Musbahi, A., McCulla, A., & Ramsingh, J. (2022).
Leadership in health services (Bradford, England)
https://doi.org/10.1108/LHS-02-2022-0011
Abstract
Purpose: The COVID 19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the importance of leadership and the ethics of health-care leadership. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of COVID 19 on ethical leadership principles using a validated quantitative survey of NHS leaders to compare pre- and post-pandemic ethical leadership principles.
Design/methodology/approach: This study involved a quantitative survey of NHS "leaders". Inclusion criteria included consultants and registrars leading clinical teams, or NHS managers, senior nurses and matrons. The survey was designed as a modification of the Ethical Leadership Questionnaire proposed by Langlois et al. (2013). A modification was made to ask questions from the questionnaire pertaining to before the pandemic and presently. This allowed a comparison of responses and measures of ethical leadership qualities before and after the pandemic. Twenty-three questions were on attitudes pre-pandemic, and 23 were post-pandemic.
Findings: A total of 79 responses were received. Responses were divided for analysis into those related to an ethics of care dimension, those related to ethics of justice and those related to the ethics of critique. This study has found significant changes in attitudes of health-care leaders with regards to the ethics of critique. Leaders were more likely post-pandemic to speak out against injustice and unfair practices. Leaders were also more concerned with matters of human dignity as well as understanding how some groups may be privileged. Other ethical principles showed no statistical difference.
Originality/value: This paper highlights the changes the COVID-19 pandemic has had on leaders' attitudes to ethics.
Here are some thoughts:
Key findings suggest a shift in leaders' attitudes towards the "ethics of critique." Leaders became more vocal against injustice and unfair practices, demonstrating increased concern for human dignity and understanding of privilege dynamics. However, no significant changes were observed in other ethical dimensions like "ethics of care" or "ethics of justice."
While the pandemic didn't demonstrably alter overall views on ethical leadership, it did heighten awareness of social context and its influence on good leadership. Leaders prioritized staff well-being and addressed social and workplace inequalities, aligning with movements like Black Lives Matter and tackling issues like PPE shortages and staffing crises.
Overall, the study highlights the pandemic's influence on healthcare leadership, particularly in fostering a more critical and socially conscious approach to ethical decision-making. Leaders emerged more likely to challenge injustices and advocate for fairness, while remaining committed to core ethical principles of care and justice.
