Publish date: 24 April 2025
Dr Tomasz (Tom) Pierscionek, a psychiatrist who is currently undertaking a Darzi Fellowship within West London NHS Trust, has published a blog in the British Medical Journal, on his experience, and the importance of leadership development programmes.
The Darzi Fellowship is a London-wide programme run by NHS London Leadership Academy, in response to the 2009 Lord Darzi’s review. It offers clinicians at the start of their careers the time to build their leadership skills outside of their clinical role.
In his blog, Tom emphasises the importance of clinical leadership and creating an open, forward-thinking NHS culture.
He said: “My experience as a Darzi Fellow helped me realise that empowering the next generation of clinical leaders is essential if the NHS is to survive present and future challenges. The Darzi Fellowship is unlike any of my previous NHS roles.”
The 12-month Fellowship combines academic study, which is a Postgraduate Certificate in Leadership in Health, with a leadership challenge. Dr Tom focuses on improving the retention and wellbeing of Specialty and Associate Specialist (SAS) doctors and consultants, a key priority for the NHS workforce.
The Fellowship offers a rare chance to step back from clinical duties and explore the system more deeply. He said: “I’ve had the freedom to explore and the opportunity to think creatively. It’s a psychologically safe space to ask difficult questions without worrying about hierarchy or backlash.” Tom believes that honest dialogue is important in a system where clinicians can sometimes feel silenced.
He sees leadership programmes like the Darzi Fellowship as a step towards a more transparent, supportive NHS. Read his full blog on the BMJ Leader page.