Clinical Commander

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) are seeking a Clinical Site Commander to join our Resilience Acute Flow and Transformation Directorate. The post holder will be an experienced, motivated leader with an interest in patient flow and a passion for improving patient safety and experience.

You will need to understand ED government targets and current issues affecting timely flow of patients.

Qualifications

• Must be registered with the NMC and able to practice as a clinician.
• Degree or equivalent in a relevant field or willingness to study further.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development and learning.
• Willingness to pursue further development and accreditation.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate admission of elective and emergency patients within Admission/Waiting List policies; liaise with General Managers to minimise ED waits and cancellations.
• Participate in OPEL site meetings to report demand, capacity and actions; resolve issues and implement solutions.
• Coordinate bed resources and transfers to and from tertiary centres; work with clinical leaders to ensure timely patient flow.
• Achieve quality, safety and experience targets (e.g., 4-hour ED target) and maintain escalation processes.
• Provide clinical leadership, operational support, and cover seven days a week with night rotations.

Education

NMC registration

Relevant degree or working towards

Evidence of professional development

Willing to develop further

Job description

Main area Patient Flow Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (up to 37.5 hours per week) Job ref 372-CORP2086

Employer Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Huddersfield Royal Infirmary Town Huddersfield Salary £49,387 - £56,515 per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 06/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 27/10/2026

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics.

We are committed to recruiting to our values. Leading One Culture of Care underpins our values by creating an environment, tone and behaviours across all parts of the Trust that are fundamentally rooted in compassionate care.

We are open to considering a wide range of flexible working arrangements. There are opportunities to flex the days of the week, hours and times of work and place of work including: part-time, job-share, flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home when appropriate. Please talk to us during the interview process to discuss any flexibility that you may require.

We received our Silver Award from the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme which is helping actively promote SaBRE - Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers. This means that we provided its statement of intent to support all Defence personnel and we welcome application to work for us.

Our Future Plans

The Department of Health and Social Care has awarded capital funding to invest in local health services at both Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. This is a significant investment and an opportunity to enhance services for our populations in Calderdale and Huddersfield and West Yorkshire for generations to come. To find out more, please visit https://future.cht.nhs.uk/

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Resilience Acute Flow and Transformation Directorate

We are looking for a Clinical Site Commander to join our team

The post holder needs to be an experienced motivated and dynamic individual, with an interest in patient flow and a passion for improving patient safety and experience.

They will need to have an understanding of ED government targets and current issues than can effect timely flow of patients through the hospital.

Good communication skills are essential to this role.

Main duties of the job

• Facilitate admission of elective and emergency patients within the principles of the Admission Policy and Waiting List Policy. Liaising with t General Managers and relevant directorates to minimise waits in ED and prevent cancellations of elective procedures.
• To participate inOPEL Site Meetings cross site using standard operating procedures to give accurate information on demand, capacity and to manage and take appropriate action, finding solutions to issues..
• Liaise with the Clinical Site Commander and Clinical Site Matron across both hospital sites and external to the trust regarding bed resources, and coordinate the transfer of patients to and from tertiary centres in accordance with Trust policies and protocols.
• Achievement of quality, safety and experience metrics e.g. 4 Hour Emergency Care Target is essential.
• Liaising with the nurse in charge in the Emergency Departments to ensure that beds are allocated to patients in a timely manner and in accordance with current national and local standards. Ensure that there is clear, effective communication with the senior doctors and nurses and that the Emergency Department are informed during times of bed shortages or increased waiting times and follow established escalation policies.
• To provide effective professional leadership, clinical and operational support and advice to all departments/wards.
• To provide cover seven days per week, 365 days a year, with rotation onto nights to ensure continuity

Working for our organisation

We employ more than 6,500 staffwho deliver compassionate care from our two main hospitals,Calderdale Royal Hospital and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary as well as in community sites, healthcentres and in patients’ homes. We also are incredibly proud to have almost 150 volunteers here at CHFT.

We provide a range of services including urgent and emergency care; medical; surgical; maternity; gynaecology; critical care; children’s and young people’s services; end of life care and outpatient and diagnostic imaging services.

We provide community health services, including sexual health services in Calderdale from Calderdale Royal and local health centres. These include Todmorden Health Centre and Broad Street Plaza.

