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Ambidexterity increases an organisation’s capability to successfully navigate dynamic and uncertain environments. While leaders are expected to model flexible learning and practices throughout the organisation, little is known about the leader characteristics and contextual factors that underpin ambidexterity. This study aims to explore whether paradoxical thinking, integrator behaviours and managerial role and level influence the likelihood of leaders exhibiting ambidexterity.

This study relied on a self-report questionnaire completed by 152 managers of a large, public health-care organisation in New Zealand. A k-means cluster analysis of the data was conducted to identify leader ambidexterity clusters, and the hypothesised effects were tested with multinomial logistic regressions.

Health-care managers favoured exploitation and moderate ambidexterity. Higher levels of integrator behaviours (i.e. reflective learning and context responsiveness) were found among leaders who showed high ambidexterity. Context responsiveness was the sole significant predictor distinguishing between high ambidexterity and other ambidexterity profiles. No statistically significant differences in ambidexterity cluster membership were found between clinical and non-clinical roles and across managerial levels.

While our study relied on a cross-sectional self-reported design, the findings underscore the importance of learning behaviours and context responsiveness to ambidexterity. This study discusses avenues for future research and leadership development towards improved organisational learning systems and practices.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to test the contribution of paradoxical thinking and integrator behaviours to health-care leader ambidexterity and to examine differences in ambidexterity profiles across managerial levels and roles. The factor analysis suggests that integrator behaviours represent two distinct constructs: reflective le`arning and context responsiveness.

In the year 2000, the UK government promoted the concept that hospital services be shaped around the needs of the patient to make their stay in hospital as comfortable as possible and advocated the introduction of a ward housekeeper role in at least 50 per cent of hospitals by 2004. This is a ward‐based non‐clinical role centred on cleaning, food service and maintenance to ensure that the basics of care are right for the patient. In 2002 the Facilities Management Graduate Centre at Sheffield Hallam University completed a series of six case studies looking at the role within different NHS Trusts. These were developed through interviews and observations with the facilities manager, ward housekeepers and nursing staff and also by collecting documentary evidence such as job descriptions, financial details and training information. Common themes were identified, relating to experiences of developing and implementing the ward housekeeper role. This paper suggests models of best practice relating to role, recruitment, induction, training, integration and management.

The purpose of this study is to discern the physicians’ perception of leadership effectiveness in their clinical and non-clinical roles (leadership) by identifying their political skill levels.

A sample of 209 Canadian physicians was surveyed using the Political Skills Inventory (PSI) during the period 2012-2014. The PSI was chosen because it assesses leadership effectiveness on four dimensions: social astuteness, interpersonal influence, networking ability and apparent authenticity.

Physicians in clinical roles’ PSI scores were significantly lower in all four PSI dimensions when compared to all other physicians in non-clinical roles, with the principal difference being in their networking abilities.

More emphasis is needed on educating and training physicians, specifically in the areas of political skills, in current clinical roles if they are to assume leadership roles and be effective.

Although this study is located in Canada, the study design and associated findings may have implications to other areas and countries wanting to increase physician leadership effectiveness. Further, replication of this study in other settings may provide insight into the future design of physician leadership training curriculum.

In the year 2000, the UK Government promoted the concept that hospital services be shaped around the needs of the patient to make their stay in hospital as comfortable as possible. In recognition of this, the Government advocated the introduction of a Ward Housekeeper role in at least 50 per cent of hospitals by 2004. This is a ward‐based non‐clinical role centred on cleaning, food service and maintenance to ensure that the basics of care are right for the patient. Much of the guidance for the ward housekeeper role has focussed on its development and implementation in an acute hospital setting. The aim of this research is to illustrate how the role has been adopted and implemented successfully in mental health environments and the subsequent impact for patient services.

Four case studies were undertaken in a variety of mental health settings, the principle method of data collection was qualitative semi‐structured interviews.

