Deputy Chief Medical Officer

NHS Jobs; Swindon; Hybrid; GBP 114,000 - 151,000; Full time

Job summary

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced and motivated clinical leader to join our Chief Medical Officer Directorate as Deputy Chief Medical Officer. Working with the CMO team, you will lead the medical and dental workforce portfolio, shape workforce strategy and drive patient safety, workforce culture and clinical transformation in partnership with system partners.

This fixed-term/secondment post offers opportunities to influence service development, contribute to

Qualifications

• Evidence of substantial leadership, management, quality improvement or transformation development through qualification or equivalent experience.
• Postgraduate medical qualification and evidence of continuing professional development.
• Full GMC registration; inclusion on the relevant Specialist Register or equivalent senior clinical standing appropriate to the applicant's professional background.
• Training or recognised experience in medical appraisal, responsible officer functions, MHPS, improvement methodology or digital clinical leadership.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership across the medical and dental workforce portfolio and shape workforce strategy.
• Collaborate with clinical, operational, workforce and system partners to strengthen recruitment, retention and job planning; champion wellbeing and professional standards.
• Support transformation, safety and culture improvements and deputise for the CMO when required.
• Contribute to wider organisational priorities and strategic development.

Skills

Leadership

Management

Quality improvement

Transformation

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Postgraduate medical qualification

GMC registration

CPD / continuing professional development

Specialist Register / senior clinical standing

Job description

Go back Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Deputy Chief Medical Officer

The closing date is 28 September 2026

5 PAs fixed term/ secondment for three years, plus substantive PAs in specialty up to a total of 10 PAs, or maintain clinical activity at your current Trust.

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced and motivated clinical leader to join our Chief Medical Officer Directorate as Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

Working closely with the Chief Medical Officer, fellow Deputy Chief Medical Officers and Associate Chief Medical Officers, you will lead the medical and dental workforce portfolio while contributing to wider organisational priorities including patient safety, workforce and culture, transformation, and system partnerships.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence the future direction of our workforce and clinical services. You will help shape sustainable workforce models and support clinical transformation, providing strategic leadership across workforce planning, professional standards, job planning, recruitment, retention, wellbeing and engagement.

Through this work, you will play a key role in developing a supported, inclusive and high-performing workforce that enables safe, effective and compassionate care for our patients.

Main duties of the job

As a senior member of the Chief Medical Officer Directorate, you will provide clinical leadership across the medical and dental workforce portfolio, helping to shape workforce strategy, support clinical transformation, and foster a positive organisational culture.

You will work collaboratively with clinical, operational, workforce and system partners to strengthen recruitment and retention, improve workforce sustainability, and support effective job planning, appraisal and professional standards. You will champion medical leadership, wellbeing, inclusion, accountability and continuous improvement, helping create an environment in which colleagues can thrive and deliver their best for patients.

Great Western Hospitals has a strong culture of improvement and an ambitious transformation agenda. This role offers the opportunity to make a significant contribution to that journey, supporting both strategic development and operational delivery.

Alongside your defined workforce portfolio, you will work as part of a supportive and collaborative Chief Medical Officer team, contributing flexibly to wider Trust priorities and deputising for the Chief Medical Officer when required.

For further information about this position, please contact the CMO Office via [e-mail], where we would be pleased to provide additional information and arrange an informal discussion.

About us

We are proud to be part of BSW Hospitals Group - a formal partnership between Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. With a combined workforce of over 17, 600 colleagues, and budget of 1.6 billion the Group is united by a common purpose to deliver the best possible care to over 1 million people.

We are creating a health and care system that works with the people we care for, reducing the differences people currently face in access, experience and outcomes, improving the experience of our colleagues and tackling shared challenges like sustainability and finances. Every improvement we make across our Group will be guided by what creates the greatest benefit for our colleagues, our patients, our communities and our partners.

Job responsibilities

The Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) plays a pivotal role in the Medical Directorate leadership team, supporting the delivery of the Trusts strategic goals by providing leadership on all medical and dental workforce issues, focusing on the key pillars of: Patient Safety & Clinical Outcomes; Workforce & Culture; Clinical transformation & Strategy; Partnerships & Integration.

Please see attached the full job description.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Evidence of substantial leadership, management, quality improvement or transformation development through qualification or equivalent experience.
• Post graduate medical qualification and evidence of continuing professional development
• Full perform registration with the GMC; inclusion on the relevant Specialist Register or equivalent senior clinical standing appropriate to the applicant's professional background.
• Training or recognised experience in medical appraisal, responsible officer functions, MHPS, improvement methodology or digital clinical leadership

Experience

• Experience of balancing strategic priorities, operational pressures, quality, workforce and financial considerations.
• Experience of leading complex change with empathy, credibility and effective engagement of frontline teams.
• Experience of working across professional and organisational boundaries and influencing at senior level.
• Significant leadership experience in complex NHS clinical services with evidence of delivering measurable improvement.
• Substantial senior clinical experience with a strong professional reputation and credibility with medical colleagues.
• Experience of deputising at executive medical director level or contributing to Board or Board Committee assurance.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£113,565 to £150,569 a yearper annum pro rata