Leadership and Good Practice
Leadership and Good Practice is one of the four pillars that make up the Centre's work plan. In this section you will find information about remote and rural programmes of work.
A new leadership development offer for senior leaders in Scotland
The National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care and Leading to Change teams are also working together to identify leadership development for leaders at Band 7 or below and equivalent.
Senior Leadership Development Programme for Remote, Rural and Island Localities: An opportunity for senior leaders in Health and Care working in a remote, rural or island area.
Further to our recent communications and inquiry sessions, we are pleased to confirm that applications are now open until 5pm on 30th October 2025 for this exciting new development programme.
Our dedicated programme page can be found at Senior Leadership Development Programme for Remote, Rural and Island Localities | Leading to Change and provides more information about the programme, key dates and the selection process, including a link to the application form.
Our page also provides answers to frequently asked questions and a summary of feedback from our series of inquiry sessions recently completed with senior leaders in remote, rural and island communities, to test and refine the proposed programme content and approach.
Who can apply?
For this first cohort, we welcome applications from senior leaders in health and care working in remote, rural and island localities. This includes multi-disciplinary senior leaders or aspiring directors (e.g. Agenda for Change Band 8+ and senior leaders in other parts of the workforce) including community and non-statutory organisations collaborating to deliver services. Applicants must complete an application form and identify a sponsor – a director or a more senior leader to endorse and support their application and learning journey.
Key Programme Dates
Delivery of the programme will start on 27 November 2025 with a launch day and will finish with an event to share learning on 7 May 2026. Applicants must be available to attend ALL programme dates. Onboarding of participants will take place from 17 November 2025.
Next steps and further information
Please share this communication with relevant colleagues in your service and networks that you think would be interested in applying or sponsoring a participant. Completed applications must be submitted by 5pm on 30th October 2025 to our mailbox nes.rriseniorleadership@nhs.scot
We are also holding two drop-in information sessions during the application window on 22 October and 27 October, for people interested in applying and who want to learn more about the programme. People can sign up for drop ins using the links below or on our programme page by visiting Senior Leadership Development Programme for Remote, Rural and Island Localities | Leading to Change
Drop-in: 22 October 2025 @ 4.00pm - 4.45pm
Drop-in 27 October 2025 @ 11.00am - 11.45am
If you would like to discuss any aspect of the programme further and cannot attend a drop-in session, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at nes.rriseniorleadership@nhs.scot