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Dr Erum Jamall is a consultant paediatrician, with sub-specialty accreditation in paediatric emergency medicine. She is currently the Divisional Medical Director for Women's, Children and Core Services at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust.
Build partnerships
A key theme in our discussion was the importance of viewing medical management as an essential part of trust leadership, particularly by building networks and collaborating across stakeholders. Strong partnerships between clinicians and managers lead to better decisions, stronger relationships and improved service delivery.
Embrace the challenges
Erum shared her experiences of leading during the COVID‑19 pandemic, including the challenge of bringing three trusts together and managing the uptake of flow in the paediatric emergency department. I was surprised to hear that, despite the pressure, she found the work deeply rewarding, highlighting how even the toughest environments can offer an opportunity for meaningful growth.
It was rapid, it was fast paced, and for the first time in a while, it felt like I had a voice and I could do things, and I could implement changes and impact care in a bigger way than I could ever possibly do as just a consultant in a department.
How to overcome tensions in the workplace
We discussed in detail the challenge in shifting from clinical to managerial roles, which can result in feelings of imposter syndrome and a fear of losing credibility. When I asked how Erum overcomes the barriers between clinicians and managers, she noted the importance of self-belief, collaboration, and supportive networks:
And the way you break that down is by...making sure you are visible, making sure that you are available, making sure that you talk to people and hear from them continuously and regularly so that you can nip in the bud grievances and issues that are arising before they turn into that perfect storm or volcano that erupt.
Diversity strengthens us
Finally, Erum emphasised the importance of diverse and inclusive leadership, nothing that varied perspectives strengthen teams and improve outcomes.
But how can we facilitate this? She had two suggestions:
- managers can actively make an effort to employ team members from different backgrounds and signpost them towards growth opportunities
- teams can encourage peer mentorship between staff to exchange ideas and ways of working
It was a thought-provoking conversation that offered reassurance and honest insight for anyone aspiring to NHS trust leadership.
How do you implement collaboration and diversity in your leadership style?