Assistant Service Manager - Planned Care | Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in London is seeking an Assistant Service Manager to oversee patient services and ensure operational effectiveness. This role requires strong communication skills and the ability to manage multiple responsibilities while ensuring compliance with best practice standards. You will work closely with clinical teams and support operational management across various sites. Ideal candidates will have junior-level management experience and a passion for service improvement.

Qualifications

• Operational experience at a junior level required.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines.
• Experience with service improvements and project management.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high quality and efficient patient services.
• Collaborate with clinical teams to achieve performance indicators.
• Support the investigation of medical complaints.

Skills

Communication skills

Ability to work under pressure

Operational management experience

Job description

Overview

Assistant Service Manager, Band 6. Two roles available: one based at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Fulham Road, London, and one based at West Middlesex University Hospital, Twickenham, Middlesex. You will join our Planned Care Surgery Operational Team, supporting a range of surgical specialties including Ophthalmology, Oral Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedic, and Podiatry Services.

The Assistant Service Manager will work closely with nursing, administrative and clinical teams to deliver excellent performance and achieve agreed productivity targets. You will be responsible for delivering high quality and efficient patient services in defined clinical areas and will work on and support the direct management of agreed projects and service improvement initiatives.

This is a fast-paced and busy role requiring operational experience at a junior level, delivering improvements to systems, processes and performance. You will work with a wide range of staff to achieve good outcomes for patients. Excellent communication skills, the ability to work under pressure, balance competing demands and meet tight deadlines are essential.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high quality and efficient patient services in defined clinical areas and support the Service Manager and Service Directors with operational management and delivery of national KPIs.
• Work with the Service Directors and Clinical Directors to ensure compliant working patterns for junior doctors, secure adequate medical staffing cover, and assist with booking additional medical staff as needed; maintain staffing spreadsheets.
• Collaborate with the Directorate and other services within the Trust (nursing teams; clinical teams; Patient Access, PALs; other divisions) to achieve performance, productivity, and clinical quality indicators.
• Support the investigation and coordination of administrative/medical complaints; ensure corrective action in response to patient feedback.
• Ensure effective communication systems within management areas, including regular team and departmental briefings.
• Facilitate partnership and integration across sites; align systems and processes, share best practice, and improve data.
• Ensure effective clinic utilisation and capacity planning; identify inefficiencies or capacity gaps and take steps to address productivity and access targets.
• Promote high quality data capture; ensure datasets are accurate and submitted on time.
• Identify and implement service improvement or modernisation initiatives; manage small service changes or participate in wider change programmes with planning, stakeholder engagement and resource planning.
• Ensure compliance with internal and external governance and best practice requirements; manage audits and service improvement projects in collaboration with senior staff.
• Support business planning and ensure adequate capacity to meet patient demand; contribute to policy development and implementation.

Management of People

• Support the Deputy General Manager to coordinate annual and study leave to maintain cover and minimise agency expenditure.
• Line manage and support staff allocated to you within the Directorate; maintain close working relationships with clinical professionals on patient care matters.
• Assist with emergency rotas and clinician cover planning; support objectives of Operational Admin Support.

Financial Management

• Identify opportunities to reduce expenditure and/or generate income (CIP); be involved in business planning, producing capital and revenue proposals for service development.
• Analyse project data and contribute to performance information; lead on specific projects and manage project budgets.
• Provide information for bank and agency expenditure for the team.

The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. We welcome flexible working arrangements where possible to support staff and patient needs. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven’t heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.

Operational Management

• Provide hands-on operational management to designated areas of the Division, ensuring service delivery meets standards.
• Be accountable for monitoring and delivering key quality, productivity and performance targets; promote excellent customer service and remedial action as needed.
• Assist in creating clinic templates, procedure schedules and rotas to meet service capacity and patient needs.
• Plan and coordinate staffing for junior doctors to ensure adequate medical staffing coverage.
• Ensure effective communication systems and patient-facing information; maintain patient and staff engagement.
• Support multi-site collaboration to align systems, processes and data sharing; improve data quality and reporting.

This advert closes on Wednesday 1 Oct 2025.