Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Head of Patient Care Contracts - Band 8b

The closing date is 29 June 2025

Job summary

The Head of Patient Care Contracts will be a member of the senior management team reporting directly to the Associate Director of Income and Contracting. The post holder will support the Associate Director in relation to all healthcare contract discussions with internal and external stakeholders.

The role supports the contract management process for the Trust, provider to provider and third sector contracts, to ensure delivery of services that are high quality, better value for money and to achieve the Trust objectives.

The post holder will also be expected to provide expert advice on contract management matters to Executives, Divisional Managers and clinicians from a variety of disciplines.

The post holder will be responsible for supporting the development of the Trust to contracting with non-commissioning bodies as well as developing capability within the team and of individual team members.

Expected interview date: 17/07/2025

Main duties of the job

Key Dimensions

Contract Management

Successful delivery of this role involves ensuring contract management for all contract services by ensuring robust systems for proactive contract performance monitoring that enable performance indicators to be specified, monitored, performance issues to be acted upon and future procurement decisions to be made.

Safeguarding

Provision of in-house contractual expertise on how the Trust's interests can be safeguarded in contracts and partnerships with other organisations, and how those safeguards can be documented.

Portfolio Management

Manage a portfolio of Trust contracts, supporting clinical and operational teams with their understanding of contract terms and parameters.

Finance Liaison

The post holder will work closely with the finance team so as to ensure the Contracting & Income department provides a seamless service on all income issues.

Relationship Development

Development of key working relationships with Directors and Senior Managers of NHS provider organisations, suppliers and third sector bodies.

About us

We are a small team of ten who work closely together within the Finance function as our roles across finance, contracting and income overlap. We are in effect a small multi-disciplinary team. Our role means that we interact with many internal and external clients and need to build good working relationships, often leading in workshops to resolve multifaceted issues.

Date posted

13 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£62,215 to £72,293 a year (pro rata if part time)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

318-25-T0432

Job locations

1st floor, Riverside House

College Baths Road

Cheltenham

GL53 7QB

Job description

Job responsibilities

Contract Management

Lead, support and contribute to formal contract negotiations with senior level staff from external stakeholders, providing a high level of negotiating expertise to secure the most advantageous arrangements.

Work closely with operational colleges to ensure contractual performance targets are achieved.

Work closely with the Heads of other Departments or Directorate to ensure that units understand and adhere to rules and standards, intervening as appropriate.

Ensure the securing of value for money, giving due consideration to all relevant factors including risk, quality and other factors.

Ensure contracts are in place, especially for provider to provider arrangements, including clear clinical specifications

Review contracted services at regular intervals, and identify any fundamental changes required.

Be required to use their own high level of contracting and commercial expertise to deliver an innovative and ambitious approach to the Trusts business obligations and opportunities and the associated contract structures. This may include conversations where there are barriers to understanding/acceptance.

Undertaking highly complex and contentious negotiations with Directors and Senior Managers of Commercial and public sector organisations to ensure best value and minimising risk to the Trust.

Protect the financial and contractual and integrity of the Trust through the analysis of third-party contracts

Work with the Associate Director of Income & Contracting and the Director of Finance to ensure the strong development and continued growth of the Trusts contract management function. This will include the development of robust systems and processes to ensure the Trusts contractual obligations are delivered. This will include the management of sub-contracts and provider to provider agreements.

Ensure that best practice is developed and delivered at organisational and departmental levels. Challenge ways of working and persuade, motivate and influence other senior managers to realign their practice where necessary.

To maintain compliance with Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions

Acts as deputy to the Associate Director of Income and Contracting on agreed and appropriate occasions.

Oversea database maintenance ensuring it is up to date

Other Operating Income

To support the Associate Director of Income and Contracting on non-commissioning income management for the Trust with particular reference to Provider to Provider agreements

To develop and maintain up to date processes to ensure all income is reported and contracted (where applicable) so disclosed correctly in the financial position.

To provide expert knowledge and financial advice on negotiating and agreeing contracts.

To participate actively in developing the vision, strategy and plans for income and contracting, taking account of the impact across the service lines and the organisation overall.

Reporting

Reporting of contractual issues and effect to various Boards and sub-committees

Provider Selection Regime

Familiarity with PSR and how it effects contracting

Liaison with the Procurement Department

Private Patients & Overseas Visitors

Support in the production of an annual price list to support the Private Patient office in line with Trust strategy.

Support on the financial support to the Private Patients Office.

Support with Private Patient insurance company negotiations

Support on financial support for Overseas Visitors.

Research and Development

Support, in general, to the Research & Development department of the Trust

Policy and Procedure

Responsible for developing, implementing and maintaining the policies and procedures associated with the management of contracts.

To contribute to the strategic direction of the Finance team including reviewing the key external partnership collaborations

Communications and Working Relationships

The post holder will require excellent interpersonal, negotiation and communication skills.

The post holder will be required to present highly complex and highly sensitive financial information to large audiences of varying experience. This will require highly developed presentation and influencing skills.

The post holder will require negotiation and persuasive skills when communicating contentious information to staff and directorates where there may be significant barriers to acceptance.

Staff Management and Training

Be responsible for the overall management of the Contracting and Costing team, including motivating staff to meet deadlines and targets, recruitment, training, appraisal, implementation of HR policies and dealing with disciplinary/performance issues.

Be responsible for the personal development of the teams and ensure that every member of staff is regularly appraised and has a Personal Development Plan.

Maintain an up to date, in depth specialist knowledge theory and experience of contract management, contractual and financial aspects of NHS legislation and NHS policies.

To ensure relevant finance and service staff are appropriately briefed on contract developments through the use of seminars, briefing papers and targeted distribution lists.