University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

Acute Clinical Lead

The closing date is 19 January 2026

Job summary

Integrated stroke delivery networks(ISDNs)are the key vehicle for transforming stroke care across the country. Using a full-pathway approach, they will prevent thousands of patients suffering a stroke, through improved diagnosis and access to treatment in 24/7 specialist stroke units, and increase the availability of high quality rehabilitation and ongoing community care to rebuild patients' lives after a stroke.

The National Stroke Service Model outlines best practice stroke care for the NHS. The model details the overarching objectives and governance of an ISDN as well as outlining the optimal pathway for joined-up stroke care throughout the patient journey.

Main duties of the job

This post will work alongside their Co-Clinical Lead for Community/Rehabilitation to provide clinicalleadership to the ISDN, supporting the ISDN Board and in developing,deliveringandmonitoringthe strategy andobjectivesof the ISDN alongside the Senior ISDN Manager.

The Co-Clinical Leads willbe requiredto provide clear,effectiveand unbiased leadership and be able to work across organisational boundaries to encourage collaboration and sharing of best practice across member organisations to help deliver the network's strategy andobjectives.

About us

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is one of the largest and most modern in the country. Based across two sites, Royal Stoke in Stoke-on-Trent and County Hospital in Stafford, we are proud to serve around three million people and we're highly regarded for our facilities, teaching and research. We are the specialist centre for major trauma for the North Midlands and North Wales.

All of our employees make a valuable contribution regardless of role here at UHNM and we are proud of our wide range of development packages aimed at ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their true potential.

UHNM create and encourage a culture of inclusion, providing equal opportunities for career development that are fair and transparent. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture in which all staff feel valued and respected. In return we ask all of our employees to make a commitment to the values, co-created by or staff, patients and carers, and that unite us as a Trust.

At University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust we know that investing in, supporting and developing our staff has a direct impact on the quality of care that we deliver. Our employees are as important as our patients and the population that we serve.

Details

Date posted

22 December 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

Depending on experience £110,240 - £126,776

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

3 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

205-7586266

Job locations

UHNM

Newcastle road

Newcastle-Under-Lyme

ST4 6QG


Job description

Job responsibilities

Key aspects of this role will be to: -

  • Work in partnership with the Co-Clinical Director (Community and Rehab) to bring the expert acute experience

  • Use their subject matterexpertisein acute and hyper acute stroke care to lead the ISDN

  • Ensure that whole pathway improvements and transformation are being considered and provide the expert input and scrutiny for all acute areas of the pathway.

  • To provide professional and clinical leadership to the ISDN and the Midlands stroke programme

  • Toprovideclinical advice to constituent organisations (commissioners and providers).

  • To communicate the ISDN strategy andobjectivesto focus on quality and outcomes from national through to local level

  • To provide leadership for improving and safeguarding quality

Strong negotiation, facilitation and organisation skills, the ability to motivate clinicians and a flexible approach arerequiredwithin the role. The ability to articulate a strategic vision and assure its implementation is vital.The post holder will be expected to chorale opinion and translate this intoobjectivesand a delivery plan alongside the ISDN Management team.

The post holder is expected to work in partnership with the Co-Clinical Lead to:

  • Lead the development and delivery of a strategic agenda to make the Stroke service more sustainable through shared working between Trusts, and whereappropriate, with wider partners across the health and care system.

  • Engage with clinical teams and managers across different care settings to promote engagement,participationand ownership in responding to challenges in Stroke services.

  • Provideexpert advice, clinical leadership and support to the CVD-R Clinical Network and wider Midlands Stroke Programme to helpfacilitatethe coordinated development of Stroke services across the area

  • Support the ISDN Manager in taking forward work or initiatives where there is divided clinical opinion and/or lack of guidance; gaining clinical support and managing conflict effectively.

  • Development and implementation of transformation in Stroke, ensuring equity of access and best use of resources across the ISDN footprint area and wider region, alongside the Co-Clinical Lead and the ISDN Senior Manager

  • Contribute to the development of evidence-based policies and strategies and contribute to the future development/planning of Stroke across the ISDN footprint area and wider region.

  • Champion and support service improvement activities across the ISDN footprint area and represent the stroke community at both a regional and national level.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key aspects of this role will be to: -

  • Work in partnership with the Co-Clinical Director (Community and Rehab) to bring the expert acute experience

  • Use their subject matterexpertisein acute and hyper acute stroke care to lead the ISDN

  • Ensure that whole pathway improvements and transformation are being considered and provide the expert input and scrutiny for all acute areas of the pathway.

  • To provide professional and clinical leadership to the ISDN and the Midlands stroke programme

  • Toprovideclinical advice to constituent organisations (commissioners and providers).

  • To communicate the ISDN strategy andobjectivesto focus on quality and outcomes from national through to local level

  • To provide leadership for improving and safeguarding quality

Strong negotiation, facilitation and organisation skills, the ability to motivate clinicians and a flexible approach arerequiredwithin the role. The ability to articulate a strategic vision and assure its implementation is vital.The post holder will be expected to chorale opinion and translate this intoobjectivesand a delivery plan alongside the ISDN Management team.

