Head of Patient Safety, Systems and Learning

Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust; Lewisham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Lewisham is seeking a Head of Patient Safety and Learning. This role involves leading the Quality Team, overseeing patient safety investigations, and developing safety initiatives. The ideal candidate has a strong background in patient safety and a proven track record in leadership. This position offers the opportunity to shape patient safety culture within the Trust.

Qualifications

• Proven background in patient safety and improvement mindset.
• Ability to drive patient safety initiatives within the organization.
• Experience in leading and managing teams effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the response to patient safety and oversee the patient safety team.
• Develop a patient safety culture and safety systems based on relevant policies.
• Oversee complex patient safety investigations and initiatives.
• Manage day-to-day operations of the patient safety team.

Skills

Leadership

Patient safety expertise

Communication

Team management

Education

Relevant healthcare degree

Job description

Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead the Quality Team at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. As the Head of Patient Safety and Learning you will provide support to the Associate Director of Quality in leading the response to patient safety, embedding the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework and overseeing the patient safety team at a strategic level, ensuring learning and improvements are shared across the organisation. The successful candidate will lead on a broad range of patient safety and clinical governance activities, in liaison with other key professionals within the Trust. You will provide expert support to the organisation and system, playing a key role in the development of a patient safety culture, safety systems and improvement activity, ensuring that systems thinking, human factors understanding and “just culture” principles are embedded in all patient safety processes across the Trust.

This post will play a key role in supporting the Patient Safety Partners within the Trust to ensure that the patients’ voices are heard with regard to patient safety activities and championing patient co-design.

We are looking for an authentic, senior leader to drive patient safety with enthusiasm. A proven background in patient safety and an improvement mindset is essential.

Main duties of the job

Key Focus

1. The Head of Patient Safety and Learning will provide compassionate and collaborative leadership and provide the Trust with expert knowledge and advice on all patient safety matters within the organisation, including the development of a patient safety culture and safety systems based on relevant legislation, national and local agreements, and policies and procedures.
2. Provide patient safety expertise and leadership within the organisation; demonstrating compassionate leadership, visibility and supporting the continued development of the patient safety culture. Work with clinicians and Trust Managers in developing patient safety and learning strategies and interventions including local, national and international initiatives to address challenging areas for the organisation.
3. The Head of Patient Safety and Learning will oversee complex patient safety investigations where expert opinion is needed, and will lead on safety improvement/initiatives, ensuring that systems thinking, human factors understanding and just culture principles are embedded in patient safety processes.
4. Day-to-day operational management of the patient safety team and the Ulysses systems team, directly managing the team, setting and monitoring objectives, carrying out appraisals and having an overview of all work being carried out, ensuring the organisational objectives are met.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and staff experience

Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, and from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, identified as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development; widening access (anchor institution) and employability; improving the experience of staff with disability; improving the EDI literacy and confidence of Trust staff through training and development; and making equality mainstream.

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for—the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivating a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations.