Specialty Director for Critical Care Services
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The closing date is 04 June 2026
Critical Care Services deliver highly specialised care to Critically ill adults and children and play a pivotal role in emergency pathways, elective recovery, patient flow and system resilience.
This Specialty Director role provides senior clinical leadership across the county, working in close partnership with the Clinical Lead for Critical Care, SD and Clinical Lead for anaesthetics, managerial, nursing and allied health professional colleagues to ensure safe, effective and sustainable critical care services aligned to national standards and local population need.
Main duties of the job
The Specialty Director provides strategic, operational and professional leadership for Critical Care Services across Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
As a core member of the Divisional leadership team, the post holder will:
* Lead the delivery of safe, high-quality and resilient critical care services
* Drive service development aligned to Trust priorities and Critical Care national standards
* Provide line management and leadership for medical staff within the specialty
* Champion quality improvement, workforce sustainability and innovation
The role has a system-facing and strong regional network component, contributing to the Bristol and Gloucestershire ICB cluster and Southwest Critical Care network priorities. Surge planning and collaborative working across divisional and organisational boundaries is essential within this role.
About us
We take pride in placing people at the centre of everything we do, working together as a united team. Driven by a shared ambition to continually grow, develop, and learn, we recognise and value every contribution. By combining our experience and skills, we not only support our vibrant, diverse communities, but also support one another.
With a team of over 9,000 employees, we are proud to be the largest employer in Gloucestershire and rank among the top 10 largest Trusts in the Southwest region. By joining our Trust, you will benefit from an excellent package that includes exclusive benefits, flexible working opportunities and the chance to gain valuable experience in one or both of our innovative hospitals.
As well as generous annual leave allowance, you will have access to the excellent NHS pension scheme, competitive bank rates, discounts at local shops and restaurants, access to two on-site nurseries, discounted public transport, reward and recognition and a range of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is crucial to ensuring fairness, celebrating differences and creating environments where everyone feels valued and empowered to contribute.
To deliver the highest standard of care at Gloucestershire Hospitals, we foster an environment that promotes inclusivity, ensuring that both our staff can thrive and our patients receive services tailored to their needs.
Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
* Lead the development and delivery of a clear strategic vision for Critical Care Services
* Contribute to Divisional and Trustwide strategy, business planning and transformation
* Ensure services align with national policy, professional standards and Critical Care Network and national requirements
* Represent the service at divisional, Trust, system, network and national forums as required
Operational Delivery
* Work with the Matrons and General Manager to deliver agreed operational, quality and financial objectives
* Support capacity planning, escalation and surge arrangements in line with system pressures
* Contribute to workforce, bed capacity and service resilience planning
Medical Workforce Leadership
* Line manage medical staff within Critical Care Services, including job planning, appraisal and performance management
* Ensure job plans support safe service delivery, rota sustainability and training requirements
* Work with the Chief of Service to address performance, conduct or capability concerns
Clinical Governance and Quality
* Work collaboratively with the designated Clinical Lead to provide senior clinical leadership for governance, quality and patient safety in critical care
* Ensure robust arrangements for audit, learning from incidents, mortality review and quality improvement
* Lead and coordinate responses to external review, accreditation and regulatory processes
Key Result Areas
Working With and Through Others
* Provide visible, inclusive and compassionate leadership within a highintensity clinical environment
* Foster effective multidisciplinary teamwork across medical, nursing and AHP groups
* Promote clear communication, psychological safety and shared decisionmaking
Service Improvement
* Embed continuous improvement in partnership with the Gloucestershire Safety and Quality Improvement Academy
* Use performance data and outcomes to drive service improvement and efficiency
* Encourage innovation in models of care, workforce and service delivery
Setting Direction
* Maintain a strategic view while responding effectively to operational pressures and risk
* Balance critical care priorities with wider Trust and system needs
* Support collaborative, evidencebased decisionmaking
Managing Services
* Ensure critical care services are safe, effective, responsive and sustainable
* Use financial, workforce and clinical resources responsibly
* Take timely and proportionate action to address service or performance concerns
Personal Qualities and Leadership Attributes
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
* Professional credibility and strong clinical leadership
* Resilience and sound judgement in complex, highpressure environment
* Selfawareness and commitment to personal development
* Visibility, accessibility and openness
* Intellectual agility and a readiness to innovate
This role offers the opportunity to:
Shape and influence a core Trust service critical to patient safety and flow
Work within a supportive, clinically led leadership culture
Influence critical care services at Trust, county and system level
Combine senior leadership responsibility with ongoing clinical practice
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
* Clinician of at least 6 months demonstrating successful clinical practice and good reputation.
Knowledge and Skills
* Leadership Management
* Evidence of leadership and/or people management (inc. persuasions/negotiation and conflict management)
* Service Improvement (must include improved quality/safety)
* Financial and budgetary awareness
* Strong understanding of critical care governance, safety and quality improvement
Clinical/Experience
* External work roles - e.g. professional body or the Deanery
* Experience of service development and complex workforce or capacity management
* Experience of Critical Care Network or system-level working
* Formal leadership or management training
Personal Attributes
* A clear understanding of the job requirements
* Commitment to the role/challenges
* Energy and courage
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.
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
£113,565 to £150,569 a yearpro rata per annum
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