Our coaching programme aims to guide and challenge you during and beyond times of workforce, organisational or service change. We can support your role and service development, and help you to meet work challenges.

According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, coaching can be defined as

"developing a person's skills and knowledge so that their job performance improves, leading to the achievement of organisational, personal and team objectives. It targets high performance and improvement at work, and focuses on specific skills and goals."

If your answer to any of the questions below is 'yes', Macmillan's coaching programme could be of real benefit to you:

• Are you in a period of transition, perhaps due to changes to your team, the service you provide, your organisation or role? Do you feel you need extra support in dealing with these changes?
• Do you feel like you are working harder while also being less productive?
• Do you want to improve your influencing and leadership abilities, but feel that a traditional training course would not meet your needs?
• Are you looking for your next career move but unsure of how to get there?

The programme consists of six two-hour coaching meetings, spread over approximately six months. Other organisations may only provide coaching for their most senior staff. But we feel strongly that coaching can benefit individuals at all points of their career. Our opportunity is therefore open to all levels, across all roles.

As part of our offer we will:

• Provide you with appropriate support to help develop your skills and knowledge, and increase your job satisfaction.
• Give you the time and space to reflect on your practice, think about specific work-based issues and talk through any anxieties in a safe and confidential environment.

• Base our coaching on clearly-defined objectives that you and your coach will both agree on and review regularly.
• Make sure your coaching takes place in a location convenient to you.
• Support you to gain the permission and cooperation of your line management/employer(s).

Some of the outcomes participants achieved in our pilot programme include improvements to their:

• leadership skills, confidence and assertiveness
• levels of motivation and job satisfaction
• relationships with colleagues
• work-life balance
• ability to handle conflict
• overall outlook
• self-awareness.

We ask that time booked with coaches be protected and that re-scheduling due to other work issues is avoided wherever possible.

We've recruited a number of coaches from a wide range of backgrounds. All our coaches have their own experiences and insights to draw upon, to help you reach your goals.

Some coaches will have a healthcare background, others will not. Many people find that working with a coach from outside their sector offers different insights; working with a coach from a healthcare background isn't a necessity.

Coaching is not a suitable replacement for clinical supervision. Coaching instead focuses on your personal, professional and career development.

You'll be able to view the coach biography database and select the coach in your local area that you feel would be the best fit for your development.

You'll then have the opportunity to arrange an introductory meeting at a time that suits you both. If after your introduction you or your chosen coach feel the match is not right, please contact us to select a more suitable coach.