Applications for 2025/26 have now closed.
Sponsored by NHS England's Chief Sustainability Officer and managed by FMLM, the CSO scheme has been established to identify and support clinicians who want to develop as clinical leaders and sustainability champions of the future. It offers clinicians with a passion for sustainability a unique opportunity to develop their leadership skills and support the NHS to realise its net zero ambitions.
Those appointed to the scheme will work by engaging directly with the most senior leaders in the NHS, helping to embed net zero carbon principles across the healthcare system.
Recognising the unique contribution each clinical specialism can make in reaching net zero, the scheme is multi-professional and welcomes applications from allied health professionals, dentists, doctors in training [including public health registrars and SAS doctors], healthcare scientists, nurses, midwives and pharmacists. It is aimed at aspiring future clinical leaders that have not held senior leadership roles previously.
The NHS equality, diversity and inclusion improvement plan highlights that diverse teams working in inclusive environments have a better experience at work and are more effective at their jobs. if senior leadership in the NHS is to match the diversity of our wider workforce and the communities we serve. As a fellowship with the objective of developing current and future senior NHS leaders, we want to see an increase of successful applicants from groups underrepresented at those levels and welcome feedback about improving the accessibility of our recruitment process.
A message from Chris Gormley, Acting Chief Sustainability Officer, NHS England
What are the benefits of becoming a Clinical Fellow?
Clinical fellows will work closely with senior leaders and will have the opportunity to meet regularly with senior members of the Greener NHS team, wider NHS system partners and stakeholders.
Clinical fellows will lead on key projects that will fundamentally change the way that care is designed, developed and delivered across the system. Clinical fellows will gain an unparalleled understanding of sustainability principles as well as an essential range of leadership and management, policy development, project management, research and analysis, communications and collaboration skills.
Leadership development is supported through a comprehensive educational programme to enhance clinical fellows' leadership capabilities.
What are the learning aims of the role?
Practice-oriented, evidence-based, theory-informed
To develop clinical fellows’ leadership and management knowledge and skills through experiential learning, supported by relevant evidence, concepts and theories, so that they can ‘make a difference’ to healthcare delivery and advance their individual capability.
- To achieve a deeper insight into personal behaviors, leadership style and impact on others
- To enhance emotional and social intelligence
- To nurture and encourage personal agency
- To enhance effectiveness as reflective practitioners
Interprofessional and UK-wide
- To achieve a greater understanding of the wider context in which leaders operate across the healthcare system
- To bring clinical fellows from different schemes and professions together to work and learn from one another
- To support clinical fellows to work more effectively with colleagues in delivering and improving services for patients
Co-creative and collaborative
- To provide opportunities for co-creation and collaboration on system, service, quality improvement and professional development
- To support clinical fellows’ wellbeing and resilience
- To gain insights into the challenges of and ways to lead through complexity
- To develop a greater understanding of team-working and system leadership.
Inside the scheme
Hear from our former Fellows about how the scheme works in the video below (or watch here). Please note, the hosts mentioned in the video are from past schemes - hosts for 25/26 will be confirmed in April.
How do you apply to become a fellow?
Candidates may submit an application for a place on the scheme during the recruitment process each year. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed, and successful applicants are seconded from their current employer to take up a fellowship role for 12 months, starting 1 September.
Secondments are at the discretion of applicants’ substantive organisations and approval from substantive HR, finance and clinical directors should be sought alongside applications. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure they have the relevant permissions by application or interview stage.
Clinical Fellows who successfully complete their secondment will also have the opportunity to access discounted membership or fellowship from FMLM upon graduation.
Applications for 2025/26 have now closed.
Hosting a Clinical Fellow
Does your organisation have the capacity to host a Clinical Fellow and desire the opportunity to engage with some of the most talented clinicians in the UK, many of whom are likely to be the senior leaders of the future?
Found out more information on becoming a host organisation