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We are proud to provide 'Outstanding' care and be a great place to work.
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust provides safe, compassionate and high quality hospital and community care to the half a million people living in East Sussex and those who visit our local area.
We are one of the largest organisations in East Sussex with an annual income of £568 million and we are the only integrated provider of acute and community care in Sussex.
Our extensive health services are provided by over 8,000+ dedicated members of staff working from two acute hospitals in Hastings and Eastbourne, three community hospitals in Bexhill, Rye and Uckfield, over 100 community sites across East Sussex, and in people's own homes.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated us as 'Good' overall, and 'Outstanding' for being Caring and Effective. The Conquest Hospital in Hastings and our Community Services were rated 'Outstanding' and Eastbourne DGH was rated 'Good' Our two acute hospitals have Emergency Departments and provide 24 hour a day care, offering a comprehensive range of surgical, medical, outpatient and maternity services, supported by a full range of diagnostic and therapy services.
Job overview
Join us as Head of Safety & Compliance
Are you a passionate leader with a deep understanding of Clinical Governance, Health & Safety and Compliance in healthcare? Do you thrive in a dynamic environment where your expertise can drive real change? If so, we want to hear from you.
About the role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a transformational and experienced leader to join East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust as the Head of Safety, Effectiveness & Compliance. This pivotal role sits at the heart of our Clinical Governance function, shaping the culture of safety, learning, and continuous improvement across the organisation.
Working closely with the Associate Director of Clinical Governance & Quality, you will provide both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the Trust meets statutory, regulatory, and national standards. This includes the implementation of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), delivery of the clinical audit and effectiveness programme, and alignment with Health & Safety legislation.
Main duties of the job
Responsibilities
As Head of Safety, Effectiveness & Compliance, you will:
* Lead and manage the following teams: • Patient Safety & Datix • Clinical Effectiveness & Compliance • Health & Safety • Moving & Handling • Medical Devices
* Ensure Trust-wide compliance with CQC and HSE requirements.
* Deliver systems and tools to embed safe practice, improve learning, and strengthen assurance.
* Oversee the development and governance of incident reporting, audit systems, and digital learning platforms.
* Triangulate insights from incidents, audits, complaints, risks, and reviews to identify improvement opportunities.
* Provide expert advice to Executive teams and author high-quality assurance reports for the Board.
About You
To succeed in this role, you will bring:
* Substantial senior leadership experience in a complex healthcare setting.
* Expertise in clinical governance, healthcare regulation, and statutory compliance.
* In-depth knowledge of NHS England's patient safety programmes and digital reporting systems (e.g. Datix, LfPSE).
* Demonstrable track record of leading change, shaping strategy, and delivering system-wide improvements.
* Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, with the ability to inspire and engage multidisciplinary teams.
Working for our organisation
A wide range of staff benefits are available to our staff including staff development, enrolment in the NHS pension scheme, auto-enrolment to our Temporary Workforce Service, access to onsite nurseries. staff restaurants and accommodation.
In addition to an internal Occupational Health department, all staff also have access to free psychological support through our confidential Employee Assistance Programme. Onsite parking is available from only £50 a year.
There has never been a better time to join East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, submit your application today.
Statement on the Use of AI
We value the individuality that each candidate brings to the application process. While we understand that AI tools are widely available, we strongly discourage applicants from using AI-generated content when applying for jobs with us. We believe that your application should reflect your true skills, experiences, and motivations, which are best conveyed through your own words and unique perspective.
Using AI for your application may not accurately represent your knowledge, skills, and experience and may result in a disconnect between your qualifications and our assessment of your application.
We encourage applicants to take the time to thoughtfully complete their applications; by doing so, you allow us to better understand your true potential and ensure a fair and transparent evaluation of your application. Over reliance on AI-generated content may diminish your chance of success.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the job description attached.
If you have any questions about this position please do not hesitate to contact us.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
* Health and Safety degree level qualification
* Chartered Member of IOSH or IIRSM
* Supplementary specialist training to postgraduate Degree/Master level, including relevant health and safety experience and qualification
Desirable criteria
* BS OHSAS 18001:2007/ 45001 internal auditor
* Quality Improvement training/qualification
* Project management qualification
* Masters qualification in a related field or willingness to work towards
* Fellow of the IIRSM/ IOSH
Experience
Essential criteria
* Highly developed specialist knowledge, underpinned by theory and experience in Health and Safety and compliance with national regulations and standards.
* Highly developed specialist knowledge of incident investigation and contributory factors analysis methodologies in line with PSIRF.
* Experience of regulatory assurance management delivered through teams
* Identification of themes and interpretation of national health, safety and compliance strategies
* Experience of leading and managing an improvement focussed multi-disciplinary teams
* Responsible for policy implementation and development relevant to role.
* Experience of developing and implementing sustainable systems strategies and policies for the management of non-clinical risk
* Relevant leadership/ management experience within Healthcare to be able to manage a team or department including recruitment, development and performance management
* Extensive experience of development of annual workplans linked to organisational objectives and regulatory priorities.
* Experience of leading responses to requests and inspection from regulators and specifically the HSE and CQC.
Desirable criteria
* Knowledge of either Estates based issues; radiological protection issues, science/ pharmaceutical or chemical background
Patients come first at East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.
Our vision is to be:
* The healthcare provider of first choice for the people of East Sussex.
Our mission is to:
* Deliver better health outcomes and an excellent experience for everyone we provide with healthcare services.
Our strategic objectives are to:
* Improve quality and clinical outcomes by ensuring that safe patient care is our highest priority.
* Play a leading role in local partnerships to meet the needs of our local population and improve and enhance patients' experiences.
* Use our resources efficiently and effectively for the benefit of our patients and their care to ensure our services are clinically, operationally and financially sustainable.
Our aims are that all services delivered by the Trust are:
* Safe
* Effective
* Caring
* Responsive and
* Well led
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
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.
Application numbers
This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.
Documents to download
* JD- Head of Health & Safety, Patient Safety & Compliance (PDF, 256.6KB)
* Guidance for Applicants - AFC (PDF, 152.4KB)
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