HLA Scholars Programme Application Portal 2025-2026
NHS England North East
Applications for the HLA Scholar’s Programme 2025-2026 are now open and are reviewed on a rolling basis, with early applications reviewed first.
A limited number of seats are available for trainees from the NHS England North East region and applications submitted on or before the 31st of March 2025 will be considered for the September 2025 intake. Applications submitted after the above deadline will be reviewed for the 2026-2027 Scholar Year.
Applications that meet the standards required for admission into the HLA Scholarship Programme are accepted on a first-come basis.
About The Healthcare Leadership Academy
Thank you for your interest in the HLA Scholarship Programme. The health service has never needed decent and honest leadership more than it does at the present moment. The Healthcare Leadership Academy has been created to nurture, empower and support healthcare workers to become those future leaders. It is founded on a belief the health service is not inevitably one way or another. That things can in fact be changed and indeed changed very rapidly, if they are addressed by someone with sufficient confidence, knowledge and authority. It is these attributes that we will help you to develop.
Within the next few years, the HLA will spread onto three continents and we will recruit Scholars from over 50 countries. Our progress has only been made possible because of the extraordinary hard work of our community, the spirit of common purpose amongst our Scholars and the unity our Scholars find in their diversity.
You will find information within this portal covering what you need to know for your application, including frequently asked questions. If you have any further questions, please do reach out via this form: https://www.medics.academy/pages/contact-us
Meet our HLA Scholarship Alumni
Dr Christine Mitoko
As a 2022-2023 HLA Scholar from London in-person cohort Dr. Christine Mitokois a dedicated academic neurosurgeon in training, passionate about fostering diversity and equity in surgical practice and education. As a black woman navigating the challenges of a surgical career, she embraces resilience as both a personal strength and a tool for impactful change. At the Healthcare Leadership Academy, she enhanced her skills to lead both in the operating room and as a researcher committed to advancing patient care.
Her Scholar project, Surgin: The Lewin Programme, pays tribute to Monica Lewin, the first Jamaican woman to become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. In partnership with Melanin Medics and supported by the Royal College of Surgeons, the programme aims to build a mentorship community for aspiring and early-career surgeons of African and Caribbean heritage. By addressing the hidden curriculum of surgical success and promoting a workforce that reflects the diversity of the population it serves, Dr. Mitoko strives to create a more inclusive future for surgery.
A powerful advocate for representation and excellence, Dr. Mitoko draws inspiration from the transformative experiences she has shared at platforms such as the British Association of Black Surgeons and the Melanin Medics Change Maker conference. She believes that diversity not only strengthens patient care but also amplifies collective impact, guided by Maya Angelou's words, "I come as one but stand as ten thousand."
Through her leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to excellence, Dr. Mitoko is shaping a brighter and more inclusive future for the surgical field.
Ailsa Innes
As a 2022-2023 Scholar (Newcastle Cohort) at The Healthcare Leadership Academy, Ailsa Innes is a passionate advocate for sustainable healthcare, deeply committed to addressing the intersection of climate change and health. With climate change recognized by the WHO as humanity’s greatest health threat, Ailsa emphasizes the urgent need for healthcare systems to adapt to its devastating impacts, including increased mortality from malnutrition, heat stress, and diseases like malaria. She highlights the dual role of healthcare in this crisis—both as a field heavily impacted by climate change and as a significant contributor to carbon emissions. Ailsa underscores the NHS's responsibility, noting that its emissions surpass those of all Heathrow Airport departures, and supports the NHS’s ambitious commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2040.
Ailsa advocates for sustainable practices within the NHS, emphasizing the importance of leadership in driving systemic change. She believes that creating healthcare solutions with a 'triple bottom line'—balancing environmental, social, and economic costs—is essential for a sustainable future. Ailsa calls for leaders to pioneer and standardise sustainable practices, ensuring that healthcare providers can focus on patient care without compromising the well-being of future generations. Her work aligns with the vision of an NHS that not only serves its current population but also remains resilient and sustainable for years to come.
Oliver Kennion
Oliver Kennion is a healthcare professional and advocate for improving communication and collaboration within the NHS, particularly in the context of healthcare technology and IT systems. With a keen interest in the intersection of technology and healthcare, Oliver has explored numerous government and NHS reports that outline ambitious visions for the future of the NHS. However, he emphasizes that achieving these goals requires addressing the current communication barriers and inefficiencies that hinder progress. Oliver is particularly focused on creating open channels for engagement and collaboration, ensuring that all voices within the healthcare community are heard and valued.
As a 2022-2023 Scholar (Newcastle Cohort) at The Healthcare Leadership Academy, Oliver is developing the leadership skills and insights needed to drive meaningful change in the healthcare sector. His vision is to foster environments where communication thrives, enabling shared understanding and collective action to improve working conditions and patient outcomes. By prioritizing open dialogue and shared goals, Oliver aims to bridge the gap between aspiration and implementation, ensuring that the NHS is equipped to meet the challenges of both the present and the future.
