Job overview
Are you passionate about patient safety and quality improvement? We are seeking a compassionate, collaborative, and visible leader to join our Trust as the Head of Patient Safety (Patient Safety Specialist). This is a senior role, providing expert support and leadership to drive a culture of safety and continuous improvement across all our services.
You will play a pivotal role in developing and embedding patient safety systems, supporting the executive team, and ensuring that the patient is at the centre of all safety activity. Working closely with the Deputy Director of Nursing, you will help align patient safety responsibilities across the Trust and support the implementation of the NHS Patient Safety Strategy.
Main duties of the job
Key Responsibilities
1. Provide expert leadership and oversight for patient safety, including systems-based investigations and improvement programmes.
2. Develop and deliver the Trust’s patient safety strategy, ensuring alignment with national policy and regulatory requirements.
3. Lead and support the Patient Safety Team, fostering a culture of openness, learning, and continuous improvement.
4. Advise the Board and executive team on patient safety issues, risks, and improvement approaches.
5. Oversee the response to National Patient Safety Alerts and ensure robust systems for compliance.
6. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including regional and national patient safety networks.
7. Design and deliver multi-professional patient safety training and support the implementation of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF).
8. Ensure effective communication and engagement with staff, patients, carers, and partners.
9. Deputise for the Deputy Director of Nursing as required.
The role will involve a blend of agile working and on-site presence. While some flexibility in working arrangements will be supported, the post holder will be required to attend in person on a regular basis. This will include working from a range of bases as required by the role.
Closing Date: 30th October 2025
Shortlisting Date: 31st October 2025
Interview Date: 7th November
Working for our organisation
Everything we do is underpinned by our core values: -
We Care - We act with respect and empathy, and always value difference
We Listen - We understand people’s views and respond to their individual needs
We Deliver - We develop and provide excellent services and support our partners
We will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including :
Increase mileage rates for > 3500
A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages
A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities
Plus many more.
We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.
Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidate’s best interest to apply as soon as possible
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please read the attached Job description and person specification for further details about this role.
Right to Work in the UK
Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.
Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trust’s eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.
As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT).
Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly
Person specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
10. Educated to Master’s Degree level in a relevant subject, or hold an equivalent level professional qualification or equivalent experience at senior level
11. Evidence of strong and recent commitment to relevant ongoing professional development
12. Registered Healthcare Professional and/or significant relevant experience of working alongside and influencing the practice of senior clinicians
Desirable criteria
13. Post-graduate patient safety qualification or previous experience
14. Quality improvement qualification or previous experience
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
15. Knowledge and experience of developments in a range of aspects of patient safety science such as human factors, systems thinking, investigation, quality improvement, change management, prospective and reactive risk analysis and management, error theory and just culture
16. Knowledge and experience of driving improvement in the quality and safety of patients
17. Highly developed specialist knowledge aligned with the elements of the national patient safety syllabus and NHS Patient Safety Strategy
18. Experience of working in a patient safety related role for at least two years, with an understanding of the concepts which underpin approaches to improving patient safety in health systems
Desirable criteria
19. Experience of chairing committees and/or leading project/working groups
20. Knowledge of safeguarding and the legal duties expected of NHS organisations
21. Experience of implementing national guidelines and policies with the ability to interpret national advice, guidance and requirements and advise their organisation on how these should be implemented
22. Experience of deputising for senior management
Skills and Abilites
Essential criteria
23. Ability to develop and communicate a long-term vision for patient safety and convert that into plans, objectives and deliverables for their organisation
24. Ability to apply a high attention to detail whilst seeing the bigger picture
25. Ability to concurrently manage a number of work streams
Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidates best interest to apply as soon as possible.
In view of Home Office Immigration Regulations all applicants must state their current immigration status, including expiry dates.
Bradford District Care Trust is an award-winning Trust that provides a range of innovative services that have been recognised as best practice nationally. As a provider of care for people of all ages who have mental and/or community health needs we are dedicated to providing a high-quality service, close to where people live and as much as possible tailored to an individual’s needs.
The Trust’s purpose is to create connected communities and help people to feel as healthy as they can be at every point in their lives and our vision is to connect people to the best quality care, when and where they need it and be a national role model as an employer and provide our staff with the best place to work.
Bradford has been awarded the coveted status of UK City of Culture 2025. The year is set to deliver more than 1000 new performances and events including 365 artist commissions, a series of major arts festivals as well as exciting national and international collaborations. Its themes will be rooted in the unique heritage and character of Bradford and will reveal the magic of the district that is held in its people, its ambition, and above all, its potential.
We would welcome applicants with lived experience of providing unpaid care and/or support to a family member or friend with a disability, health condition, frailty, mental health problem, addiction or other health and care needs.
We welcome people from all backgrounds and in particular Bradford District Care Trust is keen to reflect the population we serve, we are currently underrepresented in terms of black and minority ethnic staff. Applications are encouraged from these groups, but it must be stressed that selection will be solely on merit and in accordance with the Trust recruitment policy.
BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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 it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.