The post holder is expected to work in partnership with the Co-Clinical Lead to:

  • Lead the development and delivery of a strategic agenda to make the Stroke service more sustainable through shared working between Trusts, and whereappropriate, with wider partners across the health and care system.

  • Engage with clinical teams and managers across different care settings to promote engagement,participationand ownership in responding to challenges in Stroke services.

  • Provideexpert advice, clinical leadership and support to the CVD-R Clinical Network and wider Midlands Stroke Programme to helpfacilitatethe coordinated development of Stroke services across the area

  • Support the ISDN Manager in taking forward work or initiatives where there is divided clinical opinion and/or lack of guidance; gaining clinical support and managing conflict effectively.

  • Development and implementation of transformation in Stroke, ensuring equity of access and best use of resources across the ISDN footprint area and wider region, alongside the Co-Clinical Lead and the ISDN Senior Manager

  • Contribute to the development of evidence-based policies and strategies and contribute to the future development/planning of Stroke across the ISDN footprint area and wider region.

  • Champion and support service improvement activities across the ISDN footprint area and represent the stroke community at both a regional and national level.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered with the GMC or equivalent nursing or AHP body with a licence to practice rship position
  • Leadership or management qualification or equivalent recent experience in a leadership position

Professional and Multidisciplinary Team Working:

Essential

  • Working at a Consultant or senior nursing/therapist level
  • Working in stroke services with the ISDN footprint area

Management and Administrative Experience:

Essential

  • Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to develop strong working relationships at all levels
  • Effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
  • Flexible and able to respond to changing priorities
  • Able to operate effectively across organisational boundaries

Personal Attributes:

Essential

  • Committed to improving stroke services by encouraging the collaboration and empowerment of local providers and patients/carers
  • Able to be neutral and detach from existing organisational loyalties
  • Open minded and able to listen/understand the viewpoints of others
  • Self-motivated, pro-active and innovative
  • Professional with positive reputation amongst peers
  • Ability to reconcile conflicting viewpoints in a diplomatic manner
  • Ability to travel throughout the ISDN area as required and attend regional and national meetings

Clinical Experience & Training:

Essential

  • Facilitating and/or leading significant change
  • Understanding the local system-wide issues across both stroke services and wider organisational challenges
  • Working across organisational boundaries
  • Working in a similar leadership role
  • Managing complex viewpoints and be able to chorale opinion
  • Understanding of the broader NHS landscape and current reforms e.g. Long Term Plan
  • Understanding of commissioning of NHS Stroke Services
  • Understand the National and Regional agenda for stroke service transformation

Desirable

  • Managing or leading programmes or projects
  • Recent leadership experience within the STP or in a regional role
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered with the GMC or equivalent nursing or AHP body with a licence to practice rship position
  • Leadership or management qualification or equivalent recent experience in a leadership position

Professional and Multidisciplinary Team Working:

Essential

  • Working at a Consultant or senior nursing/therapist level
  • Working in stroke services with the ISDN footprint area

Management and Administrative Experience:

Essential

  • Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to develop strong working relationships at all levels
  • Effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
  • Flexible and able to respond to changing priorities
  • Able to operate effectively across organisational boundaries

Personal Attributes:

Essential

  • Committed to improving stroke services by encouraging the collaboration and empowerment of local providers and patients/carers
  • Able to be neutral and detach from existing organisational loyalties
  • Open minded and able to listen/understand the viewpoints of others
  • Self-motivated, pro-active and innovative
  • Professional with positive reputation amongst peers
  • Ability to reconcile conflicting viewpoints in a diplomatic manner
  • Ability to travel throughout the ISDN area as required and attend regional and national meetings

Clinical Experience & Training:

Essential

  • Facilitating and/or leading significant change
  • Understanding the local system-wide issues across both stroke services and wider organisational challenges
  • Working across organisational boundaries
  • Working in a similar leadership role
  • Managing complex viewpoints and be able to chorale opinion
  • Understanding of the broader NHS landscape and current reforms e.g. Long Term Plan
  • Understanding of commissioning of NHS Stroke Services
  • Understand the National and Regional agenda for stroke service transformation

Desirable

  • Managing or leading programmes or projects
  • Recent leadership experience within the STP or in a regional role

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

University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

Address

UHNM

Newcastle road

Newcastle-Under-Lyme

ST4 6QG


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust

Address

UHNM

Newcastle road

Newcastle-Under-Lyme

ST4 6QG


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Senior Manager

Heidi Preston

Heidi.Preston@uhnm.nhs.uk

07718869619

Details

Date posted

22 December 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

Depending on experience £110,240 - £126,776

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

3 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

205-7586266

Job locations

UHNM

Newcastle road

Newcastle-Under-Lyme

ST4 6QG


Supporting documents

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