Dr Asha Thomson
Dr Asha Thomson (HLA Scholar 2020-2021) is a Speciality Dentist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Senior Clinical Teacher in Oral Surgery at KCL. She was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Honours List during her HLA year. She is the Chair of Dental Leadership Alumnus NHS England Midlands and East.
Dr Olamide Dada
Dr Olamide Dada set up the ‘Melanin Medics’. When applying to Medical School, she had struggled to find a platform that provided support and advice as a student of Afro-Caribbean descent. Having been successful in her application, Olamide realised that she had the opportunity to fill this gap and pursued it. She now would like to use the ‘Melanin Medics’ platform as a way of encouraging and motivating young people of Afro-Caribbean descent to realise the greatness within themselves and ensure that prospective medical students have the support they need in order to pursue a career in medicine. She received the Rare Rising Star Award at the House of Commons having been recognised as one of the Top 10 Black students in the UK. She was also recognised as one of the Top 100 Future Leaders 2018 and welcomed to No.10 Downing Street as a result. Olamide was named as a recipient for the Akindolie Medical Scholarship awarded to minority ethnic medical students with strong leadership potential. Olamide is also an alumnus of the Healthcare Leadership Academy, Fellow of the Institute of Leadership & Management and sits on the GMC Equality and Diversity advisory board as a member. She is also passionate about racial equality, leadership, widening participation and promoting good health behaviours particularly amongst minority groups.
Dr Jacob Oguntimehin
Dr Jacob Oguntimehin established The Aspiring Medic’s Support (TAMS) to assist students from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds on their medical journeys, and in just three years has made a huge impact in the UK reaching in excess of 3,000 students in more than 100 schools. The organisation was founded in 2018 by Dr Jacob Oguntimehin, a former student at Keele’s School of Medicine, who is also an Academic Foundation Doctor at the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, and a Healthcare Leadership Academy (HLA) Scholar. The Covid-19 pandemic marked a pivotal year for the organisation as it introduced novel ways of developing its outreach programmes remotely, and within months it went from reaching tens of students per month to hundreds and grew from a team of four to 20.
Dr Jahangir Alom
Dr Jahangir Alom is an award-winning emergency medicine doctor. During the early stages of his career, he set up an organisation that encouraged and mentored young people from underrepresented backgrounds to consider a career in the NHS. He has worked with the UK Medical Schools Council and Health Education England (now NHS England) to improve widening participation in medicine.
Jahangir is the Programme Director of an international charity, Selfless UK, which delivers evidence-based global health projects in rural Bangladesh. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jahangir was appointed to the Chief People Officer's clinical advisory group and later joined NHS England as the National Clinical Lead for the Staff COVID-19 Vaccination Programme. He has spent a 4-year term on the British Medical Association's (BMA) Council.
Jahangir is an expert in health inequalities and has provided commentary on BBC Newsnight, BBC News, BBC Question Time, SkyNews, Channel 4 and CNN.
Raluca Oaten
Raluca Oaten (HLA Scholar 2020-2021) is an intensive care nurse, and associate lecturer at Oxford Brookes University and is an alumna of the Council’s Student Leadership Programme (#150leaders). Raluca is a new clinician, driven to bring change in the healthcare system and support the development of healthcare students. Raluca’s varied interests and involvements brings diversity of thinking and a fresh outlook on national and international healthcare priorities. Raluca is the Vice President and Midlands Hub lead of Phi Mu Chapter, Sigma, an International Nursing Leadership Organisation. Raluca was the only nursing student invited to be part of the NHS People’s plan Advisory panel, of which she is still a member.
Dr Kieran Robinson
Dr Kieran Robinson is a Senior Paramedic based in the East of England. He first developed an interest in Leadership through his role as an Area Manager for St John Ambulance. After completing his HLA Scholar year (2019-2020), Kieran has been Assistant Director of the Newcastle cohort and a Cohort Director of one of our London cohorts.
Kieran attended Edinburgh University to complete his MSc in Critical Care and hopes to complete additional clinical training to become a Critical Care Paramedic with an Air Ambulance service before taking on further clinical leadership roles in the workplace. Kieran currently works for a private ambulance service as a Clinical Team Educator, helping to develop future ambulance clinicians.
Our History
Founded in 2016, the HLA Scholarship recognises and develops healthcare students and professionals with outstanding leadership potential. Our alumni include exceptional nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, paramedics, dieticians, radiographers, physician associates, dentists, doctors, therapists, and allied healthcare professionals. The HLA started in London and has since rapidly spread with cohorts in Newcastle, Bristol, Belfast, Edinburgh, Amsterdam and Queensland. Although a majority of our Scholars are from Europe, many others are located across the world with individuals attending our virtual cohorts this last year whilst living in regions ranging from Ethiopia to Singapore, and from Japan to Siberia.
