Head of Patient Safety

Job Summary

This role offers the opportunity to join the Patient Safety team at Health Innovation East and to lead the delivery of quality improvement programmes aligned with NHSEngland’s National Patient Safety Strategy. The post holder will make a measurable difference to patient outcomes while contributing to wider health and care service improvement.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and programme oversight for the programme portfolio, ensuring successful outcomes and delivery of projects.
• Ensure robust project management processes are in place, including governance, scope definition, initiation documents, milestones, deliverables, risks and issues logs, and other key artefacts.
• Manage and deliver the programme portfolio within agreed budgets, ensuring compliance with organisational financial policies and procedures.
• Support the Director of Programmes & QI in establishing effective resource utilisation processes across the organisational project delivery function.
• Lead communications and engagement activities relevant to the programmes, liaising with national, regional and local stakeholders and system partners to raise awareness and support delivery.
• Line‑manage senior improvement leads and clinical staff as agreed with the Director of Programmes & QI.

Key Relationships

• Internal: Collaboration with all Health Innovation East employees and relevant cross‑departmental partners.
• External: Build relationships with NHS trusts, foundation trusts, Integrated Care Systems, Boards, NHS England, other Health Innovation Networks, the Care Quality Commission, local government, third‑sector organisations, and patient advisory groups/services.

Corporate Duties

• Support the organisation in fostering a risk‑managed environment and promoting high health and safety standards for employees.
• Comply with data protection laws and the company data protection policy and procedures.
• Participate in the appraisal process and support a collaborative, innovative, and positive leadership culture.
• Promote equal opportunities and affirm that staff, colleagues, patients and others are afforded equality of treatment and opportunities.
• Observe the Equality and Diversity policy in every aspect of work, avoiding discriminatory behaviour.
• Work with others appropriately to achieve organisational goals and comply with the Health Innovation East values and behaviours.

Person Specification

Essential Skills

• Excellent written communication skills; able to produce clear, concise reports.
• Ability to explain improvement approaches and methodologies, particularly distinguishing performance from improvement data.
• Excellent oral communication, presentation, and negotiation skills; confident presenting to large groups.
• Strong prioritisation and deadline‑setting skills, functioning effectively under pressure with competing demands.
• Proven track record of successful project and programme delivery.
• Capability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Advanced proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Project, and Excel.
• High emotional intelligence for working with a wide range of partners.

Desirable Skills

• Advanced data skills, particularly around measurement for improvement methodology and interpretation.

Essential Experience

• Experience line‑managing staff.
• Evidence of leading programmes and projects at scale.

Essential Qualifications

• Degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
• Qualification in quality improvement methodologies or equivalent senior‑level experience.
• Evidence of continuous personal development, including project and programme management.

Essential Knowledge

• Extensive knowledge of applying quality improvement technologies within healthcare settings.
• Highly developed understanding of the NHS (politically, regionally and locally).
• Awareness of strategic challenges facing the NHS and the wider health and care system, with a working knowledge of the Eastern region preferred.

Essential Disposition/Aptitude

• Ability to work independently and organise workload, allocating tasks as necessary.
• Ability to work both autonomously and within a small team.
• Adaptability and flexibility to cope with uncertainty and change.
• Ability to travel within the region and occasionally to national meetings (London, Birmingham, Manchester).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer Details

Health Innovation East

Unit C, Magog Court, Shelford Bottom, Cambridgeshire, CB22 3AD, United Kingdom

Website

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