Job summary
- Main area
- Trust Board
- Grade
- VSM
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Job ref
- PB3075
- Employer
- Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Preston Hospital
- Town
- Preston
- Salary
- Competitive salary to attract the best candidate
- Closing
- 01/06/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Chief Medical Officer
VSM
Job overview
We’re not just looking to fill a vacancy—we’re looking for someone who sees the opportunity to shape the future of healthcare in a Trust that’s ambitious, collaborative, and ready for its next chapter. With the retirement of our current Chief Medical Officer, we’re entering a new phase—one that calls for bold leadership, fresh thinking, and a deep commitment to clinical excellence.
This is a pivotal role for someone who thrives on challenge and change. You’ll bring your experience, insight, and courage to help us build on what’s working and improve what isn’t. You’ll be a key driver of our transformation journey—ensuring that our ambition to deliver excellent care with compassion is not just sustained but accelerated.
You’ll join a high-performing, values-driven Executive Team where your strategic and operational expertise will be both respected and relied upon. As a full member of the Trust Board, you’ll share collective responsibility for our decisions and be the principal source of professional medical advice—across medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry. Your leadership will help shape a culture where clinical voices are central to strategy, innovation, and delivery.
You can find out all you need to know at our dedicated microsite and hear from our Chief Executive: https://www.lancsteachinghospitals.nhs.uk/chief-medical-officer
The interviews will take place mid-June 2025
Main duties of the job
You’ll lead the medical workforce with clarity and compassion, ensuring we continue to attract, support, and retain outstanding clinicians. You’ll champion modern medical management practices—like e-job planning, digital rostering, and meaningful appraisal—and ensure our systems and culture support high-quality, safe, and inclusive care.
You will also play a key role in system leadership across the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS), working collaboratively with partners to redesign clinical models of care, improve population health outcomes, and support the shift from treatment to prevention and from acute to community-based care.
As a full voting member of the Board, you will play a key role in shaping and delivering the Trust’s strategic vision, driving transformation, and fostering a culture of inclusivity, learning, and excellence.
This is a rare opportunity to leave a legacy—not just in the organisation, but in the wider system. You’ll play a leading role in shaping integrated care across Lancashire and South Cumbria, working with partners to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities.
We’re a Trust that values curiosity, challenge, and difference. We don’t expect everyone to agree all the time—but we do expect respectful debate, shared purpose, and a relentless focus on what’s best for our patients and staff. Your ability to build trust, navigate complexity, and lead with authenticity will be key.
Working for our organisation
We have 10000 fantastic people working hard to deliver quality services to our patients. Whatever roles our colleagues undertake, we all look after 370,000 people in our local area & give specialist care to 1.5 million people across Lancashire & Cumbria.
Our world-class teaching facilities and award-winning education teams are growing the healthcare workforce of the future, supporting every member of our teams to develop and flourish.
We are proud to be in inclusive organisation, that values diversity and promotes equity. We genuinely welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to supporting flexible working and professional development. We are passionate about creating a culture where everyone feels they belong and can thrive.
We know this advert can only say so much. If you’re curious, ambitious, and ready to make a difference, we’d love to talk. For an informal conversation please contact one of the following:
Sarah Morrison our Chief Nursing Officer/Deputy Chief Executive, at [email protected]
Gerry Skailes our current Chief Medical Officer at [email protected]
Neil Pease our Chief People Officer at [email protected]
Applications for this role will be through our dedicated TRAC recruitment system where you will complete some key information, using the Supporting Information section to write a personal statement to support your application and also attach your CV.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & System Collaboration
- Lead the development and delivery of the Trust’s clinical strategy, aligned with ICS and national NHS priorities.
- Lead the Trust’s research and innovation strategy and support the development of research and medical education across the Trust and system
- Act as a system leader, working with ICBs, local authorities, provider collaboratives, and public health to deliver integrated, equitable, and sustainable care.
- Champion the Trust’s contribution to the Acute Services Transformation Blueprint and wider system redesign.
- Shape and influence regional and national policy through active engagement with NHS England, regulators, and professional bodies.
Clinical Governance & Quality
- Serve as the Responsible Officer operating consistently with GMC requirements for medical revalidation, medical performance and disciplinary matters.
- Work in partnership with the Chief Nursing Officer to ensure good clinical governance processes are enacted including but not limited to patient safety safeguarding, infection prevention and control and regulatory compliance(e.g. CQC, GMC).
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement, learning from incidents, mortality reviews, and patient feedback.
- Lead the Trust’s clinical effectiveness, mortality and morbidity, medical examiner services, audit and research strategies, ensuring evidence-based practice and innovation.
- Through the line management of the Chief Pharmacist ensure robust medication management.
- Through the professional line management of the radiation lead, ensure robust radiation management.
- Ensure robust arrangements are in place for all clinical services in line with regulatory expectations.
Medical, Dental, Pharmacy Psychology, Medical Associate Professional and Healthcare Scientist Workforce Leadership
- Provide visible, compassionate leadership to the medical, dental, psychology, pharmacy, medical associate professional and healthcare scientist workforce.
- Oversee workforce planning, recruitment, job planning, appraisal, and professional development.
- Promote high standards of conduct, performance, and wellbeing, ensuring a just and inclusive culture.
- Support the development of clinical leaders and succession planning across the Trust.
- Work with the Chief People Officer to ensure that we maintain educational approval for medical student and junior doctor training and support the development of locally employed doctors.
Digital, Data & Innovation
- Working with the Chief Clinical Information Officer, act as the clinical lead for digital transformation, including EPR implementation, data-driven decision-making, and AI adoption.
- Serve as Caldicott Guardian, ensuring robust information governance and ethical data use.
- Champion the use of digital tools to improve patient outcomes, reduce variation, and enhance clinical productivity.
Operational & Corporate Leadership
- Work with executive colleagues to ensure safe, effective, and financially sustainable service delivery.
- Contribute to corporate governance, strategic planning, and performance management as a member of the Unitary Board.
- Participate in the Executive On-Call rota and represent the Trust at regional and national forums.
- Lead on clinical input into capital planning, estates development, and service reconfiguration.
Person specification
Education
Essential criteria
- • Medically qualified with full GMC registration and NHS consultant status (or equivalent).
- • Significant experience in a senior medical leadership role within a complex healthcare organisation.
- • Proven track record of delivering clinical transformation, quality improvement, research and workforce development.
- • Deep understanding of clinical governance, system working, and NHS policy.
- • Strong interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills.
- • Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
- • Experience of working across organisational boundaries and in partnership with external stakeholders.
Desirable criteria
- • Management or leadership qualification (e.g. MBA, NHS Leadership Academy).
- • Experience in digital health, research leadership, or cross-sector collaboration.
- • Experience of leading through major change, including service redesign or hospital redevelopment.
- • Understanding of population health management and health inequalities.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Sarah Morrison
- Job title
- Chief Nursing Officer/Deputy Chief Executive
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
For an informal chat, you can also contact:
Gerry Skailes our current Chief Medical Officer at [email protected]
Neil Pease our Chief People Officer at [email protected]
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