Common themes were identified from the case studies relating to experiences of developing and implementing the ward housekeeper role. This paper suggests models of best practice which relate to six main areas of: role, recruitment, induction, training, integration and management. It also demonstrates that the role has been successful and is highly valued by nursing staff.

The study was largely qualitative based and therefore the results do not lend themselves to be generalisable across the NHS.

The paper suggests how the ward housekeeper role should be adapted for mental health settings.

Effective use of data across public health organisations (PHOs) is essential for the provision of health services. While health technology and data use in clinical practice have been investigated, interactions with data in non-clinical practice have been largely neglected. The purpose of this paper is to consider what constitutes data, and how people in non-clinical roles in a PHO interact with data in their practice.

This mixed methods study involved a qualitative exploration of how employees of a large PHO interact with data in their non-clinical work roles. A quantitative survey was administered to complement insights gained through qualitative investigation.

Organisational boundaries emerged as a defining issue in interactions with data. The results explain how data work happens through observing, spanning and shifting of boundaries. The paper identifies five key issues that shape data work in relation to boundaries. Boundary objects and processes are considered, as well as the roles of boundary spanners and shifters.

The study was conducted in a large Australian PHO, which is not completely representative of the unique contexts of similar organisations. The study has implications for research in information and organisational studies, opening fields of inquiry for further investigation.

Effective systems-wide data use can improve health service efficiencies and outcomes. There are also implications for the provision of services by other health and public sectors.

The study contributes to closing a significant research gap in understanding interactions with data in the workplace, particularly in non-clinical roles in health. Research analysis connects concepts of knowledge boundaries, boundary spanning and boundary objects with insights into information behaviours in the health workplace. Boundary processes emerge as an important concept to understand interactions with data. The result is a novel typology of interactions with data in relation to organisational boundaries.

Effective use of data is critically important for the provision of health services. A large proportion of employees in health organisations work in non-clinical roles and play a major part in organisational information flows. However, their practice, data-related capabilities and learning needs have been rarely studied. The purpose of this paper is to investigate issues of capabilities and learning needs related to employees' interactions with data in non-clinical work roles.

The study used a mixed-method approach. Qualitative methods were used to explore issues, and survey was administered to gather additional data.

Data use and related capabilities at the workplace are highly contextual. A range of general, core and data-specific capabilities, underpinned by transferable skills and personal traits, enable successful interactions with data. Continuous learning is needed in most areas related to data use.

The study was conducted in a large public-health organisation in Australia, which is not representative of unique organisations elsewhere. The study has implications for the provision of health services, workplace learning and education.

Findings have implications for organisational decisions related to data-use and workplace learning, and for formal education and lifelong learning.

The study contributes to closing a research gap in understanding interactions with data, capabilities and learning needs of employees in non-clinical work roles. Capabilities continuum presented in this paper can be used to inform education, training and service provision. The workplace-based results contribute to theoretical considerations of capabilities required for work in technology-rich environments.

The history of the development of non-clinical services in infection control (IC) dates back to the pre-modern era. There is evidence of health-care facility management (HFM) services in Roman military hospitals. With the fall of the Roman Empire, Christian beliefs and teaching shaped the development of HFM in monastic hospitals. It was not until the late Victorian era that the link between HFM services and diseases caused by “miasma”, or bad air, became established. The discovery of bacteria in the modern scientific era reduced the level of importance previously attached to non-clinical causes of infections. Today, in the NHS, HFM services continue to be treated as though they had no real role to play in IC. This paper aims to collate historical and epidemiological evidence to show the link between HFM and IC.

The evidence gathered in this research paper is primarily based on an in-depth review of research from a wide range of sources. A “within-study literature analysis” was conducted to synthesise the research materials. This involved the application of “between-source triangulation” to verify the quality of the information contained in the studies, and “between-source complementarity” to provide an in-depth elaboration of the historical facts.

