Head of Safeguarding and Vulnerabilities

UHDB; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust seeks a strategic Head of Safeguarding and Vulnerabilities to lead safeguarding across the Trust. You will advise the Board, translate legislation into policy, and drive improvements in care for children, young people and adults at risk.

You will oversee governance, risk, training and complex cases, partnering with statutory bodies to ensure compliance and equity, while fostering inclusive, trauma‑informed practice across the

Qualifications

• Substantial acute-hospital safeguarding leadership experience.
• Experience providing expert advice to executive leaders and boards.
• Knowledge of Mental Capacity Act and safeguarding frameworks.
• Commitment to inclusive, trauma-informed family-centred care.

Responsibilities

• Provide Trust-wide safeguarding leadership and board challenge.
• Oversee governance, risk and improvement across safeguarding domains.
• Lead multi-agency partnerships and ensure statutory compliance.
• Embed person-centred, trauma-informed practice across services.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Multi-agency collaboration

Executive briefing

Trauma-informed care

Education

Master’s degree safeguarding

NMC registration

Postgraduate qualification safeguarding

Teaching qualification

Job description

Head of Safeguarding and Vulnerabilities

Band 8c

Main area Safeguarding Grade Band 8c Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Will be required to participate on the on call rota) Job ref 320-SNR-0261

Site Royal Derby Hospital Town Derby Salary £79,504 - £91,609 pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 23/11/2026 23:59

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together.

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

With over 14,000 members of staff, you can expect huge variety and new opportunities every day! Our staff go above and beyond and take pride in caring for our patients.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust are fully committed to promoting inclusion, equality, diversity and human rights in employment and delivery of its services. The Trust is committed to providing an environment where all employees, patients, carers and visitors experience equality of opportunity by means of understanding and appreciating the value of diversity.

As a Trust we promote an inclusive environment and welcome applications from a diverse pool of talent and backgrounds. All individuals are valued and given every opportunity to succeed based on merit.

The Trust actively encourages applications from members of our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. These groups are under-represented in our organisation, and it’s important to us that our workforce reflects the diversity of our communities as much as possible.

Armed Forces and Disability Confident guaranteed interview scheme

To further support the pledges in the Armed Forces Covenant and to make a positive contribution to support ex-armed forces personnel (veterans) make the transition to civilian life, the Trust has introduced a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for veterans who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification, to help them overcome barriers to find civilian employment. The scheme will operate for all external recruitment.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer and committed to both employing and retaining people with disabilities. This commitment is to guarantee an interview for any candidate that has disclosed a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification. Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 will be considered upon request.

if you are blind or visually impaired and require application material in an alternative format- such as Braille, large print, audio or accessible electronic formats or you require support/adjustments with your application please contact the recruitment team on 01332 788466

The Trust is proud to be a signatory of the Care Leavers Covenant and is committed to supporting care-experienced people into employment.

Applicants who identify as a care leaver and who meet the essential criteria for the role, as detailed in the person specification, will be guaranteed an interview.

If you wish to be considered under this scheme, please indicate this within your application.

Join us and help make a real difference to our Trust.

Here’s more about the role and what we’re looking for;

Job overview

The Head of Safeguarding and Vulnerabilitiesprovides Trust-wide strategic, professional and operational leadership, protecting children, young people and adults at risk from abuse, neglect and avoidable harm and promoting safe, equitable, compassionate care.

Working autonomously, the post holder advises and challenges the Board, Executive Chief Nurse and clinical leaders, translating legislation, guidance and review findings into strategy, policy, training and practice.

They lead and support Named Nurses, Doctors, the Named Midwife and safeguarding specialists, ensuring compliance with national competency frameworks.

They oversee governance, risk and improvement across safeguarding, domestic abuse, Prevent, exploitation, modern slavery, trafficking, serious violence, hidden harms, mental capacity, deprivation of liberty, mental health, dementia, learning disabilities, autism, neurodivergence and least restrictive practice. Audit, intelligence and learning inform assurance and action on inequalities.

They build multi-agency partnerships, embed patient, family and carer voices, and promote inclusive, trauma-informed, whole-family care. They develop the multidisciplinary team, shared safeguarding responsibility and research and innovation to improve outcomes.

