Head of Health and Safety

About our Trust

At UHSussex we’re proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK’s largest acute Trusts, we’re a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.

Our hard-working, talented and dedicated people work together towards a common goal – to always put our Patient First . In fact our mission is summed up by our ‘where better never stops’ motto and you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex.

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Job overview

To act as the Trust's competent person for health and safety as the recognised expert for analysing levels of health and safety practice across the organisation, interpreting evidence and using well-developed judgement skills to assess working practices.

In respect of any changes this role would engage proactively and work collaboratively with process owners to ensure such change is delivered on a timely and sustainable basis.

Manage and provide operational leadership to the Health & Safety team, developing the team members to enable the team to offer high quality, effective and pragmatic improvement solutions to all H&S risks.

Develop effective working relationships with clinical and corporate leads responsible for risk and risk management within their teams to ensure that risk management activities are undertaken and owned within the clinical and corporate services and that effective reporting structures are embedded to support this.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder is the lead specialist in the field of Health & Safety and use their own initiative to provide leadership and specialist expertise at all levels of the organisation. They will work closely with Executives, Corporate Directors and Trust Senior Managers to develop, promote and advise on requirements, processes and practices to ensure compliance with health and safety statutory requirements.

Working in partnership with the Trust’s leads for patient safety and risk, the postholder will also develop the culture and practices throughout the organisation and lead on the design, roll-out and monitoring the uptake of health and safety related learning.

Working for our organisation

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Head of Health and Safety is responsible for:

• The management and provision of comprehensive and high-quality health and safety service across the Trust.
• Formulating and leading the development of a Trust-wide Health and Safety Strategy, promoting a raised awareness of health and safety and non-clinical risk management across the organisation so that health and safety is integral to all activities/arrangements in place.
• Working across directorates with senior managers to ensure all health and safety risks are identified, assessed and action plans developed to mitigate risks the organisation is exposed to.
• Ensuring systems are in place to evidence compliance with legislation, standards and approved codes of practice for health and safety.
• Providing expert support, advice, training and leadership on health and safety issues. This includes supporting the identification, management, reporting, investigation and learning from risks and incidents.
• Developing strategies and policies, investigate incidents and provide comprehensive reports on findings and recommendations in order to comply with legislation and to advise on the adoption of best practice.
• Leading on external assessments and meeting deadlines set for actions and results set both internally and externally, e.g. HSE requesting actions relating to an inspection or audit, designing and delivering training packages, attending meetings, requests and enquiries managing other team and own workloads.
• Acting as the Trust’s Specialist Lead in health and safety and be responsible for the development, promotion and advice on requirements, processes and practices to ensure compliance with health and safety statutory requirements.

Previous applicants need not apply.

Person specification

Experience/Qualifications

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience
• Graduate or Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and committed to own continuing professional development.
• NEBOSH National Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health/NVQ5 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice
• Ability to interpret health and safety legislation and identify the implications for the Trust, diagnose highly complex problems and then formulate corrective action at both a strategic and local level.
• Significant experience of working at corporate / senior management level in the NHS or similarly complex organisation with proven and repeated success in influencing strategic direction.

• Relevant professional post graduate qualification
• Qualification in leadership and management in health and social care or equivalent experience

Skills

• Evidence of knowledge and application in health and safety management
• Ability to effectively communicate highly complex and highly sensitive information with staff of all grades across the Trust
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to communicate with all members of staff throughout the Trust and external organisation representatives including enforcing authority officers such as the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and to develop and maintain good working relationships on a multiprofessional basis
• Experience of providing Health and Safety advice with oversight in large complex organisations
• Possess a wide breadth of Health and Safety knowledge together with a range of management skills to be able to deliver results
• Possession of high levels of personal motivation, pragmatism and innovation to ensure that the Trust’s Health and Safety Management Strategy meets the needs of the organisation and is attainable and also to ensure that any advice given is realistic and appropriate.
• Strong role model with enthusiasm for managing health and safety and manual handling risks

• Experience of managing projects in the NHS
• Ability to use information technology, especially word processing, spreadsheets and presentation software

People Management and Development

• Strong track record of team management (line management and coaching and development skills)

Equality, Diversity , and Inclusion

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues .

Important information for applicants

Flexible Working: If you would like to explore potential options regarding flexible working please speak with the appropriate recruiting/line manager.

DBS Checks: As part of our commitment to a safe working environment, we undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check on all new employees where the role is eligible for a criminal record check . We make offers in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975.

Skilled Worker Visa: Applications for Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome for those that meet the Visa and Immigrations eligibility criteria. For further information please visit the gov.uk website searching for Skilled Worker.

Closing adverts early: Please apply as early as you're able for this role. In the event of exceptional interest we may close adverts earlier than specified.

UHSussex reserves the right to close the role early if we receive a high volume of applications

Further Information

For help with the application process for non medical vacancies only, please contact the Resourcing Team by Email: [email protected]