Perceptions of the impact of an advanced training programme on the management skills of health professionals in Gauteng, South Africa

Background: South Africa’s health sector spans the private and the public sectors. Within the sectors, health managers take on strategic leadership roles without formal training in management or leadership – a trend more common in the public sector than the private sector. Health managers are selected based on their clinical skills rather than their leadership or management skills. Objective: To compare self-rated competencies in management and leadership before and after training of the participants; to assess participants’ experience of the training programme; and to evaluate the management and leadership skills of the participants after training. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive analytical method and 360° interviewing were used in this study. Participants were evaluated ~18 months after completion of the training programme. A 360° evaluation (360° E) of six of the 12 leadership/management competencies was done with the supervisors, colleagues, and subordinates of the participants. Results: All participants rated themselves as improved in 12 managerial and leadership competencies. The 360° E affirmed five of these competencies as improved, with the ability to create and implement a marketing plan rating poorly. Conclusion: Training in management leads to improvement in both leadership and managerial skills of health professionals