Job summary
This is a senior leadership role at the heart of how digital supports patient care across the Trust. As Head of Applications and Service Delivery, you will ensure that our most critical clinical and corporate systems are safe, resilient and consistently deliver for staff and patients.
You will lead the strategic and operational management of a large and complex application estate, including the ongoing development of the Electronic Patient Record. A major focus of the role is the effective management of live services -- ensuring availability, managing risk and supplier performance, and driving continuous improvement in how systems are experienced in practice.
Beyond day-to-day delivery, you will play a key role in shaping the Trust's digital agenda. You will help modernise our operating model, improve service maturity and ensure that digital investment creates meaningful benefits for patients and staff.
This is a visible leadership role, working closely with senior clinical and operational colleagues and system partners. You will need to translate complex digital concepts into clear outcomes, building confidence across the organisation.
Main duties of the job
The role is responsible for the leadership, management and continuous improvement of the Trust's application and digital service portfolio.
You will be accountable for the safe, reliable operation of clinical and corporate systems in a live environment, ensuring high availability, effective incident management and continuous service improvement.
You will oversee the full lifecycle of applications, from implementation through to optimisation and support, ensuring systems remain aligned to clinical and operational needs and deliver value.
A key part of the role is managing supplier relationships and performance, ensuring delivery against contractual, financial and clinical safety requirements.
Working with senior stakeholders, you will support delivery of the digital strategy, including development of the EPR. You will also lead multidisciplinary teams, set clear priorities and ensure effective use of resources and budgets.
The role requires collaboration across the organisation and wider NHS system, representing the Trust and contributing to shared digital priorities.
About us
Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.
Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.
We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.
Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.
We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.
The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Purpose of the Job
Responsible for the strategic and operational management of major digital services, with particular focus on the lifecycle management, optimisation and assurance of clinical and corporate applications, associated digital services, and enabling technical platforms.
A core focus of the role is the effective management of live digital services, ensuring availability, resilience, safety, supplier performance and continual improvement across the application estate.
The role will provide managerial leadership, support and development for their teams, ensuring that strict business targets and expectations both internally and externally are met.
The post holder will take a lead role in the transformation of the current Informatics operating model ensuring that services are optimised to provide excellent customer experience. The scale of this task requires well proven leadership combined with a highly organised approach to operational delivery.
The post holder will also be expected to make a major contribution to the digital agenda in line with the Trusts business objectives and transformation programme. Underpinned by the Digital Strategy; and working collaboratively across the North East region.
Responsible for the ongoing management, optimisation and assurance of healthcare applications across their full lifecycle, ensuring safe, sustainable and effective operation in live clinical and operational environments.
Demonstrate understanding of cyber risk and security of the Trust, including cyber essentials accreditation.
Provide expert advice and guidance on information system development, adopting a programme management approach in the delivery of system improvement. Key to this is development of the Trusts EPR (electronic patient record).
Management responsibility for a large and complex capital and revenue budgets.
Support the Associate Director of Digital to engage key clinicians, professionals and senior leaders in the longer term digital agenda for the Trust; horizon scanning, being aware of best practice, capitalising on innovation and actively maintain a contemporary/forward thinking approach.
Ensure that an effective control environment is in place that robustly assures the Trust of information security and business continuity with regards to all infrastructure including designing complex audits to test controls.
Working with system suppliers and internal development teams to ensure IT systems meet with national definitions and guidelines.
Key Relationships
The post holder needs to convey/present digital concepts clearly and develop/deliver formal, highly complex presentations, work streams, strategies and sensitive/contentious information to a wide range of internal and external staff and large groups where agreement or co-operation is required and there may be a resistance to change.
They provide specialist advice to staff within and external to the Trust on software applications, development and business objectives.
Communicate with internal staff and external agencies to ensure compliance with key performance targets and strategic objectives.
To negotiate at a senior level using diplomacy to ensure the full adoption of IT systems in accordance with business change processes whilst also ensuring that the IT systems, infrastructure and IT business processes are fit for purpose.
The post holder manages strategic and operational relationships with system suppliers, ensuring service outcomes, contractual performance, clinical safety requirements and value for money are delivered.
Represent the Trust at local, regional and national forums advising the Trust of implications of emerging technologies and NHS initiatives.
The post holder will be expected to develop and foster good working relationships and effective communication with;
- Chief Executive
- Medical Director
- The wider executive team of directors
- Non-executive directors working in Board committees
- Clinical Directors and lead clinicians
- Chief Clinical Information and Safety Officer
- Corporate services managers and leadership teams
- Professional heads
- Operational staff and managers
- Internal and External auditors
- System Suppliers
- External stakeholders including, the public, GP, commissioners, Local Authority and ICP/ICS
- External bodies and agencies as appropriate
Job description
Job responsibilities
Main Purpose of the Job
Responsible for the strategic and operational management of major digital services, with particular focus on the lifecycle management, optimisation and assurance of clinical and corporate applications, associated digital services, and enabling technical platforms.
