Band 8b – Head of Governance and Patient Safety, Governance

Band 8b – Head of Governance and Patient Safety, Governance Overview

We are looking for a dedicated and experienced Head of Governance and Patient Safety to join our Governance Directorate. This senior leadership position is crucial for enhancing patient safety, quality governance, and organizational learning throughout the Trust. You will lead governance teams that support the Medicine, Outpatients, and Emergency Medicine Divisions, reporting directly to the Associate Director of Quality and Patient Safety.

Your role will involve implementing the NHS Patient Safety Strategy and the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), while promoting a culture of continuous improvement and learning. You will collaborate closely with clinical and operational leaders to ensure that governance systems are effective and focused on enhancing patient outcomes and experiences.

Main Duties

• Provide operational leadership for governance, patient safety, and risk management across the designated divisions.
• Drive the implementation of the NHS Patient Safety Strategy and PSIRF, ensuring robust systems for incident management and organizational learning.
• Collaborate with divisional leadership to oversee governance functions, including risk management, complaints, claims, clinical audits, and regulatory compliance.
• Offer expert governance and patient safety advice to senior leaders and support quality improvement initiatives.
• Lead the creation of high-quality assurance reports and provide governance support to senior committees and the Trust Board.
• Monitor governance performance and analyze patient safety information to inform decision-making.
• Manage a team of governance professionals and enhance quality governance and assurance arrangements across the organization.

About Us

Join us at an exciting time as we plan for a new hospital in Watford and work on updating facilities at St Albans City Hospital. We are committed to staff wellbeing and development, and we prioritize innovation in clinical care and patient experience. Our vision is to deliver excellent patient care together, guided by our values of empowerment, compassion, professionalism, and inclusivity.

Requirements

• A degree in a relevant field or equivalent senior-level experience.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development in patient safety.
• Experience in a patient safety-related role with a solid understanding of improving patient safety in health systems.
• Knowledge of the NHS patient safety strategy, including the PSIRF, and its implementation.
• Extensive understanding of quality governance and risk systems at various organizational levels.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and manage competing priorities effectively.
• Experience in leading quality governance and risk systems at service, divisional, or corporate levels.
• Familiarity with safeguarding and legal duties expected of NHS organizations.

Benefits

• Salary range of £68,852 to £79,638 per year, including High Cost Area Supplement.
• Permanent contract with full-time working hours.
• Flexible working options to support work-life balance.
• Opportunities for professional development and ongoing training.
• Participation in the Trust’s on-call arrangements may be required.

If you have a disability or long-term health condition and need support, please contact [email protected]. We encourage applications from individuals requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship, which will be considered alongside all other applications.

Degree Requirement: Bachelor’s

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