Job summary
We are seeking to recruit two Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) to join our Board of Directors and utilise their skills, knowledge and experience to help us to achieve our strategic ambitions and deliver great care for our patients.
We are looking for one Non-Executive Director with significant clinical skills and experience, who will be a member of our Quality Governance Committee and also undertake the important role of Board Maternity Safety Champion.
We are also seeking one Non-Executive Director with a sound knowledge of NHS finance who can support us to be as efficient and effective as possible, delivering value for money whilst striving to continue to enhance the quality of our services. This Non-Executive Director will be a member of the Finance and Performance Committee and will take over as chair of this committee once the current chair leaves in June 2025.
Please specify which role you are applying for in your supporting information on your application.
The Trust values the diversity of all staff and is committed to equality. Our Board of Directors should be representative of the people that we serve. We positively encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, gender, racial origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation or disability including people who have experienced mental ill health.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for candidates who share our values and are passionate about delivering high-quality, compassionate and joined-up care to communities. Previous Board-level experience is desirable but not essential.
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Contribute to the development of core strategies, setting the strategic direction for the Trust.
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Seek assurance over the delivery of strategies, including the appropriate prioritisation of the Trust's resource allocation.
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Providing constructive challenge and support as appropriate to hold the Chief Executive and Executive Directors to account and support effective decision-making as part of a unitary Board.
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Seek assurance over the performance of the Trust.
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Developing positive and productive relationships with the Council of Governors, supporting Governor colleagues to hold Non-Executive Directors to account for the performance of the Board.
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Seek assurance that the patient voice informs the work of the Board.
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Be a visible leader, embodying the values of the Trust and its clinically-led and management supported philosophy.
About us
At Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust we provide a wide range of acute, community and older peoples' mental health services to our local community and beyond. We also provide a range of specialist services including bowel screening for a population of around 7 million people and specialist gynaecological cancer treatments from the Scottish Borders through to Cumbria and Whitby.
We employ over 5,100 people and have over 400 hospital beds across the Gateshead area. We have an annual turnover of around £400 million and our wholly-owned subsidiary, QE Facilities, provides a wide range of high-quality services to the Trust and other NHS organisations.
Our philosophy is that to achieve the best patient care and outcomes we must be clinically-led and management supported - this is an integral part of our approach to everything we do.
We have three main strategic ambitions: to be a Northern Centre of Excellence for Women's Health; to be a leading provider of diagnostic services; and to be an outstanding district general hospital. We believe that by achieving these ambitions we will be able to make a valuable contribution to the healthcare of the people of Gateshead, but also to the wider North East and North Cumbria.
We are proud to be rated as 'good' overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) at our last full inspection. Our maternity services were inspected in 2023 and we were delighted to be rated as 'good' with a number of areas of outstanding practice highlighted.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are looking for one Non-Executive Director with significant clinical skills and experience, who will be a member of our Quality Governance Committee and also undertake the important role of Board Maternity Safety Champion.
We are also seeking one Non-Executive Director with a sound knowledge of NHS finance who can support us to be as efficient and effective as possible, delivering value for money whilst striving to continue to enhance the quality of our services. This Non-Executive Director will be a member of the Finance and Performance Committee and will take over as chair of this committee once the current chair leaves in June 2025. Please note that the Financial Non-Executive Director will commence in post as an Associate Non-Executive Director (i.e. non-voting), transitioning automatically to a full voting Non-Executive Director position on 1 July 2025. This has been designed to enable a comprehensive handover period with the current finance Non-Executive Director who has considerable knowledge of the Trust and NHS finance experience.
The job description for the roles has been aligned to the NHS England Leadership Competency Framework:
Driving high quality and sustainable outcomes, including: seeking assurance that the Trust delivers the best possible care for patients; a commitment to ensuring excellence within the Trusts resource allocation; ensuring the patient voice informs the work of the Board; and actively utilising the Trusts clinically-led and management supported decision-making principles at Board.
Setting strategy and delivering long-term transformation, including: as part of the unitary Board developing strategies which deliver against the needs of our people, patients and local health system; and seeking assurance over the delivery of these strategies.
