Doctors and management ‐ the development dilemma

Identifies managerial knowledge and skills from undergraduate to medical director level and considers the development of a core management training strategy and development programme, transferable on a national basis. Reports on a questionnaire survey plus in‐depth interviews with doctors and senior managers divided between grades covering hospitals, general practices and public health services. Explains that the model evolved is a synthesis of managerial models set in the context of doctors’ work. Concludes that doctors agreed that more support and training from their organizations would have been useful, and that managers were generally supportive of doctors becoming involved in management, although some harboured doubts about their willingness or the effects such moves would have on established management career structures. Contends that there appears to be a 30:70 split between doctors receptive to the concept of management and those against.