Evolving Leadership in Healthcare: A Conversation with Caroline O’Regan

In this episode of Leading with Hearts and Minds, Marie Kilduff speaks with Caroline O’Regan, a respected leader in healthcare education and organisational development who has contributed significantly to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Caroline reflects on more than three decades of experience in leadership development—charting how the focus in healthcare has shifted from hierarchical management to a more inclusive, collaborative, and compassionate approach that values communication, empathy, and systems thinking.

They discuss:

• How leadership in healthcare has evolved over the decades
• The impact of Caroline’s work with RCSI on leadership education
• Preparing emerging leaders for complexity and change
• Why compassion and clarity remain at the heart of effective leadership

Presented by Marie Kilduff.

Produced by the National Clinical Leadership Centre for Nursing and Midwifery.