We continue to modernise and invest in our health services to build on our strong reputation.Foundation trusts are public leaders in improving quality in health services. They are part of the NHS– yet decisions about what they do and how they do it are driven by independent boards. Boardslisten to their Council of Governors and respond to the needs of their members – patients, staff andthe local community.

Foundation trusts provide what the health service wants, yet are also free to invest quickly in thechanges to thelocal community needs, in striving to be the best, and in putting their patients first.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To participate in OPEL site meetings using standard operating procedures to give accurate information on operational pressures and to manage and take appropriate action, finding solutions to issues
• Liaise with the Clinical Commander at the other hospital site and external to the trust regarding bed resources, and coordinate the transfer of patients to and from tertiary centres in accordance with trust policies, protocols and agreed SLA’s.
• Liaise with the Matrons, General Managers and Clinicians regarding problems relating to their service and with the health care teams, patients and carers to ensure the patient journey is a good experience.
• To attend cardiac arrest calls and assist as required by the arrest team. To have the expert knowledge and skills required to fulfil this role.
• Attend mandatory study days, in-service training and meetings as required.
• To have an overview of the Trust wide position and make appropriate clinical decisions to ensure safety of all patients is achieved and met
• To work closely with the ward teams to ensure hospital wards bed state is live and accurate.
• To liaise with and elevate to divisional mangers of the day to maintain an accurate site position
• To participate in audit and quality projects to improve patient safety and experience.
• To investigate and resolve complaints and concerns and elevate to divisional teams where appropriate.

QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING

• Current registration with NMC
• Relevant degree or working towards equivalent
• Evidence of professional development
• Must be willing to work towards further development

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

• Experience in a clinical leadership/team leader role
• Experience of coordinating a ward/clinical area
• Experience of liaising with patients/carers
• Previous experience of Site Management
• Can demonstrate ability to work towards meeting key performance indicators
• Sufficiently competent in order to demonstrate expert clinical knowledge
• Some understanding of the complexity of the NHS and the national picture and how this impacts on Site Management
• Knowledge of the NHS equality and diversity agenda
• ALS accredited
• Experience in caring for patients in high risk categories and those requiring high dependency care
• Knowledge of wider healthcare issues

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)

• Must be able to communicate effectively with a multi professional team and clients
• Good leadership skills and able to influence sustained change
• Able to work under pressure and be resilient to meet performance targets
• Proactive, takes own initiative
• Can conduct own projects successfully and follow through with actions
• Willing to undertake ownership and accountability
• Team player and willingness to share responsibility
• Flexible, responsive approach to work
• Committed to patient centred decision making
• Able to deal very sensitively and non-confrontationally with colleagues, patients and relatives
• Confident to work assertively with multi-disciplinary team

Our vision is to provide One Culture of Care for one another in order that we can provide compassionate care for the people who use our services. We are passionate about creating a workplace where we work together to get results, encouraging colleagues to have their say, in order to co create the change we want to see. We take pride in the diversity of our workforce that’s why we encourage applications from all. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants.

We understand that more applicants are using AI technology to help with their applications. While these tools can be useful, they cannot fully capture your skills, knowledge, and experience. It’s important that you personalise your application. Relying solely on AI is not recommended, as it may reduce your chances of success. Our screening process is thorough, so if you have used AI, please make sure to disclose this on your application form.

Candidates who require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the United Kingdom can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this position by assessing their circumstances against the criteria specified on the Check if you need a UK visa - GOV.UK website. We encourage all applicants to review these criteria carefully to understand their eligibility for sponsorship.

If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system. The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.

You may be required to undertake a DBS. The Trust will administer the DBS check on your behalf and will recover the cost (Enhanced £54.40, Standard £26.40 or Basic £26.40) from your salary when you commence in post (including Internal staff). You will also be required to participate in the DBS Update Service and pay the £16 cost per year. This is a condition of your employment.

CHFT is part of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), a collaborative of the NHS hospital trusts from across West Yorkshire and Harrogate working together to provide the best possible care for our patients.

If you have any questions please contact [e-mail] for assistance.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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.

At Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, we are excited to offer a range of volunteering roles, providing rewarding personal and professional opportunities for people from all backgrounds across a wide age range from our local communities, ensuring our volunteers are representative of our service users.