Chris

Why did you choose to study your course at Surrey?

Working as Head of Clinical Governance at Nuffield Health, I wanted to build on my experience and strengthen my leadership skills to make a wider impact across the organisation. I was looking for a course that really understood the healthcare system, and the MSc in Leadership in Healthcare at Surrey stood out. It wasn’t just about theory and focused on practical leadership in real healthcare environments, which was exactly what I was seeking when looking at MSc options.

What are the best things about Surrey and your course?

What I valued most was how relevant and applicable the course content was to my day-to-day work. The modules on systems leadership, change management, and organisational culture helped me look at governance through a broader, more strategic lens. The lecturers were supportive and knowledgeable, and the diverse backgrounds of other students brought rich perspectives to discussions. For all modules I was able to make them relevant to my job role and always chose assignments of active projects at work. This had the added benefit of using latest research within the project, which enhanced the delivery for Nuffield. 

"If you're working in healthcare and want to lead change, this course is a great next step. It challenges you to think differently and reflect on your leadership style, but it also gives you tools you can use straight away."

What are the best things about life here as a postgraduate student?

Balancing a full-time role at Nuffield Health, a family and postgraduate study isn’t easy, but the course made it manageable. The course structure is flexible and designed for people already working in healthcare. A number of modules offered a blended approach with some days being face to face and others through distance learning, this was particularly useful to students such as myself who didn’t live nearby. It was also interesting to hear other students’ perspective and experience across different settings in the NHS and the independent sector. The course was enriched by the different professional backgrounds of students, which included medical staff, midwives, nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists. This enabled the sharing of different perspectives and contributed to a sense of community.

What are your career plans?

I’ve worked in healthcare for over 20 years, commencing as a physiotherapist working clinically in the NHS, before moving into a broad range of operational and governance roles both in the NHS and the independent sector. I’ve contemplated completing an MSc for the last 10 years, however, it felt like the right time professionally and personally to undertake this postgraduate study. Looking ahead, I want to continue driving improvements in clinical governance but also take on broader leadership responsibilities. My long-term goal is to play a bigger role in shaping how healthcare services are delivered, creating systems that are not only safer, but more person-centred and sustainable.

What advice do you have for students thinking of doing this course?

If you're working in healthcare and want to lead change, this course is a great next step. It challenges you to think differently and reflect on your leadership style, but it also gives you tools you can use straight away. It is easy to become siloed in teams or organisations and having the opportunity to study in collaboration with a range of clinical professionals from different organisations will enrich your knowledge and ways of approaching situations. I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone serious about making a difference in healthcare.

Find out more about our Leadership in Healthcare MSc.