Interim Senior Service Manager Rheumatology, Diabetes and DTU

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A major healthcare provider in the United Kingdom seeks an Interim Senior Service Manager for Rheumatology, Diabetes, and DTU. This leadership role involves ensuring quality care delivery, managing performance across clinical specialties, and collaborating with various healthcare professionals to enhance service efficiency. A strong background in management within the NHS, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to safety are essential. The position offers a chance to make a significant impact in patient-centered care across vital health services.

Benefits

Access to a program of high-quality training and development

Friendly working environment

Qualifications

• Educated to Degree level or equivalent experience supplemented by diploma level specialist training.
• Proven experience of working in a management/leadership role.
• NHS budget management experience.

Responsibilities

• Ensure that service delivery standards are achieved.
• Work collaboratively with the General Manager and Clinical Leads.
• Act as a champion for patient safety and operational effectiveness.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Analytical and problem solving

Ability to work independently

Leadership experience

Education

Degree level education

Management/leadership qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job title

Interim Senior Service Manager Rheumatology, Diabetes and DTU

Closing date

The closing date is 08 February 2026

Overview

We are seeking an exceptional Clinical Service Manager to lead the operational delivery of our rheumatology, diabetes, endocrinology and Day Treatment Unit services. This is a high-impact role at the heart of our clinical operations, where you will shape the performance, quality and experience of care across multiple specialist pathways. You will take ownership of the day-to-day running of these services, ensuring they meet agreed quality standards and are delivered within defined resource and income parameters. Working closely with clinical and operational teams, you will drive forward service efficiency, patient flow, workforce optimisation and continuous improvement, while maintaining a strong focus on safety and excellence. This role offers an exciting opportunity for a confident, motivated and forward-thinking leader who thrives in a dynamic environment and is passionate about delivering outstanding patient-centred care.

Job summary

We are seeking an exceptional Clinical Service Manager to lead the operational delivery of our rheumatology, diabetes, endocrinology and Day Treatment Unit services. This is a high-impact role at the heart of our clinical operations, where you will shape the performance, quality and experience of care across multiple specialist pathways. You will take ownership of the day-to-day running of these services, ensuring they meet agreed quality standards and are delivered within defined resource and income parameters. Working closely with clinical and operational teams, you will drive forward service efficiency, patient flow, workforce optimisation and continuous improvement, while maintaining a strong focus on safety and excellence. This role offers an exciting opportunity for a confident, motivated and forward-thinking leader who thrives in a dynamic environment and is passionate about delivering outstanding patient-centred care. If you are ready to make a meaningful difference across high-profile clinical specialties and influence the future of service delivery, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

• To ensure that service delivery standards are achieved (for instance, wait time milestones)
• Work collaboratively with the General Manager, Clinical Leads, Matron, other Clinical Services, and other colleagues to ensure that service delivery and improvement plans are developed, implemented and reviewed
• Ensure that financial controls are established and maintained within the scope of the clinical specialty
• Act as a champion for patient safety, operational effectiveness and quality
• Work in partnership with colleagues across the Trust to drive the achievement of the Trust's corporate goals and business plan, including the achievement of all the relevant clinical specialties performance standards incorporating quality, safety, contractual, financial and people
• Lead by example and act at all times as an ambassador for the Trust, championing the Trust's values and upholding the highest standards of behaviour and compassion for colleagues

About us

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job

Job description

Job responsibilities

Provide visible operational leadership to the relevant clinical specialty and promote continual improvement in quality, performance and delivery of Trust objectives

Lead the establishment of accountability structures within the relevant clinical speciality ensuring that responsibility is delegated appropriately so that decisions can be taken as close to service provision as possible

Lead, manage and motivate staff within the relevant clinical speciality to deliver and improve services so meeting the needs of patients

In conjunction with the General Manager Develop the business and planning processes throughout the relevant clinical specialty to deliver services to required standards and within the available resource base

Develop processes in collaboration with other Operations Managers for the Clinical Service to jointly manage the business, delivery and development of services

Work collaboratively with Business partners to ensure effective financial, quality and workforce planning that meets the needs of both current and future service developments

Ensure that all staff receive appropriate education and training opportunities which supports the workforce strategy and therefore, the strategic aims of the Trust

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Degree level or equivalent experience supplemented by diploma level specialist training oManagement/leadership qualification or equivalent experience at post graduate level o Evidence of continued professional development o Further relevant training

Desirable

• Project Management Qualification

Communication skills

Essential

• Strong communication skills both written and verbal - able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive information and use persuasion, influencing and negotiation skills with individuals and groups including stakeholders

Experience

Essential

• Proven experience of working in a management/leadership role o NHS budget management experience o Experience of managing, leading and motivating a team o Leading service changes to improve performance o Leading projects oIdentifying and interpreting national policy and implementing required changes oBusiness case development and annual planning, longer term planning

Knowledge

Essential

• Financial procedures including budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes o Business planning/annual planning o Understanding of change management o Able to use IT systems including Microsoft Office Good understanding of the current NHS Agenda and healthcare policy oKnowledge of service improvements/transformation and project management o Risk management and governance

Skills

Essential

• Good analytical and problem solving skills - ability to analyse highly complex data/information and make judgements/draw conclusions - including ability to respond to unexpected demand oAbility to work independently and make autonomous decisions oAble to produce clear and concise forma committee reports and business cases at Service level o Able to embrace, lead and drive change

Personal skills

Essential

• Able to work flexibly to meet the demands of the role oDemonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and services oAbility to travel routinely within/around Bedfordshire as required for the role o Able to participate in the Senior Manager on-call rota

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .

Employer details

Employer name
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Luton and Dunstable Hospital

Lewsey Road

Luton

LU4 0DZ

Employer's website

https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/