Historical and epidemiological evidence shows that HFM services such as cleaning, waste management, catering, laundry and maintenance continue to play a crucial role in IC. This is corroborated by evidence gathered from the work of renowned pioneers in the field of IC. However, reforms in the NHS have failed to consider this, as HFM services have been largely fragmented through different partnership arrangements.

Among many other things, this research raises the profile of HFM staff in relation to the issue of IC in hospitals. It presents convincing evidence to show that the relationship between the clinical and non-clinical domains in controlling infections in hospitals has a long history. The findings of this research give HFM staff invaluable information about the significant role of their profession in the control of infections in hospitals.

This is one of the few studies examining the historical development of HFM services, as well as their contribution to IC. Other work in this area has mainly been framed from a clinical health-care perspective.

NHS 111 is a non-emergency telephone triage service that provides immediate access to urgent care 24 h a day. This study explored the recruitment, retention and development of one integrated urgent care (IUC) workforce in England, specifically the NHS 111 service and Clinical Hub.

An online survey was distributed to the NHS 111 and Clinical Hub workforce. The data from 48 respondents were summarised and analysed thematically.

The survey respondents held a variety of clinical and non-clinical roles within NHS 111 and the Clinical Hub. The findings indicate that the IUC workforce is motivated to care for their patients and utilise a range of communication and cognitive skills to undertake their telephone triage roles. In total, 67% of respondents indicated that their work was stressful, particularly the volume and intensity of calls. Although the initial training prepared the majority of respondents for their current roles (73%), access to continuing professional development (CPD) varied across the workforce with only 40% being aware of the opportunities available. A total of 81% of respondents stated that their shifts were regularly understaffed which indicates that the retention of IUC staff is problematic; this can put additional pressure on the existing workforce, impact on staff morale and create logistical issues with managing annual leave entitlements or scheduling time for training.

This small-scale study highlights some of the complexities of telephone triage work and demonstrates the challenges for IUC service providers in retaining an appropriately skilled and motivated workforce.

To explore the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the UK National Health Service (NHS) and to examine how it may be developed to positively influence the psyche, behaviour and performance of NHS managers.

Primary research based upon semi‐structured individual face to face interviews with 20 NHS managers. Theoretical frameworks and concepts relating to organisational culture and CSR are drawn upon to discuss the findings.

The NHS managers see themselves as being driven by altruistic core values. However, they feel that the public does not believe that they share the altruistic NHS value system.

The study is based on a relatively small sample of NHS managers working exclusively in London and may not necessarily represent the views of managers either London‐wide or nation‐wide.

It is suggested that an explicit recognition by the NHS of the socially responsible commitment of its managers within its CSR strategy would help challenge the existing negative public image of NHS managers and in turn improve the managers' self esteem and morale.

This paper addresses the relative lacunae in research relating to public sector organisations (such as the NHS) explicitly including the role and commitment of its staff within the way it publicises its CSR strategy. This paper would be of interest to a wide readership including public sector and NHS policy formulators, NHS practitioners, academics and students.

This paper aims to report on a project undertaken in order to identify, develop and reflect on the leadership and managerial skills of clinicians. The main aim of the project was to design, plan, organise and deliver a learning session for Foundation Year 2 Doctors within the premises of one of the largest NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK. The key theme of the learning session was the introduction of the notion of competent medical leadership in the NHS. A leadership role has been traditionally seen as the task of managers and as such clinicians have seemed reluctant to engage.

A two hour workshop was designed and delivered with the use of Open Space Technology. Foundation Year 2 doctors were invited to consider the importance of leadership in their everyday roles. An awareness of the Medical Leadership Competency Framework had been a key aspect of the learning session.

The project's outcome can be identified as being the encouragement of Foundation Year 2 doctors in considering their roles as leaders in their everyday tasks.

Design, planning, organisation and delivery of a two hour Open Space learning session with the Foundation Year 2 doctors portrays the session's learning potentials and the potential for such sessions to provide a platform for difficult discussions in the NHS. This is particularly beneficial where a cultural shift is needed in order to see a way forward, notably when facing significant change.