Beginnings, endings and on to new beginnings

Charlie Brown, CEO The Staff College: Leadership in Healthcare

10 July 2025

The final Staff College blog

There are many ‘finals’ to contend with at the moment for Staff College. The final programme is in sight at the end of this month. The final Board meeting. The final stages of the closure plan - the list goes on…

As we start to move towards the end, it seems only fitting to reflect on the story of Staff College’s ‘charity era.’ An opportunity to celebrate the potential of leadership and the influence of under-dogs.

I return to the beginning of this particular chapter. It was 2016…

The NHS Staff College (Staff College) was a small bold project hosted at UCLH with a mission to develop better leaders for the NHS. A unique faculty of military leaders, medics and executive coaches had collaborated to create a provocative and experiential approach to leadership development. Over 1,250 leaders had benefited. In a time laden with echoes of the economic challenge of this year, Staff College had been informed its future was not to be at the Trust.

A decision needed to be made. Just move on with our lives? Or find a new way to enable us to continue the good fight.

Amongst the team, we were not united about the way forwards. A small resolute group of us believed that the value in the approach and its impact on leaders was worth the gamble of going for independence. But whatever form it might take in the future, it needed someone prepared to lead it.

A few short months later, Staff College the charity was born. It had no money. No funding streams. And just my time loaned to the organisation to ‘run it’ for a year before we could attract a ‘proper leader’ to take it on.

It was a simple premise: we had one year to become a sustainable organisation.

It felt an immensely difficult challenge.

And a big personal gamble to take. Why I would consider it in place of a 'safe NHS job' mystified family and friends alike.

But, having spent eight years working in the NHS, I cared deeply about developing better leaders. Staff College had a reputation for delivering programmes that actually made a difference to those who attended. I believed we had enough talented individuals with the will to deliver them again given the opportunity.

Those early months were frantic, heady, and at times utterly over-whelming. Painfully slowly we started to build momentum. From the talent unleashed by the former version of Staff College closing, I brought together the foundations of a new faculty. And (somehow!) encouraged other great leaders and coaches to join us.

We were motivated by a shared purpose and love of the work. With a strong camaraderie, work ethic, and energy (you’ll know what I mean if you’ve ever encountered Staff College folk at work!)

Touched by their experience on our previous programmes, members of alumni started to come forwards with requests for bespoke programmes for their organisations. New Staff College programmes started to be designed and delivered.

We focussed on doing what we do well. Learning. And doing better next time.

Through patience, perseverance and grit, we developed a national footprint, worked with the willing and grew our reputation for delivering highly impactful programmes. Five years and a global pandemic later we delivered programmes to leaders in every region in England for the first time. And mastered our first international virtual programme to leaders in India, Africa and the UK. Many moments worthy of celebration.

As an independent organisation, we were well placed to challenge the status quo. We encouraged thousands of healthcare leaders to think and behave like leaders with choices, responsibility and a moral obligation to act. To use their deepening awareness of themselves, others and systems to influence more effectively in the pursuit of improving services. To care.

Staff College’s story of humble beginnings is testament to the power of what can be achieved with courage and leadership. But its success is down to the power of teams, followership and the commitment of a few good people who care, know and can.

From beginnings to endings, I suppose this draws me to the decision to close the charity. Faced with an existential financial challenge, it became increasingly clear it was too great to reliably overcome. Choosing to make an active decision while we could still do right by our people and deliver on our commitments was tough. Certainly one of the hardest professional decisions I’ve had to make. But it was by far the best of an increasingly limited set of options.

Despite the bleak context and rough seas, I was determined not to ‘just’ let the organisation close. Committed to doing whatever was possible to create the conditions for new Staff College-based programmes to continue into the future. Much of the work here since, whilst contending with leading a complex closure plan for the charity through to the end, has been about making that intention a reality. None of which would have been possible without the hard work and support of Cheryl Evans, our long-serving Operations Manager (and fixer of all problems!) And dedication of the faculty. The Staff College spirit has shone through its collective and individual response in the face of adversity!

The difficulty with this leadership thing is that if you do it well, you care about what you do. Care about doing it well. And love the people you bring around you to do it with. And so, as we close this chapter, the ending hurts…

But despite the hurt and grief of this period, I remain eternally grateful for the opportunity to have led Staff College. Still somewhat amazed at all that we’ve managed to achieve over the years and hugely proud of all we’ve done - together and against the odds. And in my own way, proud of the way this chapter is ending.

And with every ending comes a new beginning...



Want to know more about the next chapter?

At Staff College, we’re known for the quality and experience of our multi-disciplinary faculty of clinical leaders, military leaders, executive coaches and leadership academics. Leaders who have led at a senior level and have extensive experience developing leaders. While the charity is closing, our faculty will continue to design and deliver Staff College-based programmes on an independent basis, long into the future.

You can find out more and get in touch directly with Staff College faculty members here.