A core focus of the role is the effective management of live digital services, ensuring availability, resilience, safety, supplier performance and continual improvement across the application estate.
The role will provide managerial leadership, support and development for their teams, ensuring that strict business targets and expectations both internally and externally are met.
The post holder will take a lead role in the transformation of the current Informatics operating model ensuring that services are optimised to provide excellent customer experience. The scale of this task requires well proven leadership combined with a highly organised approach to operational delivery.
The post holder will also be expected to make a major contribution to the digital agenda in line with the Trusts business objectives and transformation programme. Underpinned by the Digital Strategy; and working collaboratively across the North East region.
Responsible for the ongoing management, optimisation and assurance of healthcare applications across their full lifecycle, ensuring safe, sustainable and effective operation in live clinical and operational environments.
Demonstrate understanding of cyber risk and security of the Trust, including cyber essentials accreditation.
Provide expert advice and guidance on information system development, adopting a programme management approach in the delivery of system improvement. Key to this is development of the Trusts EPR (electronic patient record).
Management responsibility for a large and complex capital and revenue budgets.
Support the Associate Director of Digital to engage key clinicians, professionals and senior leaders in the longer term digital agenda for the Trust; horizon scanning, being aware of best practice, capitalising on innovation and actively maintain a contemporary/forward thinking approach.
Ensure that an effective control environment is in place that robustly assures the Trust of information security and business continuity with regards to all infrastructure including designing complex audits to test controls.
Working with system suppliers and internal development teams to ensure IT systems meet with national definitions and guidelines.
Key Relationships
The post holder needs to convey/present digital concepts clearly and develop/deliver formal, highly complex presentations, work streams, strategies and sensitive/contentious information to a wide range of internal and external staff and large groups where agreement or co-operation is required and there may be a resistance to change.
They provide specialist advice to staff within and external to the Trust on software applications, development and business objectives.
Communicate with internal staff and external agencies to ensure compliance with key performance targets and strategic objectives.
To negotiate at a senior level using diplomacy to ensure the full adoption of IT systems in accordance with business change processes whilst also ensuring that the IT systems, infrastructure and IT business processes are fit for purpose.
The post holder manages strategic and operational relationships with system suppliers, ensuring service outcomes, contractual performance, clinical safety requirements and value for money are delivered.
Represent the Trust at local, regional and national forums advising the Trust of implications of emerging technologies and NHS initiatives.
The post holder will be expected to develop and foster good working relationships and effective communication with;
- Chief Executive
- Medical Director
- The wider executive team of directors
- Non-executive directors working in Board committees
- Clinical Directors and lead clinicians
- Chief Clinical Information and Safety Officer
- Corporate services managers and leadership teams
- Professional heads
- Operational staff and managers
- Internal and External auditors
- System Suppliers
- External stakeholders including, the public, GP, commissioners, Local Authority and ICP/ICS
- External bodies and agencies as appropriate
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Degree level (or equivalent experience).
- Postgraduate qualification in Digital/Informatics subject
- Evidence of continuing professional development within health informatics
- Prince 2 project management
Attitude
Essential
- Ability to work well under pressure and maintain composure in demanding situations
- Flexible attitude to changing environments
- Whole system' perspective and ability to help make productive connections between separate activities and processes
Experience
Essential
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the management of EPR and clinical systems.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the management of digital support services.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the management of application management Teams.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the management and control of critical, complex daily processes and issues in a production environment.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in Service Redesign working with a range of staff groups.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the coordination and implementation of digital upgrades and emergency releases.
- Experience in a managerial or leadership role including the development of staff, the coordination of a team and the scheduling of workload.
- Practical operational experience of working with a wide range of staff groups and multidisciplinary groups in an acute setting to improve systems/services and change working practices.
- Experience of troubleshooting and resolving issues at all levels.
Knowledge, Skills and ability
Essential
- Needs to be expert in the analysis of complex business requirements and to support the translation of these into strategies and financially sound Business Cases.
- In depth understanding of EPR operational issues in a live environment and ability to develop, negotiate and coordinate issue resolution involving system upgrades and the development and implementation of new applications.
- Ability to sustain concentration for long periods when coordinating the management of system issues and resolution and ensuring that testing functionality meets the defined specification.
- Ability to set service standards and deliver by example.
- Must be able to communicate complex issues both internally and externally to representatives of other areas, to ensure that service is delivered effectively and reported.
- Additionally to influence individuals or groups from other business areas, in order that solutions or requirements are clearly identified and appropriate actions implemented.
