Head of Quality and Safety
The closing date is 15 May 2026
The Quality and Safety Directorate are looking for a Head of Quality and Safety to provide senior leadership, strategic oversight and expert direction for patient safety, patient experience, learning response, compliance and quality governance across the Trust. The post holder will lead an integrated quality and safety agenda aligned to national frameworks including the NHS Patient Safety Strategy, the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), CQC regulatory requirements and Duty of Candour, while supporting delivery of the Trust's Quality Strategy and priorities. Working as part of the senior leadership team, the role will deputise for the Associate Director of Quality on quality and safety matters and act as a named Patient Safety Specialist, ensuring systems thinking, human factors and just culture principles are embedded across the organisation. The post holder will provide assurance to the Executive Team and Trust Board, strengthen organisational learning and safety culture, and ensure high‑quality, compassionate experiences for patients, families, carers and staff. The full Job Role Description for the Head of Quality and Safety is subject to Job Evaluation outcome.
Main duties of the job
The role requires providing senior leadership and operational oversight of all quality, safety and patient experience functions, ensuring compliance with national safety frameworks, regulatory requirements and the Trust's Quality Strategy. The post holder is required to lead patient safety systems including PSIRF, incident response, organisational learning and Duty of Candour, embedding a just and learning culture across the Trust. The role requires oversight of complaints, PALS, claims and coronial processes, ensuring compassionate responses, statutory compliance and that learning informs service improvement. The post holder must provide high‑quality assurance and reporting to the Executive Team and Board, oversee quality governance and CQC compliance, manage and develop the Safety and Experience workforce, and work collaboratively with clinical, corporate and system partners to strengthen quality, safety and patient experience outcomes.
About us
We employ 3,500 staff in 63 locations and serve a population of 2,600,000 in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, County Durham and Tees over 3,230 square miles.
We value and respect the diversity employees bring to our workplace. We recruit a workforce that reflects the community we serve and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. We are an ENEI Gold employer, Disability Confident Leader, Dementia Friendly, and part of the Mind Blue Light programme and the Race at Work Charter from the Princes Responsible Business Network and are achieving across all objectives in the NHS Equality Delivery System.
From 01/04/25 if your role needs a DBS you will be subject to a salary deduction totaling £49.50, spread over first and second pay.
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached Job Description for the full details of the role and its responsibilities.
Person Specification
Education Qualifications and Training
* Significant healthcare experience at a senior level with demonstrable patient safety expertise.
* Educated to masters level with significant experience working at a senior level in a specialist area (e.g., healthcare, patient safety, human factors, incident investigation, industrial safety management).
* Evidence of continuing professional development.
* Extensive experience working within an NHS patient safety or safety management/improvement environment.
* Training in patient safety incident investigation, clinical risk management or a relevant field (e.g., Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch Level 2/3 patient safety investigation training or equivalent).
* Leadership and management training.
* Registered healthcare professional (NMC/HCPC).
* Post‑graduate management qualification in governance, leadership, quality improvement or human factors.
* Accredited Patient Safety Specialist.
Key Skills, Knowledge and Aptitude
* Extensive knowledge of a range of evidence‑based safety investigation frameworks and tools and experience of their application in practice.
* Ability to conduct effective safety investigations that meet the patient safety incident response standards set out in the national Patient Safety Incident Response Framework for England.
* Demonstrable understanding of the NHS regulatory and compliance frameworks under which NHS Trusts operate.
* Skills in data triangulation and turning evidence into improvement.
* Ability to establish credibility and maintain effective working relationships with multidisciplinary colleagues.
* Knowledge of ambulance‑sector operational environments.
* Knowledge of the key components of quality governance.
Experience
* Extensive senior experience in patient safety, quality or governance within the NHS.
* Clinical background or evidence of a substantial understanding of safety management and healthcare/clinical issues.
* Extensive experience undertaking high‑quality systems‑based safety investigations.
* Effective problem‑solving, decision‑making and analytical skills.
* Working experience of Ulysses.
* Excellent knowledge of governance and quality matters.
* Knowledge of ambulance sector operational environments.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and will require a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Employer name
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Goldcrest Way, Newburn, Riverside Business Park
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