Leadership and the quality of care

The importance of good leadership is becoming increasingly apparent within health care.This paper reviews evidence which shows that it has eVects, not only on financial management, but on the quality of care provided.Some theories of leadership are discussed, primarily in terms of how diVerent types of leaders might aVect quality in diVerent ways, including the eVects that they might have on the stress or wellbeing of their staV which, in turn, is related to the quality of care produced.Finally, the conflicts shown in terms of leadership within the context of health care are discussed, leading to the conclusion that development programmes must be specially tailored to address the complexities of this arena.