Deputy Chief Operating Officer
Job overview
We are firmly committed to being the best possible provider of healthcare and place to work in the NHS and we have an exciting opportunity with the introduction of the role:
Deputy Chief Operating Officer - Urgent & Emergency Care
You will work across UHN (Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital) in your portfolio areas.
University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group (UHN) was formed in 2021 from Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital. We employ 11,000 people who deliver high quality services to the population of Northamptonshire and beyond and our combined income is £1 billion.
Whilst we are a large Trust, it is essential that we ensure all of our communities, patients and colleagues receive a personal and positive experience when they interact with the Trust.
We are looking for a Deputy Chief Operating Officer who can show that they lead in the right way and that can evidence what they deliver. We will work together as a team across UHN to drive improvements in care and to create an environment in which individuals and teams can excel.
Main duties of the job
The overriding purpose is to support the provision of the highest quality patient care through personal actions and continuous improvement.
As a key member of the senior leadership team, you will contribute to the development and implementation of our key objectives to deliver efficient services and effective patient care.
The Deputy Chief Operating Officer will have specific responsibilities and accountabilities across UHN for successful operational leadership and management across our sites, ensuring supportive and responsive operational management leadership of our hospitals.
You will play a key role in business planning, service development and delivery and will help lead the development of a high performing and supportive culture across UHN.
You will play a key role in ensuring the Trust delivers on the full range of performance targets. You will work autonomously to ensure a high quality of service to patients, visitors, and colleagues, including management of clinical governance, healthcare standards and risk.You will work closely with all professions across UHN and will also work to identify and implement opportunities for improved productivity, efficiency, and clinical quality.
Working for our organisation
**Please submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close any adverts before the closing date once we have received sufficient applications**
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered a Group Model with neighbouring Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.
Our Excellence Values- Compassion
- Accountability
- Respect
- Integrity
- Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone's full potential.
The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Corporate Responsibilities
Deputise for the Chief Operating Officer across the full range of their duties.
To help set a supportive and high performing culture across UHN
Support the Chief Operating Officer in identifying new opportunities for services within the Trust, as well as to identify any potential risks along with appropriate responses.
Contribute to the successful overall performance of the Trust.
At all times work to ensure optimum patient safety.
Act as an advocate for the Trust and its contribution to the local health economy by creating and maintaining effective partnerships and relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Develop and support the Trust culture of collaboration and commitment to delivering high quality services and outcomes.
Work with sensitivity and an understanding of the issues facing those working to deliver care to the local population.
Comply with corporate and clinical governance structures in line with the principles and standards set out by the Trust.
Manage Trust resources in the most efficient and effective manner.
Operational Delivery
To maintain an overview of service delivery across University Hospitals Northamptonshire in association with the wider health and social care community.
To work with the Chief Operating Officer to ensure the effective operational management and leadership of the Trust on a day-to-day basis and, in turn, maintain achievement of the Trust’s key performance indicators.
To develop effective working relationships to ensure effective communication and escalation mechanisms are in place at all times – both within UHN, across the ICB and beyond.
To work with colleagues across the Trust, the Integrated Care System, and the wider health community to ensure that any barriers to effective patient flow are removed.
On behalf of the Chief Operating Officer, to provide effective operational management systems and processes for clinical and other colleagues to deliver high quality clinical care, teaching, and research within available budgets.
To participate in senior manager on-call rotas.
Working with other deputies to Board or System Executives to contribute to the overall improvement of patient care across the ICB
Performance Management
Exercise delegated authority on behalf of the Chief Operating Officer to resolve management and leadership issues within the Trust.
Develop a supportive culture of performance management, improvement, and appraisal as a foundation for excellent organisational performance.
Working with the Chief Operating Officer to develop robust internal performance management systems which enable the Trust to adhere to or exceed plans, standards, and targets.
Ensure appropriate management capacity at all levels operating within an organisational structure which delivers responsive, safe and reliable patient services.
Ensure sufficient data availability to monitor and track performance and to satisfy reporting requirements.
Provide appropriate input and challenge to clinical and business plans.
To support managers and colleagues to ensure the delivery of all key national and local operational performance targets.
To identify key reasons for deviation from expected profiles, advise on the potential impact of these and work with the CMGs to ensure the development and implementation of appropriate solutions.
To support the CMGs to develop plans to address performance in relation to access to ensure the delivery of high quality, safe, patient focused services.
Lead on the development and implementation of new policies.
Ensure a robust planning cycle is in place with CMG’s and aligned to system plans to deliver agreed activity levels.
Service Development
To support the Chief Operating Officer in ensuring service improvement projects are managed, contributing to Trust-wide service improvement projects within agreed timeframes and financial targets.
Work with the senior team to identify and implement suitable benchmarking opportunities for improved productivity, efficiency, and clinical quality.
To work with colleagues across the local health economy to improve both elective and emergency care pathways for patients.
To act as a change agent, facilitating, promoting, and assisting with the implementation of patient-centred redesign projects.
To ensure that service improvement work is underpinned by evidence and a robust process of evaluation.
To ensure that the Trust’s service improvement and development work is focused on the needs of patients/users.
To be alert to changes in clinical practice and behaviour and patient expectations and take account of the potential impacts in planning and delivering services.
Working with system partners, introduce new and innovative pathways and approaches to care models to maximise benefits for patients and colleagues.
