leaders from a range of roles across health and care to focus on team effectiveness and adopt the most appropriate leadership style and approach.

LIT runs over 7 months and gives participants a range of tools and insight, providing an opportunity to learn new skills as well as building on the skills they already possess. We provide access to Affina tools along with coaching to utilise those tools, bespoke and co-designed workshops, and encourage self-directed and peer learning.

The programme is consistently reviewed to ensure that content is contemporary and relevant, being adapted over the past 6 years to match the changing nature and requirements of leaders within the health and care sector and beyond. This was demonstrated through the COVID-19 pandemic, as the programme moved from a classroom-based programme to one delivered completely online. Participants were provided with a space to build resilience and decompress from challenging roles as well as time to reflect and connect with colleagues.

Has the programme been a success?

Participants are asked to complete a self-assessment before and after the programme, which has seen overwhelmingly positive results. All LIT cohorts have shown scores relating to system leadership, healthy leadership behaviours and quality improvement knowledge consistently improving. The programme has also had a significant social impact, improving the wellbeing of the populations that LIT participants serve.

At Aqua, Affina OD, Aspire and PACE, we collectively share values in enabling leaders and teams in health & care organisations to take stock, learn and grow. We strongly believe that those participating in the LIT programme will learn lessons that help them to deliver high quality care by leading teams that focus on providing integrated care that is centred on the individual.

We are pleased to announce that the next cohort of LIT is now open for applications. Starting on 26 April, all applications must be received by 31 March.

Apply now

Useful Resources

We have produced several resources that you may find useful:

• Two newspapers that were produced as a result of celebration events.
• Leaders in lockdown – participants talk about their experiences, which have been captured in graphic and written format.