In 2009, Aidan was asked by the CQC to inspect a a military acute medical facility at Camp Bastion, in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. It was the peak of the British Army’s operations in Afghanistan. The facility was run by the British Defence Medical Services and was set up to care for service personnel and civilians wounded in the conflict.

Delivering care on the front line of a war-zone, in a facility build under canvas, and with the daily personal threat to clinicians working in it was a significant challenge. But what Aidan noticed was the extraordinary teamwork, cooperation and leadership of clinical military teams. What struck him was the difference he observed in how these teams worked together, in comparison to how these same clinicians would work in teams back in NHS hospitals in the UK.

On Aidan’s return, he wanted to understand how the military had created the conditions for the exceptional leadership he had witnessed. He quickly discovered that a key part of their approach was the military’s commitment to selecting and developing its leaders from day 1. And their systematic approach to developing the skills and capability of their leaders, before promoting individuals into more senior leadership roles.

Aidan reflected that having recently stepped down as the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, and been the second most senior medic in England, he had never once had a day of formal leadership development!

Aidan set about developing a new way to develop better leaders for the NHS. He wanted to draw on the experience and expertise of sectors who had adopted a more systematic approach to the development of leaders and drew particular inspiration from the military’s approach. He recognised that any approach needed to retain a strong grounding within the NHS context to ensure programmes prepared healthcare leaders for the challenge and context within which they must operate.

Aidan brought together a faculty of senior leaders with both leadership and leadership development experience, to develop a unique methodology for his new initiative. This multi-professional faculty brought together:

• Experienced NHS leaders with a deep understanding of the challenge and context in which healthcare must operate;
• Senior military leaders with experience of leading and influencing in complex situations as well as experience of developing future leaders and effective teams;
• Leadership coaches and academics with specialist expertise to help develop the most effective, experiential programmes.

With the backing of UCLPartners and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the ‘NHS Staff College’ was born.

Over the next six years it would deliver its flagship ‘Senior Leadership Course’ to 150 multi-professional leaders. And started to offer bespoke leadership programmes and team/board development programmes. Overall it supported the development of nearly 2,000 leaders.

In 2016, Staff College decided to become an independent charity with an ambition to work with health and care organisations across England, and internationally. It changed its name from ‘NHS Staff College’ to ‘The Staff College: Leadership in Healthcare.’

Having built a reputation for delivering highly impactful programmes and grown on the basis of recommendation, Staff College designed and delivered a wide range of leadership development programmes for leaders working in health and social care, across England and beyond. As well as providing team coaching, board development and facilitation of team/cross system working.

Staff College used its influence with the organisations it supports and through relationships with senior healthcare leaders to raise awareness of the need and benefits of developing leaders who are equipped to work with the challenges of today, and of the future.

Whilst working predominantly with organisations in the fields of health and social care, the charity also worked with organisations who exist for the public good.  To this end it worked with the Ministry of Justice, non-UK health ministries, universities and international clinical research. 

As an independent charity, it supported the development of over 5,500 leaders working in NHS Trusts, Integrated Care Boards, Primary Care, Community Care, Ambulance Trusts, Local Authority, Research, Prisons and Social Care. Since 2022, it has delivered programmes to healthcare leaders working in every region in England. It has delivered face to face programmes in Europe and Saudi, and virtual programmes to leaders across the world.

In 2025, Staff College took the difficult decision to close in the face of the acute economic challenges. As a values led organisation, it committed to ensuring it delivered all of the programmes it had been commissioned to deliver. Staff College’s legacy will continue to live on through the 7,500 leaders that have attended its programmes over the years.

Whilst the charity is closing, Staff College’s talented and experienced faculty will continue to design and deliver Staff College-based programmes on an independent basis. Their aim is to continue Staff College’s original mission to develop better leaders for healthcare.  

The Staff College Faculty page provides the details of those who continue to deliver experiential and practical leadership development programmes, and their contact details.