The HLA is a member of the Council of Deans of Health in the UK and supported by Medics.Academy, which as a member of AdvanceHE ensures our facilities have access to robust training and standards in education. The HLA is commissioned by NHS England, previously Health Education England through specific work with Health Education England North East and Health Education England South West. Through our partners at Medics.Academy, we work with institutions across the globe including the World Health Organisation, the UK House of Lords, the UK Government, Health Education England and Amnesty International, as well as universities ranging from University College London, University of Glasgow, University of Ulster, University of Cumbria, University of Central Lancashire, Queen Mary, University of London, Buckingham New University, through to the University of Queensland in Australia, University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka and Mekelle University in Ethiopia. Those who complete the programme are eligible for membership or Fellowship of the HLA (MHLA/FHLA).
In this cycle of applications to our internationally celebrated HLA Scholars programme, we are proud to announce we are offering even more places to outstanding applicants across the medical, nursing and allied health professions.
Cohorts
Our Scholar’s Programme starts in September each year. The cohorts have contact sessions either in one of our centres or through virtual global cohorts to allow cross-continental cohorts with Scholars collaborating from all over the world. There are approximately 10-15 Scholars per cohort. Cohorts are designed to be interdisciplinary, with healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds, countries and professional interests. More information on the cohort dates can be found within the portal.
Are there any costs associated with the programme?
The HLA programme is free at the point of access. The programme is projected to cost £5000 in 2025 with that cost covered through scholarships funded by partners. If you are successful in the selection process, Scholars do not have any programme fees associated with the programme. All travel/accommodation costs and costs of Internet and access are covered by the Scholar themselves.
We are very grateful to Namita Kumar, Aly Williamson and their team at NHS England North East and Jane Thurlow, Anne Elliott and the team at NHS England, Severn Deanery, as well as Louise Dubras for supporting the establishment of HLA in Northern Ireland, and our partners Medics.Academy, who facilitate our ability to offer up to 100 scholarships each year. We only award scholarships to those deemed appointable and we believe will benefit and succeed in the programme. Many years, despite several thousands starting the application process, less than 60 individuals may complete the programme successfully across the globe.
Who can apply?
The limited seats for the HLA Scholarship programme will be open for NHS England North East trainees (ST1/CT1/IMT1 & above) who will be required to be in an active training position within the region at the point of the start of the programme and throughout.
All ST1, CT1, IMT1 and above trainee doctors and dentists in the North East region are eligible to apply for the HLA Scholarship Programme under the NHS England North East Bursary programme.
Can you apply whilst also studying at another institution?
Yes. Enrolling into the HLA Scholarship programme is permitted whilst studying at other institutions including universities. Joining the HLA does not contravene normal university requirements for you to avoid enrolling into more than one university programme at once, as the HLA is a non-profit social purpose institution rather than a university.
How long is the programme?
The programme takes the form of 8 mandatory contact days over a 12-month period. Our experience is that your hospitals, universities or institutions will provide study leave if requested ahead of time. We provide supporting letters as required. All contact dates for the coming year have been set to allow Scholars to arrange leave in time.
Scholars also study written and recorded leadership theory content via our Scholar portal for around one hour each week during the Scholar year.
Can you choose to attend online or in person?
You can choose to attend an in-person cohort in one of our education sites across London, Newcastle, Buckinghamshire, and Leeds, or an online global cohort that will be conducted entirely through live online contact days.
What will the training cover?
The programme is mapped against the United Kingdom’s National Health Service Leadership Framework and covers the 6 domains of The Healthcare Leadership Academy curriculum:
What is expected of Scholars?
Scholars will be expected to develop a project of their own choosing over the course of their year. Previous projects have reached national prominence, winning prizes, publications and presentations at national events. We host celebrations of Scholar’s projects at venues including the House of Lords, Amnesty International and our university partners. Participants will also have opportunities to be introduced to key leaders and individuals that will help challenge their thinking and support them in the development of their work and careers.
Three mandatory elements are required in July to complete your Scholar year:
Organisation: NHS England North East
The NHS England North East regional team aim to facilitate all doctors in training to reach their full potential in all areas, including the generic professional skill of leadership. NHS England North East is delighted to offer a range of extended learning opportunities funded by NHSE Education North East. These programmes offer a variety of learning styles and durations and have been carefully selected to provide a diverse choice.
The HLA Scholarship Programme and the HLA Intermediate Level One Programme are 2 leadership funded by NHS England North East and available for all trainees within the region to apply as part of their leadership development.