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The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

Chief Medical Officer (CMO)

The closing date is 18 March 2026

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Job summary

Are you an inspirational clinical leader who can shape the future of high-quality care across a dynamic, forward-thinking innovative NHS Trust? The Walton Centre is seeking an exceptional Chief Medical Officer to play a pivotal role in leading our medical workforce, strengthening clinical excellence, research and innovation and driving improvements for our patients, staff and wider Neuro Science community.

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to lead as the Trust's most senior doctor and shape the future of healthcare across Cheshire and Merseyside. If you are a compassionate leader with a strong sense of purpose and a passion for clinical excellence, we would love to hear from you.

You will be a key member of the Trust Board and Executive Team, providing strategic, professional and operational leadership across all aspects of medical practice. This role is integral to ensuring we deliver safe, effective and compassionate care, and that our clinicians are empowered, supported and developed to achieve the highest standards.

This is a highly visible role that will influence Trust-wide decision-making, strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration and guide the organisation through continued improvement and innovation. The role has a board membership (voting) The Walton Centre Board, and also has a duty to collaborate with all our partners.

Main duties of the job

  • Provide strategic leadership for medical staff, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, high-quality patient care.
  • Lead on medical governance, clinical quality, patient safety, infection prevention, medicines management, human tissue legislation and research.
  • Shape and implement our medical education strategy, supporting training, & the wider NHS workforce agenda.
  • Offer professional advice to the Board, ensuring clinical perspectives are clearly communicated and understood.
  • Drive improvements in clinical services, quality and outcomes, and raising standards of governance.
  • Ensure effective job planning, appraisals, revalidation & performance management for all medical staff.
  • Support medical workforce planning & transformation in partnership with the Chief People Officer
  • Provide clinical leadership in shaping and delivering the Trust's long-term clinical strategy.
  • Participate in the Executive Director on-call rota.

About You

You will be a senior medical leader with the credibility, compassion and resilience to inspire a diverse medical workforce and contribute fully to Board-level leadership.

You will have:

  • Registration with the GMC as a substantive Consultant or qualified doctor with significant medical management experience.
  • Extensive experience in clinical leadership, medical management, & clinical governance.
  • Experience in engaging, supporting and developing medical staff
  • Strong strategic awareness of NHS priorities and national policy, as well as local knowledge.

About us

The Walton Centre is a leader in the treatment and care of neurology and neurosurgery, placing the patient and their family at the heart of everything we do. As the only specialist hospital trust in the UK dedicated to providing comprehensive neurology, neurosurgery, spinal and pain management services we are proud to be rated as 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and champion change throughout the field of neuroscience.

At the Walton Centre we put people at the heart of what we do, working together as one team to make a difference for our patients, and each other.

We are proud to be in the top 5 best hospitals to work for in the country.

We are committed to creating a compassionate and inclusive environment. This can be seen in our growing community of staff networks - celebrating successes and creating opportunities to listen and learn. We value our differences, champion kindness and civility, and truly believe that diversity makes us stronger.

We value staff wellbeing, with a well-established programme of support.

Details

Date posted

04 March 2026

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience Dependant on experience and contract type

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

160-7845564

Job locations

The Walton Centre

Lower Lane

Liverpool

L9 7LJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the job description and person specification document for detailed information about the job description for this vacancy.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the job description and person specification document for detailed information about the job description for this vacancy.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Qualified doctor
  • Registered with GMC
  • Satisfactory record of continuous professional development

Desirable

  • Recognised management qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Significant track record of employment at substantive consultant level, working in an acute hospital environment
  • Considerable experience in clinical leadership roles
  • Evidence of leading service change with Consultant colleagues

Desirable

  • Significant previous senior management experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • Up to date knowledge of current health agenda
  • Sound knowledge of clinical governance and effective systems of medical management such as job planning, appraisal and clinical assessment.
  • Understanding of medical recruitment and training matters
  • An understanding of the role of management and clinical contribution to the overall Trust agenda

Desirable

  • Knowledge and/ or experience of policy development at national level

Key Skills

Essential

  • Inclusive leadership and management style
  • Ability to analyse complex issues and identify potential solutions
  • Effective motivator with strong influencing skills and personal credibility
  • Proven skills in the development of alliances and partnership
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Qualified doctor
  • Registered with GMC
  • Satisfactory record of continuous professional development

Desirable

  • Recognised management qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Significant track record of employment at substantive consultant level, working in an acute hospital environment
  • Considerable experience in clinical leadership roles
  • Evidence of leading service change with Consultant colleagues

Desirable

  • Significant previous senior management experience

Knowledge

Essential

  • Up to date knowledge of current health agenda
  • Sound knowledge of clinical governance and effective systems of medical management such as job planning, appraisal and clinical assessment.
  • Understanding of medical recruitment and training matters
  • An understanding of the role of management and clinical contribution to the overall Trust agenda

Desirable

  • Knowledge and/ or experience of policy development at national level

Key Skills

Essential

  • Inclusive leadership and management style
  • Ability to analyse complex issues and identify potential solutions
  • Effective motivator with strong influencing skills and personal credibility
  • Proven skills in the development of alliances and partnership

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Walton Centre

Lower Lane

Liverpool

L9 7LJ


Employer's website

https://www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust

Address

The Walton Centre

Lower Lane

Liverpool

L9 7LJ


Employer's website

https://www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Chief Executive

Jan Ross

Jan.Ross5@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

04 March 2026

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

Depending on experience Dependant on experience and contract type

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

160-7845564

Job locations

The Walton Centre

Lower Lane

Liverpool

L9 7LJ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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