Turning Doctors Into Managers: an Evaluation of A Major Nhs Initiative to Improve the Managerial Capabilities of Medical Consultants

Alan Cowling and Karin Newman, who are Professor of Human Resource Management and Reader in Marketing respectively at the Middlesex University Business School, report on their experience in carrying out a national evaluation of a major management development programme designed to improve the managerial capabilities of hospital consultants. They show that not only did the majority of consultants subsequently feel more confident in their ability to carry out their current and prospective managerial roles, but also that there was evidence to show that they were managing more effectively. They argue that the evaluation methodology, which involved self‐efficacy ratings as well as qualitative techniques, should contribute to improved evaluation of management programmes more generally.