Deputy Chief Medical Officer - Integrated Physical & Community Health

NHS; Ilford; On-site; GBP 76,000 - 146,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is seeking a Deputy Chief Medical Officer to provide strategic leadership for physical-health and community services. The ideal candidate should have senior leadership experience in the NHS, a deep understanding of integrated care models, and a commitment to improving service quality. This full-time role based in Ilford offers a salary range of £76,038 to £145,478 per annum and is permanent in nature.

Qualifications

• Experience across frailty, long-term conditions, out-of-hospital or virtual-ward services.
• Sound grasp of quality governance and change management.

Responsibilities

• Lead clinical strategy across all adult physical-health and community services.
• Work closely with primary care networks to deliver NHS health plan ambitions.
• Embed prevention and quality improvement in physical and community health.

Skills

Senior leadership in NHS physical-health or community-care services

Partnership working with Primary Care Networks

Track record of service improvement

In-depth understanding of NHS strategic priorities

Education

Inclusion on General Medical Council Specialist Register

Job description

Job summary

Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) - Integrated Physical and Community Health

Substantive - 10 Programmed Activities (8 medical leadership, 2 clinical) plus 20% responsibility allowance.

Base: Goodmayes Hospital, with travel across the NELFT footprint

Salary: Consultant pay scale (top point) plus 20% responsibility allowance

Please note: This role is open to General Practitioners, Consultant Physicians and Consultant Geriatricians.

We are seeking a senior, credible clinician with a strong track record of leadership in physical-health or community-care settings. You will have a deep understanding of:

• Primary care and neighbourhood working
• Frailty and long-term-condition pathways
• Out-of-hospital and intermediate-care services (e.g., virtual wards, rapid response)
• Partnership working with multidisciplinary teams and system partners

You will be motivated by NELFT's values -- We are kind, we are respectful, and we work together with our communities -- and by our commitment to equity, inclusion, learning, and compassionate leadership.

Main duties of the job

This is an exceptional opportunity to join the Executive Medical Leadership Team at North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) as Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) for Integrated Physical and Community Health -- a newly created senior leadership role shaping the future of care across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway.

The DCMO for Integrated Physical and Community Health will provide strategic clinical leadership for all adult physical-health and community services, ensuring that every person - whether living with mental illness, frailty, or long-term conditions - receives high-quality, joined-up, compassionate care.

Main responsibilities:

• Lead clinical strategy across the full spectrum of physical-health services, including inpatient and outpatient care, frailty and rehabilitation pathways, virtual wards, rapid-response, urgent treatment centres and intermediate-care services.
• Work closely with neighbourhood teams, primary care networks, acute providers and system partners to deliver the ambitions of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan and the integration of care across communities.
• Embed prevention, integration, and quality improvement across the continuum of physical and community health.

About us

Our Values 2025 - 2030

Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.

They are:

• We are kind.
• We are respectful.
• We work together with our communities.

Starting with Us

NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, including mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment.

As part of the process, new starters will also have the opportunity to meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend several drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

Job responsibilities

This is one of three new Deputy Chief Medical Officer roles in a strengthened medical‑leadership structure, alongside:

• DCMO Mental Health (Psychiatry)
• DCMO Babies, Children and Young People (BCYP)

These roles ensure that the medical voice is central to decision-making across the organisation and system strengthening safety, quality, and integration.

For an informal conversation about the position, please contact Dr Helene Brown, Acting Chief Medical Officer, or assistant Francesca Hayward.

Person Specification

Qualifications (Essential)

• Inclusion on General Medical Council Specialist Register (General Practitioner, Physician or Geriatrician)

Experience (Essential)

• Senior leadership in NHS physical-health or community-care services
• Experience across frailty, long-term conditions, out-of-hospital or virtual-ward services
• Partnership working with Primary Care Networks or neighbourhood teams
• Track record of service improvement

Knowledge (Essential)

• In-depth understanding of NHS strategic priorities, particularly the 10 year Health Plan and integrated-care models
• Sound grasp of quality governance, Quality Improvement and change management

Job details

• Posted: 18 November 2025
• Pay scheme: Hospital medical and dental staff
• Grade: Doctor - other
• Salary: £76,038 to £145,478 per annum
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 395-MED248-25
• Location: Goodmayes Hospital, Barley Lane, Ilford, IG3 8XJ