Head of Patient Safety

Banding: £71,953 - £83,114

Hours: 37.5hrs/week (Full time) Flexible working hours / options compatible with the role can be discussed – a minimum of 0.8wte is indicated

Base : Magog Court, Shelford Bottom, Cambridge CB22 3AD Hybrid working options available

Accountable to : Director of Programmes &​ Quality Improvement

Contract Type : 12-month fixed term, with possible extension subject to funding

Closing date for applications : 31st July 2026

Interview pro cess: Stage 1: Short presentation and discussion, online, w/c 24th

August Stage 2: In person interviews, w/c 7th September

About Health Innovation East

Our purpose at Health Innovation East is to turn great ideas into positive health

impact. We were established by the NHS to convene all partners in the health sector, to develop and deliver innovative solutions in health and care. Our focus is the East of England, but we are also part of a national network which enables us to deliver at scale. Our consulting offer also extends beyond the East of England, and we are increasingly undertaking national commissions. Citizens, academia, health services and industry will achieve more working together than they will in isolation. Our job is to make this happen. We do this by helping innovators to navigate complex systems, generate value propositions and connect stakeholders to overcome challenges together.

Role Purpose

The Patient Safety team leads on the delivery of quality improvement (QI) programmes in line with NHS England’s National Patient Safety Strategy. This includes working primarily with local NHS organisations to support teams in undertaking QI projects to improve outcomes for patients, families, and carers. The team is currently working on four national patient safety improvement programmes including maternity and neonatal safety, systems safety (Patient Safety Incident Response Framework), Martha’s Rule and managing deterioration and medicines safety. As Head of Patient Safety, you will be responsible for overseeing delivery of and providing quality improvement expertise across all patient safety programmes, as and when required. The post holder will lead a high performing team including programme managers and clinicians, all of whom are skilled in programme delivery.

The post holder will be the Patient Safety Lead, working with peers and colleagues across the 15 Health Innovation Networks. They will also take on key strategic roles on behalf of the Director of Programmes and Quality Improvement (QI) and lead annual business planning and contract specification delivery.

The post may change over time and the post holder will be required to commit to being flexible and responsive to accommodate the changes. They will be required to work closely with other Heads of employed by the business.

Key responsibilities:

As Head of Patient Safety, the post holder will support the Director of Programmes &​ QI to ensure all projects are managed effectively and be accountable on their successful delivery through:

• Providing leadership and programme oversight to the respective programme portfolio ensuring successful outcomes and delivery of projects
• Ensuring (and modelling) robust project management processes are in place for all projects including effective project governance, development and maintenance of project scopes and briefs; project initiation documents; milestones and key deliverables; risks and issues log etc
• Responsible for effective management and delivery of programme portfolio to the agreed budgets, ensuring compliance with organisational policies and procedures relating to financial management
• Providing support to the Director of Programmes &​ QI to establish effective resource utilisation processes across the organisations project delivery function
• Leading on communications and engagement activity relevant to the programmes, including liaison with national, regional and local stakeholders and system partners to raise awareness of and support delivery of projects
• Line management of assigned senior improvement leads, and clinical staff as agreed with the Director of Programme

s &​ QI.

Corporate and personal resp onsibilities (including but not limited to)

• Promote and observe Health Innovation East’s equity, diversity and inclusion pledges in every aspect of your work.
• Support the organisation in creating an environment that values risk management
• Ensure that we only operate within our remit of not offering clinical advice
• Adhere to all company policies and procedures and any applicable legislation

Personal Specification

Qualifications and training

• Degree in relevant discipline or equivalent experience
• Qualification in quality improvement methodologies or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level.
• Evidence of continuous personal development including project and programme management

Knowledge and understanding

• Extensive knowledge of application of quality improvement technologies within healthcare settings.
• Highly developed knowledge and understanding of the NHS (politically, regionally and local)
• Awareness of strategic challenges facing the NHS and the wider health and care system (with a working knowledge of the Eastern region preferred).
• Evidence of having led programmes and projects at scale.
• Experience of line

manag i ng staff

Skills

• Excellent written communication skills; able to write clearly and concisely, including producing reports
• Ability to explain improvement approaches, and methodologies, particularly the difference between performance and improvement data
• Excellent oral communication, presentation and negotiating skills. Is confident presenting to large groups and can handle challenge from senior specialist professionals
• Ability to prioritise, work to, and set deadlines and function effectively under pressure with competing demands
• Strong track record of successful project and programme delivery
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• Advanced skills in Word, PowerPoint, Project, and Excel
• High levels of emotional intelligence to inform working with a wide range of internal and external partners

Disposition/ Aptitude

• Ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary.
• Ability to work both autonomously and within a small team.
• Adaptability and flexibility to cope with uncertainty and change.
• Ability to travel within region, with occasional travel to national meetings (eg London, Birming

h am, Manchester).

Appointment will be subject to evidence of right to work in the UK and an enhanced DBS check, due to the potential for the postholder to be working in an environment with children and vulnerable adults.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Advanced data skills, particularly around measurement for improvement methodology and interpretation.

How to apply

To apply please submit your CV and a covering letter specifying your motivation for applying and how you meet our person specification, by 31st July 2026, to recruitment@healthinnovationeast.co.uk. Please note that CVs without covering letter will

not be considered. If you require further information about the roles, please contact amanda.newstead@healthinnovationeast.co.uk.

Submission of an application constitutes your consent to reasonable media and public online presence checks during the hiring process.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Health Innovation East is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcome applications from all qualified candidates. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and will provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process where needed.

Use of AI

We recognise that candidates may use AI tools to help prepare applications. However, all application materials and assessment responses should accurately reflect your own skills, experience and knowledge. Any misrepresentation of authorship, experience or qualifications may result in an application being withdrawn from consideration.