A leadership programme for all nurses and midwives from Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority backgrounds in England
Data from the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES) repeatedly shows that ethnic minority staff face systemic barriers to career progression and are underrepresented in senior roles. Sponsored by NHS England, this leadership programme is aiming to provide equity of access to leadership opportunities for nurses and midwives from Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority backgrounds.
Aims and objectives
The Windrush leadership programme supports the development of future senior leaders through a structured blend of leadership workshops, action learning sets, and a quality improvement project focusing on addressing health inequalities. Participants gain enhanced leadership skills, increased confidence, and practical tools to advance their careers while driving positive change in their organisations and improving outcomes for patients and colleagues alike
The programme aims to empower participants by helping them identify and refine their personal leadership style while enhancing their self-presence and personal impact. It seeks to deepen their understanding of how their actions influence others and build confidence in speaking up effectively.
You can read programme Alumni, Funke Adewoye’s blog, to find out more, here.
The leadership course was a complete package and truly transformational. I have taken that huge step to move out of the comfort zone, I dare say I am in the fear zone and it can be quite crippling as I take up a new role but with it also comes the excitement to learn new things, embrace more challenges and make impact.
Funke Adewoye, Practice Educator Nurse
Partner
Programme Structure
Day 1 – Welcome Day and Personality Preferences and Performance in Teams (Virtual)
Utilising Myer Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) we will explore how personality preference influence personal leadership styles and how awareness can enable the promotion of high performing teams.
Day 2 – Principles and Practice of Quality Improvement (Virtual)
An introduction to QI including approaches to leading change management and measuring impact.
Day 3 – Presentation of Self: Presence & Impact
Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts RADA (Face to Face)
Practical approaches to developing confidence and clarity in the delivery of key messages for a range of audiences including the media and senior stakeholders.
** Travel and any accommodation are not funded.
Day 4 and Day 5 – Influencing and Building Your Authority: (Virtual)
Development of leadership attributes which enable influence from ward to board. Specific consideration will be given to exploring the INA leader’s sphere of authority in relation to systems leadership and leading upwards.
Day 6 – Co-consulting masterclass: (Virtual)
This is a practical group coaching programme to enable participants to better support the psychological safety of their workforce. During this safe space, using the group coaching model known as co-consulting, participants will gain knowledge, skills and confidence to go on to facilitate co-consulting sessions in their own workplace.
Day 7 – Next Steps Day: (Virtual)
Participants are supported to reflect on their leadership journey so far and discuss next steps in their career pathway.
Day 8 – Celebration Event (Face to Face)
An opportunity to network, learn from others and celebrate the impact of the programme.
** Travel and any accommodation are not funded.
Additional information
- Each participant on the programme will be expected to undertake an improvement project focusing on health inequalities, which will enable them to apply their learning to practice (see FAQ section below).
- Selected participants will be asked to present their project at the Celebration Event.
- All participants will join the FNF alumni community and receive on going networking and leadership development opportunities through events, webinars, media engagement and policy thought leadership.
Important Details – please read before applying
Eligibility Criteria
To participate in the programme you must:
be a registered nurse or midwife with the NMC working within NHS England or independent providers who are contracted to provide NHS services.
be from a Black, Asian or Ethnic Minority background.
be practicing in England.
be a minimum of two years post qualification.
have an idea for an improvement project focusing on health inequalities.
Location
This is a hybrid programme and delivery will be through a mix of live virtual sessions and face-to-face in London. Details are included in the ‘programme structure’ section.
Cost
This programme is funded by NHS England and there is no cost to applicants or their employers, apart from any travel or other related costs.
Application process
Please tell us about the service you work within and your team
Please discuss your leadership achievements and how the FNF programme will enhance your leadership aspirations
How you will use the experience to improve health inequalities – outline of your proposed improvement/change project. Please note: your proposed project must in some way be connected to reducing health inequalities for you to be eligible for the programme (see below for more guidance on this question).
Upon application, you are required to include the following information:
Personal, employment and education information.
Support from your line manager or Chief Nurse with authorisation to join the programme (including their name, email and telephone number).
Please note before application:
You need to complete the form in one sitting – if you close the page before submission then any data you have entered will be lost.
Applications where the proposed project is not connected to reducing health inequalities will not be accepted.
Applications without line manager or Chief Nurse support will not be accepted.
Programme places are fully funded however any associated travel or accommodation must be covered by your employing organisation. Support from your line manager is acknowledgement of this statement.
You are able to share any accessibility or dietary requirements you have and we will do our best to meet these.
If you have any questions about applying for this programme, please contact us.
QI project – further details
A key part of this leadership programme is the Quality Improvement/Change project. The project will focus on enhancing the experience of people from a disadvantaged background accessing health services, through addressing health inequalities. You will need to provide details of your planned project in the application – in maximum 350 words.
There is a dedicated QI session as part of the leadership programme which will provide you with support and tools for carrying out the project.
You might want to consider the following points when submitting your application:
What is the problem? Describe a specific health inequality you have observed in your workplace, such as differences in access, outcomes, or patient experiences among disadvantaged groups. Explain who is most affected and what barriers they face.
Who are the relevant stakeholders? Identify the key people and groups involved, including patients, healthcare staff, leadership, community organisations, and policymakers. Consider who needs to be engaged to create meaningful change.
Brief description of your idea. Outline the change/s you are proposing to reduce health inequalities, such as improving access, redesigning services, offering targeted support, or increasing staff awareness and training.
Predicted benefits and measuring impact. Explain how your changes will improve healthcare for disadvantaged groups and how you will measure success—this could include better access, improved patient outcomes, or reduced disparities in care.
You will also be asked how your proposed project will impact the sustainability agenda: to consider its impact from a public health, environmental, financial, or socially responsible perspective.
Programme dates
Due to the number of places available, to keep groups small, there are two cohorts for the next Windrush leadership programme:
cohort one starting in April 2026
cohort two starting in June 2026
The full dates for each group are outlined below. If you are successful in securing a place, then you will be allocated to one of these two cohorts.
Timeline: cohort one
Applications open
Online form – details below
Applications close
Midday
Applicants notified of the outcome
By email
Welcome
Virtual
Quality Improvement session
Virtual
Personal Presence and Impact (RADA)
Face to face (London). One day only, you will be allocated a day when you start.
Influencing and Building Your Authority
Virtual – two days
Co-consulting Masterclass
Virtual
Next Steps
Virtual
Celebration Day
Face to face (London)
Timeline: cohort two
Applications open
Details below
Applications close
Midday
Applicants notified of the outcome
By email
Welcome
Virtual
Quality Improvement session
Virtual
Personal Presence and Impact (RADA)
Face to face (London). One day only, you will be allocated a day when you start.
Influencing and Building Your Authority
Virtual – two days
Co-consulting Masterclass
Virtual
Next Steps
Virtual
Celebration Day
Face to face (London)