Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Head of Mental Health and Quality – Specialist & Secured Services

The closing date is 30 May 2025

Job summary

Are you an inspirational clinical leader with a passion for quality and improving patient outcomes? We're on the lookout for a dynamic and experienced professional to lead the quality agenda across our Specialist and Secured Services Care Delivery Pathway (SSCDP). This is a unique opportunity to shape and embed trauma-informed mental health care, drive excellence, and deliver real impact across a complex and high-profile service.

In this role, you'll be a visible and credible presence, working across our secure and specialist environments - including prisons - to ensure outstanding mental health care is consistently delivered.

You'll need to be a registered mental health professional with a strong understanding of the Mental Health Act, trauma-informed care, and CQC regulation. You'll have a knack for making sense of complex data, turning insight into action, and bringing people with you. You'll be approachable and calm under pressure, with the ability to inspire confidence and build a culture of continuous improvement.

In return, you'll join a values-driven organisation committed to co-production, innovation, and creating services that people are proud to use - and staff are proud to lead. If you're ready to take the next step in your leadership journey and leave your mark on a vital area of care, we'd love to hear from you. We can't promise it'll always be easy - but it will definitely be rewarding (and no two days are ever the same!).

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible at an operational level with accountability for the delivery of the Quality and Governance of the mental health stepped care model delivery across the Secured and Specialist Delivery Pathway (SSCDP).
Provide a range of quality services and interventions.
To support and undertake research, clinical audit and evaluate the service as directed.
To demonstrate and provide robust clinical leadership across the pathway and with all internal and external stakeholders, with a sound understanding of evidence-based nursing practice to provide a pro-active approach to ensure quality and outcome driven practice on a day-to-day basis.

About us

NHFT is an integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and out in the community. Because we put the person at the centre of all we do, we focus on delivering care that is as easy to access as possible. This means many of our services can be provided at home, work or in schools.We also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning to improve the care and safety of our patients and staff, which focuses on people who enable our Trust to be 'outstanding' by supporting opportunity, innovation, development and growth.

Date posted

19 May 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

270-TG074-MH

Job locations

Brightfields Business Hub

Peterborough

PE2 6XU

Job description

Job responsibilities

Youll lead on embedding our stepped care model, oversee clinical governance, and hold accountability for quality, safety and compliance across the board. Youll also work closely with senior leaders, clinicians, commissioners and partner agencies to deliver strategic priorities and continuously improve service delivery.

Were looking for someone with outstanding communication skills, a track record of leadership, and the confidence to advocate for both patients and staff while holding a strategic view.

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Were looking for someone with outstanding communication skills, a track record of leadership, and the confidence to advocate for both patients and staff while holding a strategic view.

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Evidence of effective management and change

Desirable

Experience of leading CQC preparation and inspections

Skills

Essential

Interpretation and analysis of complex data with successful action plans

Desirable

Risk management and patient safety knowledge

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Evidence of effective management and change

Desirable

Experience of leading CQC preparation and inspections

Skills

Essential

Interpretation and analysis of complex data with successful action plans

Desirable

Risk management and patient safety knowledge

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).