Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Trust's Corporate Governance team within the Health and Safety Governance Portfolio. We are looking for an enthusiastic, cheerful and self-motivated person to take on the role of Head of Health and Safety.
Working closely with the Safety and Learning team, and the Risk and Assurance team, the Health and Safety Governance team handles all functions associated with Health and Safety across the organisation.
As the Head of Health and Safety Officer you will work closely with many different teams across the Trust to assist in providing the safest environment for patients, staff and visitors. You will be required to interpret relevant legislation and guidance in order to develop and implement Trust wide policies and procedures on behalf of the Trust Board and Executive Directors. You will also be responsible for demonstrating that the Trust is compliant with Health and Safety legislation and standards through programmes of risk assessment and auditing, and ensuring that monitoring of Health and Safety performance is undertaken with appropriate expertise to deliver professional and reliable advice at strategic and operational levels.
If you are passionate about improving Health and Safety within an NHS environment, we would love to hear from you!
Main duties of the job
The duties and responsibilities listed below should be undertaken in accordance with the levels of competence. In addition, all staff are expected to act in accordance with the values and behaviours of our organisation. The main duties and responsibilities of the role include:
1. Fulfilling the role of the competent person to provide advice on Health and Safety matters and arrangements within the Trust, as required under regulation 7 of The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
2. Provide corporate advice on statutory and legal requirements for Health and Safety.
3. Provide expert advice, guidance and support to staff at all levels on Health and Safety matters and arrangements.
4. Provide strategic leadership and direction for the overall management of Health and Safety within the Trust.
5. Be the corporate lead for the development, review and implementation of the Health and Safety Policy as well as other policies pertaining to Health and Safety legislation.
6. Advise on and support the development of Health and Safety arrangements within Trust policies and procedures for the purposes of achieving compliance with legislative requirements and safe practice.
7. Undertake audits to monitor compliance with relevant legislation and key performance indicators and report on the findings and recommendations.
8. Contribute to the development of the Trust’s strategic risk and assurance frameworks, ensuring Health and Safety is embedded across governance systems.
Working for our organisation
At our Trust, you'll be part of a team of over 10,000 dedicated colleagues, all working hard to provide high-quality services for 370,000 people in our local area and specialist care for 1.5 million people across Lancashire and Cumbria. Whatever your role, you'll know that the work you do each day makes a genuine difference--not just to patients, but also to the staff and communities we serve.
Working with us isn't just a job, you will have access to a wide range of development opportunities designed to help you grow, build new skills, and explore different career pathways. Along the way, you will meet inspiring colleagues, work alongside experts from all areas of hospital life, and discover opportunities you might never have considered before.
At Lancashire Teaching Hospitals you will be challenged to think differently, encouraged to be bold, and supported to contribute ideas that help us innovate and improve. Whether you're just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, we'll help you find your path and give you the tools to succeed.
Every role here has a purpose and impact. By joining us, you'll play a pivotal part in enhancing patient care and experience, while building a career you can truly be proud of.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The post holder must hold a National Examination Board in Occupation Safety and Health (NEBOSH) Diploma or equivalent postgraduate qualification in Occupational Health and Safety and have experience as a safety professional with knowledge of working within a healthcare environment. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate experience of working within an organisation of comparable size and complexity.
The Head of Health and Safety is required to interpret relevant legislation and guidance in order to develop and implement Trust wide policies and procedures on behalf of the Trust Board and Executive Directors. They will be responsible for demonstrating that the Trust is compliant with Health and Safety legislation and standards through programmes of risk assessment and auditing and ensuring that monitoring of Health and Safety performance is undertaken with appropriate expertise to deliver professional and reliable advice at strategic and operational levels.
The post holder will be responsible for leading the management of the risk assessment programme for clinical and non-clinical areas to ensure risk compliance and maintaining oversight of all non-clinical accidents, incidents and near miss events. They will monitor and report on a range of Health and Safety key performance indicators and be the subject matter expert leading the strategic work of the Health and Safety Governance Group (HSGG) in collaboration with the Chair of HSGG. The post holder will also facilitate the development and delivery of a Health and Safety Strategy and a suitable and sufficient Trust wide Health and Safety training programme.
The post holder will ensure that learning from incidents, audits, and risk assessments is systematically triangulated and translated into measurable improvements in safety culture and practice. The post holder will provide specific support to improve key safety risks as identified within the Always Safety-First agenda. The post holder will work closely with Divisional teams and the Corporate and Divisional Clinical Governance teams.
The post holder is responsible for working with multi-disciplinary teams across the Trust to ensure that appropriate Health and Safety measures are developed and implemented, prioritising and planning workload to ensure timescales are met and milestones delivered.
Person specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential criteria
9. Hold a relevant degree or equivalent experience
10. Recognised Health and Safety qualification to NEBOSH Diploma level 6, working towards or equivalent.
11. Certified member of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), working towards or equivalent.
Desirable criteria
12. Hold a diploma or certificate in environmental management.
13. Masters level qualification in Occupational Health & Safety or demonstrable equivalent experience in health and safety leadership
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
14. Able to demonstrate a working knowledge of all issues associated with Health and Safety Management in a large organisation.
15. Expert knowledge of the law relating to Health and Safety matters, including the criminal and civil legal processes.
16. Demonstrable understanding of the civil legal process and the law relating to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).
17. Experience in producing policies, procedures and guidelines related to Health and Safety.
18. In-depth knowledge of Health and Safety legislation sufficient to advise on all aspects of Health and Safety management to staff within the Trust.
19. Broad understanding of the nonclinical risks and issues within a health setting.
20. Knowledge and experience of the Premises Assurance Model requirements including audit and monitoring levels of compliance.
21. Extensive knowledge of health and safety legal obligations including safety risk management, litigation, compliance and assurance.
22. Extensive experience in overseeing and conducting accident investigations and implementing and communicating risk mitigation control measures.
23. Experience of the design and delivery of effective Health & Safety training programmes.
24. Experience in undertaking complex Health & Safety risk assessments
25. Experience in working with external regulators such as the HSE, Environment Agency, and CQC.
26. Experience in triangulating safety intelligence from incidents, audits, and risk registers to inform strategic decision-making.
27. Experience in using the incident reporting system
Desirable criteria
28. Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the implications of Health and Safety Management within both acute and primary care, healthcare setting.
29. Practical experience of the criminal and civil legal process.
30. Experience of leading the management of Health and Safety in the NHS.
31. Experience of improving Health & Safety arrangements across a large and complex organisation.
32. Experience in developing and implementing Health and Safety dashboards or performance monitoring tools.
33. Experience and understanding of managing large departments and budgets.