Spotlighting Health's Female Leaders: Dr Louise Wood
Please introduce yourself, including your role within your organisation, and a short overview of your career path.
Dr Louise Wood, Director of Science Research & Evidence and at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Deputy CEO of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). I trained as a PhD basic scientist, then joined the civil service working initially for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, with four years on its board, and then the Department of Health and Social Care, with a period on secondment at the Association of Medical Research Charities as its director of policy and public affairs. I have been privileged to hold a series of national roles - all dedicated to excellent science, enabling a healthier society and driving economic prosperity.
"I have learnt never to underestimate the effort and attention needed to ensuring that supporters of the new play their full part as advocates for change."
What has been the biggest leadership lesson in your career?
Several of my roles have involved establishing and leading organisations or programmes de novo and that is something I really enjoy. I have always found Niccolò Machiavelli, the 16th century Italian diplomat and political theorist, had many wise views to share in his book The Prince. On innovation he said “there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Because the innovator has for enemies all those who have done well under the old conditions, and lukewarm defenders in those who may do well under the new”. From experience I have found this to be generally true and have learnt never to underestimate the effort and attention needed to ensuring that supporters of the new play their full part as advocates for change.
How do you make sure your work is inclusive of others?
Inclusivity is vital to ensuring organisational culture, strategy and operational plans are shaped by a diversity of thought and lived experience. I have benefitted from participating in DHSC's reverse mentoring scheme where I have learnt, and been challenged by, mentors from ethnic minority backgrounds and people who identify as neurodiverse. I am currently a mentor on the cross-government CATAPULT mentoring scheme which aims to support staff from less privileged backgrounds to realise their full potential to help build confidence, aspiration and support career progression.
We appointed a Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity in NIHR last year to support us taking a proactive, structured and evidence-based approach to improving EDI across all our activities. This includes: the people who shape our research priorities; those who sit on our funding panels and act as peer reviewers; the people who participate in studies we fund and support; those who are awarded research or personal academic training awards and the people in the NIHR Co-ordinating Centres.
What advice would you share with the female HealthTech leaders of tomorrow?
For most patients, service users and clinicians, technologies are a tool to achieve a desired outcome not an end in themselves (which is not to say our sector does not have its share of technophiles!). Keep their needs and the patient journey at the forefront of your thinking and planning, really testing that your team are meeting their needs not what they assume are the needs. You may be surprised by the wisdom and insights those conversations with the potential users yield.
What advice would you share with those who want to support the female HealthTech leaders of tomorrow?
- Aid visibility of the work and contributions of women, actively seeking their views in meetings and promoting their participation in sector events.
- Be generous in sharing your networks.
- Help them find a sponsor in your organisation or elsewhere and support them to become Board ready.
- Consider working practices in your organisations to avoid disadvantaging those with caring responsibilities.
Dr Louise Wood, Director of Science Research & Evidence and at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Deputy CEO of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).