Strong leadership is essential in health and social care. Leaders influence how teams work together, how decisions are made, and how care is delivered. Effective leadership supports safe practice, motivates staff, promotes inclusion, and helps services adapt to change while keeping people who use services at the centre of care.
This free leadership online course provides a practical introduction to leadership skills in health and social care. It explores leadership styles, self-awareness, communication, team motivation, ethical practice, and leading change, helping learners develop confidence and effectiveness in leadership roles.
Why Take This eLearning Course?
Leadership in health and social care is not limited to job titles. Anyone who influences others, supports colleagues, or contributes to decision-making plays a leadership role.
This free course will help you to:
- Understand leadership clearly: Learn what leadership means and how it differs from management.
- Improve care quality: See how effective leadership supports safe, high-quality, person-centred care.
- Develop self-awareness: Reflect on your strengths, values, and areas for development as a leader.
- Communicate with impact: Build trust, motivate others, and handle feedback constructively.
- Lead teams effectively: Support collaboration, inclusion, and motivation within teams.
- Act ethically and inclusively: Promote fairness, accountability, and equality in everyday leadership.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define leadership and explain the difference between leadership and management.
- Describe the purpose and value of leadership in health and social care settings.
- Identify different leadership styles and when they may be most effective.
- Reflect on personal leadership strengths, values, and development needs.
- Use effective communication to build trust and motivate others.
- Apply active listening and constructive feedback in leadership situations.
- Understand how teams develop and how leaders support collaboration and inclusion.
- Use motivation theories to support team performance.
- Apply structured decision-making and problem-solving approaches.
- Recognise the importance of ethical, inclusive, and values-based leadership.
Leadership Skills in Health and Social Care Course Outline
Module 1: Leadership in a Health and Social Care Context
Learners will explore what leadership means within health and social care and how it differs from management. This module explains the purpose and value of leadership in care services, introduces different leadership styles, and highlights how effective leadership influences quality of care, team performance, and service outcomes.
Module 2: Self-Awareness in Leadership
This module focuses on self-awareness as a foundation of effective leadership. Learners will reflect on their own leadership strengths and areas for development, explore how personal values and beliefs influence leadership behaviour, and understand the role of self-reflection and ongoing professional development in leadership practice.
Module 3: Effective Communication for Leaders
Learners will examine the role of communication in leadership. This module covers verbal, non-verbal, and written communication, how leaders use communication to build trust and motivate others, common barriers to communication, and practical examples of active listening and constructive feedback.
Module 4: Team Leadership and Motivation
This module explores how leaders support and develop effective teams. Learners will examine the stages of team development, ways to promote collaboration and inclusion, key motivation theories linked to leadership, and practical approaches to managing and resolving conflict within teams.
Module 5: Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
Learners will explore decision-making and problem-solving in leadership roles. This module explains the steps involved in effective decision-making, the importance of using evidence and staff input, common workplace problem-solving models, and the potential impact of poor decisions on service users and staff.
Module 6: Ethical and Inclusive Leadership
This module focuses on ethical leadership in health and social care. Learners will explore how leaders promote equality, diversity, and inclusion, maintain fairness, respect, and accountability, and act as positive role models for ethical and professional practice.
Module 7: Leading Change
The final module examines leadership during times of change. Learners will explore reasons for change in care environments, common staff reactions to change, ways leaders can support teams through transitions, and how strong leadership contributes to successful and lasting change.
Target Audience
This course is suitable for:
- Health and social care workers at all levels.
- Team leaders, supervisors, and senior care staff.
- Aspiring leaders preparing for leadership roles.
- Registered managers and service leads.
- Learners studying leadership or management in care settings.
No prior leadership qualification is required. The course is accessible, practical, and relevant across a wide range of health and social care environments.
FAQ
What does the course cover?
The course covers leadership styles, self-awareness, communication, team leadership, decision-making, ethics, inclusion, and leading change.
Is this course relevant to UK health and social care?
Yes. The content reflects UK health and social care values, standards, and leadership expectations.
Is the course practical?
Yes. It focuses on real-life leadership situations and skills you can apply immediately.
How long does the course take?
The course is self-paced and typically takes 1 hour to complete.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. A certificate is provided on successful completion.
Is this course CPD accredited?
Courses are not currently CPD accredited, but accreditation is planned.
Effective leadership supports confident teams, safer services, and better outcomes for people who use care. By developing your leadership skills, you can make a positive difference to your workplace and the quality of care provided.
Join this course today and build your leadership skills in health and social care.
Leadership Skills in Health and Social Care Training Course CPD Accredited and Government Funding
We’re working on getting this Leadership Skills in Health and Social Care Training Course CPD accredited, and any course that’s approved will be clearly labelled as CPD accredited on the site. Not every health and social care course has to be accredited to help you meet CQC expectations – what matters is that staff are competent, confident and properly trained for their roles under Regulation 18. Our courses are built to support those requirements, and because they’re not government funded there are no eligibility checks or ID needed – you can enrol and start learning straight away.
