The RCSI Institute of Leadership (IOL), in collaboration with Roche International and RCSI Bahrain, hosted 20 senior policy officials from the Ministries of Health of Bahrain and Oman for a three-day (15-17 September) leadership and management development course.

The programme was designed to facilitate participants in optimising the delivery of efficient and effective national healthcare services. The programme was led by Dr Michael Shannon, Director of Programmes at the RCSI Institute of Leadership in Bahrain, who has extensive experience in corporate and clinical leadership in Ireland and the UK. Dr Shannon formerly worked as a senior policy advisor at the Ministry of Health in Ireland and as National Nursing and Midwifery Services Director for the Health Service Executive, Ireland. Dr Pauline Connolly from the Institute’s Dubai campus contributed significantly to the academic content of the programme and Dr Ronald John from the Institute’s Bahrain office led the planning and administration of the programme.

Dr Shannon commented: “Healthcare leaders and managers require an understanding of the important issues concerning effective leadership within and across healthcare systems. Shaping healthcare policy is a significant challenge for health professionals, particularly those working in the public health sector.

“Through this intensive course, we aim to develop the capacity of policy-makers to explore new concepts of change management, to map complex processes, to implement strategic initiatives and to reduce cost.”

IOL is Ireland's only third-level institution dedicated to developing the leadership, management and educational capacity of health professionals. The Institute maintains close connections with the world of healthcare delivery and higher education, and offers programmes characterised by flexibility, speed of response, customer service and a blended learning approach that allows our students to learn while continuing to work. The Institute has campuses in Dublin, Bahrain and Dubai and also delivers programmes in Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Sub-Saharan Africa.