Directorate Manager

As the Directorate Manager you will be accountable for the delivery of all operational performance targets, including access targets, finance, quality of services to patients and improving services towards best practice standards within available income. You will be responsible for identifying and correcting areas of current and future risk; ensuring that performance targets and strategic objectives are met, including leading capacity and demand to achieve national and local standards. You will be responsible for producing business plans/business cases to support development within the services of the Directorate; present these business plans to the Trust internal and external meetings., You will be responsible for the staff and budgetary management within the areas that you are responsible for as Directorate Manager. You will ensure the delivery of the Cost Improvement Scheme (CIP), for the areas within the directorate, providing robust directorate plans for cost reduction or income generation strategies. You will be a key member of the divisional management team, taking full responsibility for actions and for keeping other team members informed. You will manage a senior divisional management team; within the areas that you will be responsible for as Directorate Manager. Working closely with the rest of the senior directorate team, the Directorate Manager will be accountable for developing and delivering a strategic approach to service improvement and developing optimum service models to meet national quality standards and performance targets.

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000. The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.

Band 8b Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, staff pride themselves on not only leading through clinical excellence, but also by creating an environment where all staff are valued and appreciated. To achieve this, the Trust has embarked on an exciting new strategy focused on continuous improvement. Our vision is to improve the lives of our community and provide excellence in healthcare, through partnership and innovation Our High Performance Culture will support everyone to be the best version of themselves by being true to our Trust vision, values and behaviours. We welcome applications from colleagues from our local and neighbouring communities of all backgrounds and identities, who are currently under-represented within our region such as Black, Asian, Minority ethnic and those with disabilities. As a region we are reviewing the way we work, and exploring how new working practices that support flexible working can create a positive work-life balance. As part of our recruitment process we will explore how our inclusive employment policies, flexible working, staff engagement forums, Trust facilities and services can be of mutual benefit., Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £27.50 (standard) or £55.50 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £16 per year applies. New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above. Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Good luck with your application. Disclosure and Barring Service Check If the role is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service. Enhanced DBS check applications that are submitted with omitted or incorrect information will be withdrawn. In the event errors are identified on your original application, a new application will need to be submitted and you will be required to pay the DBS application fee again. The cost of the DBS application is £27.50 (standard) or £54.50 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment. Overseas Candidates The Department of Health and Social Care has released a new publication to support overseas candidates looking to work in health and care in the UK.