We have developed some ‘top tips’ for successful fellowships.  This is based on past evaluation of the programme and projects by previous fellows. This may be particularly useful as many supervisors are hosting a fellow for the first time, and fellows often don’t know what to expect from a year which is very different in nature to their usual clinical working patterns.  Things to consider are:

• Have a project-specific induction within the first week.  Fellows and supervisors should meet to establish the remit and purpose of the project, consider what the measures of success will be, and how the fellow’s week may be spent. This induction should also be used to discuss the fellow’s personal development needs and to identify strategies to achieve these.  We also suggest the fellow should reflect on their learning needs relating to EDI in leadership – some prompt questions are provided within the personal development plan (PDP) to help facilitate this.
• Ensure board level buy-in in your organisation: fellows are much more likely to achieve success with their project if appropriate senior leadership in their organisation are aware of, and supportive of the work.  Supervisors should make the chief executive/trust board aware of the fellowship and project in advance, and fellows should be encouraged to network with and shadow the executive team.
• Establish learning outcomes and a personal development plan within the first month and review this periodically during, and at the end of the fellowship year.  Fellows need to take responsibility for identifying their own learning needs, and your guidance and experience may be important here.  Appraisals at the start and end of the fellowship are also useful for those on secondment, who may have an appraisal date fixed for another time.  There is funding available for fellows to make use of the Leadership Academy's 360° feedback tool, which includes a two-hour facilitated feedback and coaching session.  It is strongly advised that fellows make use of this facility in the latter half of their year, leaving enough time so that they can work on any development points if they wish. 
• Fellows should be released to attend the FLP induction – for the 2024/25 cohort this will take place on Wednesday 7th August 2024.  They will also need to be released to attend the fellows’ bimonthly meetings, FLP courses offered to meet the fellow’s curriculum, and any other FLP activities of interest to the fellow (such as the FLP journal club, conference planning committee etc).
• For nursing, AHPs, pharmacy, health care scientists, SAS doctors and dentists: Appraisals or personal development reviews usually need to be submitted on a yearly basis.  Please advise the fellow as to whether they still need to complete their annual appraisal, in the format normally required from their Trust, at the set time that they usually complete it.
• For doctors, public health registrars and dentists in training only: On returning to programme all Fellows should have an ARCP appraisal by their home school. Fellows should pre-empt and prompt this to happen.
• Ensure you have regular supervision meetings: fellows who meet regularly with their supervisors have recorded better satisfaction and productivity during the year. Ensure that supervision focuses not only on the project, but also on the fellow’s personal development.
• If you are an ES and your role/circumstances change and/or you are no longer able to provide supervision, it is your responsibility to identify an alternative supervisor for your fellow.  We also ask that you notify the FLP team promptly if this is the case (england.futureleaders.yh@nhs.net). 
• A well-recognised model for learning and development is a 70:20:10 split: 70% spent on a work-based project; 20% spent on supportive relationships; and 10% spent on formal education.  In practice this typically translates to and may look like a 50:50 split between the project work and supplementary learning through academic study and personal reflective development.  It is recommended that expected work arrangements (in-person/hybrid/remote and flexible/asynchronous hours) and project specific details such as learning objectives and outputs are discussed early on between the supervisor and fellow.    
• In addition to their supervisors, fellows should be encouraged to seek out other mentors or other sources of supervision. This may be useful when the clinical background of the fellow differs from their supervisor. You may be able to help your fellow look for other sources of support and learning.
• To improve project momentum, it is important that the fellow meets with and discusses their plans with appropriate leads within their organisation (e.g. directors, chief executive) at an early stage.  You may be well placed to facilitate other senior executive introductions.
• Fellows should be encouraged to consider how best to promote their project.  We highly recommend that they attend the ‘Writing for publication’ course which is provided by the FLP.  ESs should consider how they want fellows to summarise their project at the end of the year, and should ensure any specific expectations are communicated clearly to the fellow.  
• Please remember that personal development during the fellowship is just as important as the project! Fellows should be encouraged to actively seek out opportunities for personal development and to engage with activities which facilitate this. 
• You are welcome to attend NHS England run Training the Trainer courses and Mentoring and Coaching workshops.  Please contact the FLP Learner Support & Faculty Development Coordinator for further information on england.futureleaders.yh@nhs.net
•  Other resources can be found at the NHS Leadership Academy and Faculty of Medical Leadership Management.