Leadership
To ensure the development of appropriate business plans/cases to support the development of services alongside the CMGs.
To oversee the workforce planning, recruitment, selection, and development of all colleagues within the role’s areas of responsibility.
To ensure appropriate communication and engagement structures are in place for all colleagues within the role’s areas of responsibility.
Ensure that all colleagues are appropriately managed and developed and that they are therefore efficient, effective, engaged and highly motivated to deliver the business plan and improvement agenda whilst improving patient experience.
Create a supportive organisational culture across the Trust in which people feel empowered and committed to high standards of care within the context of Trust’s management culture.
Take full line management responsibilities for the individual team members including managing sickness and absence, grievances, disciplinary issues and talent conversations.
Digital, Data and Technology
To support the continuous improvement of data and information quality across the Trust.
To support and enable the digital and data agendas as critical enablers to improved efficiency and quality.
To support the adoption of technology to enable operational improvement.
Communication
Communicates with internal colleagues and external agencies to ensure compliance with performance targets, strategic objectives. Involves negotiation and diplomacy; undertakes presentations to various groups and conveys highly contentious information in atmosphere where barriers, perceived and actual, need to be bridged.
To help establish and maintain effective two-way channels of communication within the service area.
To establish lines of communication with Board members and CMG colleagues in the Trust and wider healthcare community, to ensure that services are integrated.
To support a communication structure within the Operations and CMGs to ensure all colleagues are and remain engaged in the Trust’s vision for delivering excellence in all we do.
Ensure that good practice is rapidly shared within the CMGs and the wider organisation where appropriate.
Resource Management
To support the development and implementation of Trust-wide cost savings schemes, through service and productivity improvement.
To ensure financial and budget requirements for areas of responsibility are met, including the delivery of any cost efficiency targets.
Ensure all budgets (pay and non-pay) are managed within the Trust’s Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions and relevant statutory provisions and national directives, and in line with the annual financial plan.
Develop and implement systems to monitor and control expenditure and investigate any areas of overspend and take prompt corrective action.
Full budget holder, including budget setting discussions, budgetary management and sign off large financial spend, at Board level.
Risk and Clinical Governance
To support the Chief Operating Officer with the implementation of systems, control processes and risk management arrangements to support monitoring of compliance with clinical governance standards, other Trust-wide policies and processes and best practice requirements.
Oversee the resolution of complaints, conflicts and issues from patients, colleagues, suppliers, other internal and external service providers and partner organisations in a timely and appropriate manner in line with Trust policy, procedures and service delivery values and priorities.
To ensure the implementation of the Trust’s Clinical Governance, Health and Safety and Risk Management policies and plans within areas of influence.
To ensure the implementation of relevant national best practice controls assurance, NHSLA and Standards for Better Health to improve service delivery and patient safety.
To help to ensure that the Trust continues to meet all Care Quality Commission standards.
To ensure the implementation of all Trust policies, procedures, and guidelines.
To participate in, and where appropriate lead, serious incident reviews.
To contribute to corporate policymaking and promote and support policy decisions both internally and externally.
Please refer to the attached job description for more details.
This job description is not to be taken as an exhaustive list of duties and it may be reviewed in the light of changed service needs and development. Any changes will be fully discussed with the post holder. The post holder will be required to carry out the duties appropriate to the grade and scope of the post.
Person specification
Commitment to Values
Essential criteria- Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s Values and Behaviours
Training and Qualifications
Essential criteria- Master’s level qualification or equivalent demonstrable experience
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria- Demonstrable success in delivering change and performance with and through your management and clinical teams
Communication and Relationship
Essential criteria- Excellent of communication skills demonstrable at a senior level
Analalytical and Judgement Skills
Essential criteria- Numerate and IT literate. Able to use NHS information systems and interpret NHS data
Skills
Essential criteria- Excellent inter-personal and communications skills, with a track record in writing complex business cases and policies
Important Information
Applications will be transferred to TRAC system, by completing an application your are giving authorisation for the transfer of your data.
Correspondence regarding your application will be sent to you via a TRAC system account.
We are an equal opportunities employer, which aims to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from all backgrounds.
We welcome applications from members of our black and minority ethnic (BME) communities, especially in relation to senior posts within at KGH.
Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.
Appointments will be made on merit.
In submitting an application form, you authorise Kettering General Hospital (KGH) NHS Foundation Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process. Including factual reference, occupational health clearance and statutory and mandatory training record.
If you need to have a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check, as a requirement of the role, you will be required to repay the cost of obtaining a DBS check (£49.50) and this amount will be reclaimed from your first salary. From 1st February 2019 all new starters to the Trust are required to join the DBS update service as per Trust DBS Re-checking Policy which has an annual cost of £16.New employees who do not join the update service will be required to pay £49.50 for a new DBS check in 3 years time.
Please note that news starters with KGH are subject to a six month probationary period.
Please ensure that the information you provide on your application form is correct, accurate and that nothing has been omitted. Any information that is stated in your application form in relation to qualifications/training courses/work/education experience/references must be able to be evidenced.Failure to do so may result if your offer being withdrawn.
"Safeguarding is everyone's business. KGH considers Safeguarding a priority amongst its citizen's and a key value for all employed to the service."
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone’s full potential. As an organisation, we value how we communicate and promote our vacancies to all communities.The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds as these are underrepresented in our hospitals. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.