Deputy Chief Medical Officer

NHS; Swindon; On-site; GBP 114,000 - 151,000; Full time

Job summary

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Deputy Chief Medical Officer to lead the medical and dental workforce portfolio, in collaboration with the Chief Medical Officer and senior colleagues, to shape workforce strategy, professional standards and clinical transformation across the Trust.

This fixed term/secondment post offers a pathway to contribute to patient safety, recruitment and retention, wellbeing, engagement and sustainable workforce models, with opportunities to

Qualifications

• Evidence of substantial leadership, management, quality improvement or transformation development.
• 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.
• Training or recognised experience in medical appraisal, responsible officer functions, MHPS, improvement methodology or digital clinical leadership

Responsibilities

• Lead the medical and dental workforce portfolio and contribute to organisational priorities.
• Shape workforce strategy, clinical transformation and professional standards.
• Support recruitment, retention, wellbeing and engagement.
• Deputise for the Chief Medical Officer when required.
• Collaborate with system partners to strengthen workforce sustainability.

Skills

Leadership

Workforce planning

Clinical governance

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Postgraduate medical qualification

Job description

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.

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.

Main duties of the job

About us

Job responsibilities

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