Deputy Head of Healthcare – HMP Forest Bank
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Job overview
Deputy Heads of Healthcare support the Heads of Healthcare in the management and leadership of complex prison sites, ensuring 24/7 high‑quality clinical and operational care. The postholder is responsible for day‑to‑day operational management of all clinical services across the prison under delegated authority from the Head of Healthcare and may lead the development of a particularly complex delivery area. Responsibilities include managing service level agreements, monitoring performance, maintaining the highest standards of care and ensuring compliance with essential quality and safety standards. The postholder deputises for the Head of Healthcare when absent, attending and leading internal and external stakeholder meetings as required.
Main duties of the job
- Delegate responsibility from the Head of Healthcare for effective day‑to‑day operational management of all clinical services to maximise high‑quality healthcare delivery.
- Support the management of service level agreements and sub‑contracts, ensuring performance monitoring and the highest standards of patient care.
- Lead on QOF and HJIPs, providing support to the Clinical Coder and other health professionals or subcontractors/partners to guarantee accurate health‑care records of long‑term conditions.
- Deliver non‑judgemental, compassionate care within the financial framework, meeting CQC requirements and statutory responsibilities.
- Implement workforce development plans to provide staff with effective clinical supervision/apraisal, identifying training and development needs.
- Line‑manage senior staff, including senior clinical nursing staff and clinical leads, and provide clinical leadership to the full staff team.
- Facilitate the delivery of efficient and effective clinical services through recruitment, retention and development of multidisciplinary staff.
- Participate actively in the Governance Agenda, setting standards, measuring performance, managing clinical risk, identifying best practice and addressing remedial actions.
- Provide clinical expertise for the development of primary care, substance misuse and social care services within the prison.
- Ensure appropriate delivery of all clinical activity sessions and represent Spectrum as a senior leader at prison and healthcare meetings.
- Lead onsite contract and performance management, reporting and attendance at commissioner meetings.
- Drive improvement of clinical performance through continuous evaluation against target standards, training and development of staff and collaboration with external agencies.
- Chair local operational meetings, MDT meetings for complex patients, safety huddles and governance forums.
- Lead and coordinate the Clinical Audit Programme to evidence progressive improvements to clinical care.
- Implement incident and risk management through DATIX.
- Recruit effectively for vacant posts to minimise agency support.
- Ensure compliance with HR policies and liaise with HR and OD teams.
- Develop integrated working relationships with Offender Health departments.
- Communicate effectively with patients and their advocates, addressing access to services and service delivery standards.
- Ensure healthcare plays a proactive part in securing delivery of care in line with Her Majesty’s Prisons Inspectorate expectations.
Working for our organisation
BE THE DIFFERENCE IN HEALTHCARE
Join our team
We’re looking for passionate individuals to join our diverse and innovative team. Whether you are starting out in your healthcare journey or are an experienced professional seeking a new challenge, we have a role for you!
- Access to NHS Pension
- Time for you day (additional day off)
- Refer a friend scheme
- Training and Development opportunities
- Flexible Working
- Access to Employee Assistance and Health and Wellbeing programmes
- Up to 33 days annual leave
We have an ambition to become a truly lived experience inclusive employer, changing how we approach staff experience and value personal stories our colleagues bring with them.
We welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience, those who belong to LGBTQIA+ Community, people with a disability, neurodivergent applicants and people from BAME backgrounds.
Spectrum Community Health CIC provides a range of award‑winning healthcare services on behalf of the NHS, Local Authority Public Health services, and other partners across substance misuse, sexual health, and health and justice settings. As a not‑for‑profit social enterprise and Community Interest Company, our focus is centred on people – our patients, service users, staff and partners.
Detailed responsibilities
The postholder will perform the same responsibilities outlined above, ensuring high‑quality care delivery, governance, and continuous improvement.
Person specification
Qualifications
- Experienced RGN/RMN
- Evidence of clinical skill development and training
Knowledge
- Knowledge and understanding of the government’s offender health agenda
- Understanding of mental health service issues within the offender health environment, particularly in relation to the MH Act, the Justice System and Community mental health services
- Knowledge and understanding of the principles of clinical governance
- Knowledge of CQC and statutory requirements
Skills
- Evidence of leadership ability with demonstrable motivational and performance skills
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships across disciplines and organisations
- Effectively plan and prioritise own workload
- Good interpersonal skills and effective change management
- Effective communication and facilitation skills
- Ability to manage conflict sensitively and effectively
- Ability to write clear and concise reports, protocols etc. and present complex information
Legal and regulatory
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and will require a Disclosure and Barring Service submission.
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