Main duties of the job

• Provide Trust-wide safeguarding and vulnerable people leadership, advice and challenge to the Board, Executive Chief Nurse and clinical teams; support Named professionals and assure statutory, regulatory and competency requirements.
• Lead strategy, governance, risk management and Board assurance, using data, audit, incidents and experience to improve outcomes, elevate concerns and embed learning from statutory reviews.
• Oversee complex concerns and allegations with People Services and statutory partners; lead responses to domestic abuse, Prevent, exploitation, trafficking and hidden harms, with lawful information sharing.
• Assure equitable, person-centred care across dementia, mental health, learning disability, autism and neurodivergence; apply the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and reduce restrictions through lawful, proportionate, time‑limited review.
• Embed child‑centred, whole‑family, trauma‑informed and anti‑discriminatory practice shaped by lived experience; represent the Trust in system partnerships and deliver agreed actions.
• Lead role‑based training, supervision and inclusive team development; ensure safe workloads, succession planning, effective budgets, financial compliance, value for money and research‑led improvement.

Closing date of applications - 23 November 2026

Interview date - w/c 7 December 2026

Working for our organisation

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

In return we will offer:

• Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
• On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
• Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts:

• We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
• We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England – an average of 2077 per week.
• An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day – 3rd largest in the country.
• Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
• Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
• We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
• We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
• UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

UHDB is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. We welcome authentic applications that reflect your own skills, experience and motivations for the role. While we understand that candidates may use AI tools for grammar, formatting or accessibility purposes, applications that appear to be substantially AI‑generated may be subject to additional review. If this applies to your submission, we will let you know and may ask for clarification. Please ensure your application accurately represents your experience and is written in your own words.

Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, we may be unable to provide sponsorship Skilled worker: Health and Care Visa | NHS Employers

Important visa information: Due to UK Home Office immigration rule changes effective from 22 July 2025, applicants sponsored under Occupation Code 6131 (Nursing Auxiliaries and Assistants) may not be eligible to bring dependants under the Skilled Worker route if their Certificate of Sponsorship is issued on or after this date. Applicants are responsible for understanding how these rules apply to their individual circumstances. The Trust cannot provide immigration advice. Further information is available on the Skilled Worker visa: Your partner and children - GOV.UK

Your application (for shortlisting purposes) is assessed based on the Person Specification in the job advert (below).

Skilled worker: Health and Care Visa

Read about the Health and Care Visa for employing overseas nationals (excluding Irish citizens) under the points-based immigration system.

Person specification

Experience

• Substantial acute-hospital experience and experience operating as a Named Professional, organisational safeguarding lead or in an equivalent senior specialist role
• Demonstrable experience of multi-agency work at strategic and operational levels, including constructive challenge, escalation and resolution of complex issues.
• Experience of providing expert advice and assurance to executive leaders, Board-level committees, clinical teams and statutory partners.
• Experience across more than one safeguarding or vulnerable-person specialty

Knowledge

• Expert knowledge of current safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance, case law, professional standards, regulatory requirements and NHS policy
• Advanced knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, consent, best‑interest decision‑making and least restrictive practice
• Knowledge of safe, equitable and person‑centred care for people with mental health needs, dementia, learning disabilities, autism, neurodivergence and other vulnerabilities.
• Awareness of emerging digital, data and artificial‑intelligence opportunities and risks in safeguarding and vulnerable‑person care.

Leadership and Communication Influence

• Highly developed communication, negotiation, facilitation and influencing skills, including the ability to communicate highly complex, sensitive or contentious information where there may be barriers to acceptance
• Compassionate, inclusive and credible leadership style that promotes psychological safety, accountability, learning and staff wellbeing.
• Experience of influencing policy or practice at Integrated Care System, regional or national level.

Values and Personal Attributes

• Able to maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality and personal resilience when dealing with distressing, complex or contentious matters.
• Experience of working meaningfully with people and communities with lived experience to improve services.

Qualifications and Professional Registration

• Evidence of substantial continuing professional development in safeguarding, leadership and vulnerable‑person care
• Current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council or another relevant UK statutory professional regulator.
• Master’s degree in a relevant subject, or equivalent demonstrable knowledge and experience
• Recognised teaching, facilitation, supervision or practice‑education qualification, or equivalent experience.
• Postgraduate specialist qualification in safeguarding, mental capacity, mental health, learning disability, public health or a related field.

Our Trust aims to provide the