- Needs to drive change, implementing and supporting the new application products and services developed for the business
- Ability to define processes and where necessary review and improve, specifically those within digital Operational areas
- Ability to demonstrate excellent skills in analysis, design and presentation methods relating to IT systems, using a range of software applications.
- Proficient in the use of MS Office, including Email, and the Internet.
- A logical approach to investigating, analysing and resolving data and programming problems.
- Change management skills including motivation, persuasion, influencing and negotiation.
- Understanding of the multidisciplinary clinical components involved during a patients journey in an Acute Trust.
- Understanding the patient flows, including coding processes, discharge and follow up processes, outpatient processes.
- Specialist knowledge and experience of implementing service improvement techniques.
- Detailed knowledge of strategic developments in the NHS.
- Knowledge of the national informatics strategy.
- Understanding of the strategic aims of the EPR for the Acute Trust.
- A progressive thinker who would relish the opportunity to improve the delivery of clinical care and fundamentally change how healthcare professionals will work in the context of the NHS modernisation agenda.
- Proactive approach to problem solving.
- Ability to develop and maintain good productive working relationships.
- Self-motivated and able to work unsupervised, completing all work with attention to detail and a willingness to share information.
- Desire to continue to learn and develop on a personal and professional on an on-going basis.
Management & leadership style
Essential
- Effective leadership: the ability to manage teams effectively and to lead in a style appropriate to the situation
- Focussed on providing a high quality customer facing service
- Ability to lead staff effectively through change, implementing solutions that are practical and sustainable
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Degree level (or equivalent experience).
- Postgraduate qualification in Digital/Informatics subject
- Evidence of continuing professional development within health informatics
- Prince 2 project management
Attitude
Essential
- Ability to work well under pressure and maintain composure in demanding situations
- Flexible attitude to changing environments
- Whole system' perspective and ability to help make productive connections between separate activities and processes
Experience
Essential
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the management of EPR and clinical systems.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the management of digital support services.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the management of application management Teams.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the management and control of critical, complex daily processes and issues in a production environment.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in Service Redesign working with a range of staff groups.
- Experience acquired over significant period of time in the coordination and implementation of digital upgrades and emergency releases.
- Experience in a managerial or leadership role including the development of staff, the coordination of a team and the scheduling of workload.
- Practical operational experience of working with a wide range of staff groups and multidisciplinary groups in an acute setting to improve systems/services and change working practices.
- Experience of troubleshooting and resolving issues at all levels.
Knowledge, Skills and ability
Essential
- Needs to be expert in the analysis of complex business requirements and to support the translation of these into strategies and financially sound Business Cases.
- In depth understanding of EPR operational issues in a live environment and ability to develop, negotiate and coordinate issue resolution involving system upgrades and the development and implementation of new applications.
- Ability to sustain concentration for long periods when coordinating the management of system issues and resolution and ensuring that testing functionality meets the defined specification.
- Ability to set service standards and deliver by example.
- Must be able to communicate complex issues both internally and externally to representatives of other areas, to ensure that service is delivered effectively and reported.
- Additionally to influence individuals or groups from other business areas, in order that solutions or requirements are clearly identified and appropriate actions implemented.
- Needs to drive change, implementing and supporting the new application products and services developed for the business
- Ability to define processes and where necessary review and improve, specifically those within digital Operational areas
- Ability to demonstrate excellent skills in analysis, design and presentation methods relating to IT systems, using a range of software applications.
- Proficient in the use of MS Office, including Email, and the Internet.
- A logical approach to investigating, analysing and resolving data and programming problems.
- Change management skills including motivation, persuasion, influencing and negotiation.
- Understanding of the multidisciplinary clinical components involved during a patients journey in an Acute Trust.
- Understanding the patient flows, including coding processes, discharge and follow up processes, outpatient processes.
- Specialist knowledge and experience of implementing service improvement techniques.
- Detailed knowledge of strategic developments in the NHS.
- Knowledge of the national informatics strategy.
- Understanding of the strategic aims of the EPR for the Acute Trust.
- A progressive thinker who would relish the opportunity to improve the delivery of clinical care and fundamentally change how healthcare professionals will work in the context of the NHS modernisation agenda.
- Proactive approach to problem solving.
- Ability to develop and maintain good productive working relationships.
- Self-motivated and able to work unsupervised, completing all work with attention to detail and a willingness to share information.
- Desire to continue to learn and develop on a personal and professional on an on-going basis.
Management & leadership style
Essential
- Effective leadership: the ability to manage teams effectively and to lead in a style appropriate to the situation
- Focussed on providing a high quality customer facing service
- Ability to lead staff effectively through change, implementing solutions that are practical and sustainable
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).