Promoting equality and inclusion and reducing health and workforce inequalities, including: demonstrating an understanding and commitment to addressing variation and inequalities in the quality of care and outcomes; demonstrating a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion including social and cultural awareness.
Providing robust governance and assurance, including: embracing the principles of a unitary Board; using a variety of information sources to seek assurance over quality, financial, operational and people performance; being a visible leader; working closely with our Council of Governors; and promoting the highest standards of governance.
Creating a compassionate, just and positive culture, including: promoting visible, inclusive and compassionate leadership; and seeking assurance that appropriate arrangements are in place to engage with and listen to colleagues and support wellbeing.
Building trusted relationships with partners and communities, including: demonstrating a commitment to collaboration with partners, patients, communities and colleagues; maintaining a transparent and productive relationship with the Council of Governors; and maintaining a sound knowledge of the local health system.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We are looking for one Non-Executive Director with significant clinical skills and experience, who will be a member of our Quality Governance Committee and also undertake the important role of Board Maternity Safety Champion.
We are also seeking one Non-Executive Director with a sound knowledge of NHS finance who can support us to be as efficient and effective as possible, delivering value for money whilst striving to continue to enhance the quality of our services. This Non-Executive Director will be a member of the Finance and Performance Committee and will take over as chair of this committee once the current chair leaves in June 2025. Please note that the Financial Non-Executive Director will commence in post as an Associate Non-Executive Director (i.e. non-voting), transitioning automatically to a full voting Non-Executive Director position on 1 July 2025. This has been designed to enable a comprehensive handover period with the current finance Non-Executive Director who has considerable knowledge of the Trust and NHS finance experience.
The job description for the roles has been aligned to the NHS England Leadership Competency Framework:
Driving high quality and sustainable outcomes, including: seeking assurance that the Trust delivers the best possible care for patients; a commitment to ensuring excellence within the Trusts resource allocation; ensuring the patient voice informs the work of the Board; and actively utilising the Trusts clinically-led and management supported decision-making principles at Board.
Setting strategy and delivering long-term transformation, including: as part of the unitary Board developing strategies which deliver against the needs of our people, patients and local health system; and seeking assurance over the delivery of these strategies.
Promoting equality and inclusion and reducing health and workforce inequalities, including: demonstrating an understanding and commitment to addressing variation and inequalities in the quality of care and outcomes; demonstrating a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion including social and cultural awareness.
Providing robust governance and assurance, including: embracing the principles of a unitary Board; using a variety of information sources to seek assurance over quality, financial, operational and people performance; being a visible leader; working closely with our Council of Governors; and promoting the highest standards of governance.
Creating a compassionate, just and positive culture, including: promoting visible, inclusive and compassionate leadership; and seeking assurance that appropriate arrangements are in place to engage with and listen to colleagues and support wellbeing.
Building trusted relationships with partners and communities, including: demonstrating a commitment to collaboration with partners, patients, communities and colleagues; maintaining a transparent and productive relationship with the Council of Governors; and maintaining a sound knowledge of the local health system.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Clinical Qualification or Sound Knowledge of NHS Finance
Values
Essential
- A commitment to NHS values and principles of NHS Foundation Trusts
- Ability to work with and influence senior leaders in the NHS across all professional/management disciplines
Experience
Essential
- Proven leadership skills
- oAbility to understand complex strategic issues, analyse and resolve difficult problems
- oSound knowledge of corporate governance
- oClear understanding, and acceptance, of the legal duties, liabilities, and responsibilities of Non-Executive Directors
Desirable
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Clinical Qualification or Sound Knowledge of NHS Finance
Values
Essential
- A commitment to NHS values and principles of NHS Foundation Trusts
- Ability to work with and influence senior leaders in the NHS across all professional/management disciplines
Experience
Essential
- Proven leadership skills
- oAbility to understand complex strategic issues, analyse and resolve difficult problems
- oSound knowledge of corporate governance
- oClear understanding, and acceptance, of the legal duties, liabilities, and responsibilities of Non-Executive Directors
Desirable
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.
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).
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.
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).
