Programme Manager – Patient Safety

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible and hybrid working

Professional development

Inclusion and wellbeing

Job summary

Health Innovation Wessex is seeking a Programme Manager – Patient Safety to lead and deliver multiple projects aligned to NHSE specifications. You will engage with NHS providers, commissioners, academia, social care and industry to build the skills and systems needed to improve patient safety across Wessex.

This role requires a clinical background, strong programme management, and the ability to influence senior leaders and frontline staff.

Qualifications

• Clinical background with patient safety or quality improvement experience.
• Proven track record delivering complex programmes.
• Ability to build relationships quickly and manage NHS stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage projects within HIW delivering patient safety outcomes.
• Develop programme management plans, monitor milestones and reports.
• Coordinate with care providers, commissioners, academia, industry and patients.
• Support data collection, measurement and dissemination of best practice.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Data reporting & analytics

Communication skills

Job description

Closing: 04/11/2026

Job overview

Health Innovation Wessex (HIW) is pleased to offer an opportunity to join one of England's leading health innovation organisations as programme manager – patient safety at a pivotal moment for the NHS, life sciences sector and the wider health and care system.

This is a 23 month secondment / fixed-term vacancy.

We are an ambitious organisation, looking for passionate and motivated people to join us with a proven track record of delivery.

You will need a tenacity to succeed, great communication and project management skills, an ability to build new relationships quickly, and the capability to manage and report data, and organise events.

A clinical background is required with patient safety / quality improvement experience. We welcome applications from people with a wide range of additional past experiences, whether that be clinical, NHS management or from industry.

Experience in programme management is also advantageous. An appreciation of the challenges involved with innovation deployment and transformation in the NHS is an advantage to succeed in this role.

What we offer

At Health Innovation Wessex, you will have the opportunity to influence some of the most important patient safety challenges facing health and care today while helping shape the future of innovation across the NHS.

You will join a highly regarded organisation with a national reputation for collaboration, delivery and impact.

Health Innovation Wessex is a company limited by guarantee, owned by the NHS and University Members with staff hosted by University Hospital Southampton.

We offer:

• A unique opportunity to work at the forefront of health innovation and healthcare transformation.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements - A minimum of 2 days in office or out visiting partners/stakeholders and home working aligned to the role and business needs.
• Commitment to professional development, leadership growth and continuous learning.
• A collaborative, ambitious and supportive culture.
• An organisation committed to inclusion, diversity and wellbeing. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to thrive.
• Modern office facilities at Southampton Science Park in Chilworth, one of the UK's leading centres for science, technology and innovation.

The Opportunity

As the Programme Manager – Patient Safety you will manage and implement a number of projects within HIW, which will deliver against the national and local patient safety collaborative programme objectives detailed in the NHSE specification and supporting documents. This includes engaging and negotiating with Wessex health care providers, commissioners, academic organisations, social care, industry, patient partners and other key partners including senior leaders and front-line clinicians, with an ambition to give staff at all levels the skills and support they need to improve patient safety.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Performance and outcomes of projects to deliver Health Innovation Wessex Patient Safety Collaborative programmes.

The role includes putting in place appropriate programme management plans to ensure key milestones are achieved; improvement team formation, monitoring and support; raising awareness of Quality Improvement and safety culture; coaching, mentoring and influencing clinicians; ensuring appropriate measurement of outcomes; Patient Safety Network creation and delivery to support the sharing of good practice; providing data, reports and evidence on progress and promoting dissemination, communication and spread across Wessex to reduce avoidable harm to patients.

As work stream lead the role will be responsible for leading and delivering a suite of programmes (national and local ICs agreed programmes).

Join Us

This is an exceptional opportunity for a patient safety programme manager who wants to make a lasting difference to health outcomes, healthcare transformation and economic growth.

If you are passionate about innovation, inspired by the future of the NHS and excited by the opportunity to shape the next chapter of Health Innovation Wessex, we would love to hear from you.

Together, we can accelerate innovation, improve lives and create a healthier future for Wessex and beyond.

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