Job summary
- Main area
- Screening Quality Assurance
- Grade
- Medical Leader Level 1
- Contract
- Secondment: 12 months (until 31st October 2026)
- Hours
- Part time
- Annualised hours
- Job ref
- 990-V&S-15670-E
- Employer
- NHS England
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Wellington House
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £105,000 Pro rata
- Salary period
- Session by session
- Closing
- 18/09/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Chair for RIDAC of the NHS Cervical Cancer Screening Programme
Medical Leader Level 1
Our Organisation
The NHS is building a culture that is positive, compassionate and inclusive – and we all have our part to play.
As employers we are committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. This underpins our values as set out in the NHS Constitution and supports us to be an Employer of Choice, while helping our colleagues to deliver high quality services for our patients and communities.
As a flexible employer, we want to support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
We are an accredited Living Wage Employer which means that every colleague working for our organisation and third-party contractors will earn a real Living Wage. We are one of over 15,000 organisations, who voluntarily chose to pay the real Living Wage.
Job overview
The purpose of the RIDAC is:
- To shape and prioritise research and innovation proposals.
- To advise on the necessity, proportionality and appropriateness and relevance (public interest test) of data access requests
- To advise on the research topic and the innovation required (including its evaluation)
- To act as a conduit to provision of further practical advice on research proposals, including the impact on current NHS services and live IT services for that screening programme
- Escalate concerns to the Cervical Screening Delivery Group where appropriate.
The role of the Chair is work in collaboration with the National Screening Advisor as well as the NHSE Programme Leads. The time commitment for the role will be 4 meetings per year, plus the associated preparatory work. Timings will be dependent on meeting schedules and working group / subgroup.
Main duties of the job
- Provide exceptional leadership and motivational skills with the ability to present views and summarise the collective opinions of the committee in a clear and concise manner. Ensure the Research, Innovation and Development Advisory Committee (RIDAC) meets its terms of reference.
- Be responsible for the progression and development of Research, Evaluation and Audit within the NHS Screening Programme
- Play a critical role in ensuring the Committee’s continued standing as a recognised body in the field of NHS screening.
- Bring relevant knowledge, skills and experience to the Committee and contribute to the provision of high quality and well considered advice to NHS England. Where urgent advice is required on the work of the RIDAC, the Chair would be expected to provide this
on behalf of the Committee. - Be responsive to the secretariat of the committee to enable a quick turnaround when required. Work collaboratively with the RIDAC and programme team to review applications and support the governance of the meetings.
- To work with partners to ensure any information NHSE shares remain secure, lawful, and transparent.
- Be compliant with all governance requirements and controls
Working for our organisation
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
If you are successful at interview, we will run an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) in the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This transfer gathers valuable information from a previous or current NHS employer to support the onboarding process, including; statutory and mandatory competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will have the opportunity throughout the recruitment process to inform us if you do not consent.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The NHS England Research Innovation and Development Advisory Committees (RIDAC) play a pivotal role in the continual development and improvement of the NHS Screening Programmes. Duties include advising NHS England on research, evaluation, and audit requests, ensuring good quality research that does not adversely affect the operational delivery of the programmes, receiving updates on approved trials/research/audits, and agreeing access to individuals and data for those invited to participate in the programme.
Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience in one or more of the following:
- Experience in chairing a multidisciplinary group.
- A detailed understanding of NHS screening programmes.
- Experience in health service research (ideally in NHS screening programmes
The time commitment for this post includes as a minimum the chairing 4 meetings per year, and the associated work required for the preparation and the reporting on outcomes of the meetings, plus support of the developments to set strategic direction, and other reporting as required.
The exact time is dependent on membership of working groups or subgroups. The remuneration for this post and expenses are paid in line with NHSE policy.
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
If you would like to speak to someone about the post, then please contact us at [email protected]
Secondments
Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- A successful and recognised clinical and or academic senior leader who can make an important contribution to the work of the screening programmes
Knowledge and experience
Essential criteria
- Ability to analyse complex information and data, identify key issues and develop evidence-based solutions to complex problems.
- Ability to balance conflicting information and opinions to make timely and informed decisions in a transparent manner.
- Experience of working in senior multi-disciplinary committees and demonstrating leadership, influence, and challenge in this arena
- Experience of chairing senior multi-disciplinary committees
- An ability to remain impartial whilst exercising sound judgement and ensuring that all views are captures and explored.
Skills, Capabilities & Attributes
Essential criteria
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills suitable for a range of audiences from technical experts, charities, lobby groups and the public.
- An understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of providing independent advice to Government and to the principles of public life
- Be responsive to the secretariat of the group to enable a quick turnaround when required
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Essential criteria
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships
Values and Behaviours
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable commitment to partnership working with a range of external organisations
- Works well with others, is positive and helpful, listens, involves, respects, and learns from the contribution of others.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Jan Yates
- Job title
- Consultant in Public Health, NHSE Screening
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07596940232
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