Understanding strategy, change and leadership in UK health and social care

Purpose – This paper seeks to explore the relevance of strategy in health and social care. In particular, it aims to look at contrasting perspectives, generally related to either planned or emergent change. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is literature based and conceptual and, as such, makes use of methods associated with a literature review. Evidence is utilised from a general literature search on strategy, alongside policy-specific and documentation. Findings – A critical commentary on strategy in health and social care, from an historical perspective, is presented. It suggests that strategy in the context of recent reforms in health and social care is more likely to be characterised as emergent, and processual. It also offers an insight into the leadership implications of different approaches to strategy. Originality/value – The paper makes a connection between general ideas about strategy and their relevance in a particular context, i.e. health and social care