Head of Patient Safety

Job summary
Are you passionate about patient safety and quality improvement? We are seeking a compassionate, collaborative, and visible leader to join our Trust as the Head of Patient Safety (Patient Safety Specialist). This is a senior role, providing expert support and leadership to drive a culture of safety and continuous improvement across all our services.

You will play a pivotal role in developing and embedding patient safety systems, supporting the executive team, and ensuring that the patient is at the centre of all safety activity. Working closely with the Deputy Director of Nursing, you will help align patient safety responsibilities across the Trust and support the implementation of the NHS Patient Safety Strategy.

Main duties of the job
Key Responsibilities

• Provide expert leadership and oversight for patient safety, including systems-based investigations and improvement programmes.
• Develop and deliver the Trust's patient safety strategy, ensuring alignment with national policy and regulatory requirements.
• Lead and support the Patient Safety Team, fostering a culture of openness, learning, and continuous improvement.
• Advise the Board and executive team on patient safety issues, risks, and improvement approaches.
• Oversee the response to National Patient Safety Alerts and ensure robust systems for compliance.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including regional and national patient safety networks.
• Design and deliver multi-professional patient safety training and support the implementation of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF).
• Ensure effective communication and engagement with staff, patients, carers, and partners.
• Deputise for the Deputy Director of Nursing as required.

The role will involve a blend of agile working and on-site presence. While some flexibility in working arrangements will be supported, the post holder will be required to attend in person on a regular basis. This will include working from a range of bases as required by the role.

Closing Date: 6th November 2026
Shortlisting Date: 10th November 2026
Interviews: Mid-End November 2026

About us
Everything we do is underpinned by our core values:

• We Care - We act with respect and empathy, and always value difference
• We Listen - We understand people's views and respond to their individual needs
• We Deliver - We develop and provide excellent services and support our partners

We will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including:

• Increase mileage rates for > 4500
• A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages
• A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities
• Plus many more.

We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidate's best interest to apply as soon as possible.

Details
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8b
Salary: £66,582 to £77,368 a year Per Annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 453-26-8371880
Job locations: New Mill, Bradford, BD18 3LD, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Please read the attached Job description and person specification for more details about this role.

Right to Work in the UK
Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.

Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trusts eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.

As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.

Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential

• Educated to Master's Degree level in a relevant subject, or hold an equivalent level professional qualification or equivalent experience at senior level
• Evidence of strong and recent commitment to relevant ongoing professional development
• Registered Healthcare Professional and/or significant relevant experience of working alongside and influencing the practice of senior clinicians

Desirable

• Post-graduate patient safety qualification or previous experience
• Quality improvement qualification or previous experience

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Knowledge and experience of developments in a range of aspects of patient safety science such as human factors, systems thinking, investigation, quality improvement, change management, prospective and reactive risk analysis and management, error theory and just culture
• Knowledge and experience of driving improvement in the quality and safety of patients
• Highly developed specialist knowledge aligned with the elements of the national patient safety syllabus and NHS Patient Safety Strategy
• Experience of working in a patient safety related role for at least two years, with an understanding of the concepts which underpin approaches to improving patient safety in health systems

Desirable

• Experience of chairing committees and/or leading project/working groups
• Knowledge of safeguarding and the legal duties expected of NHS organisations
• Experience of implementing national guidelines and policies with the ability to interpret national advice, guidance and requirements and advise their organisation on how these should be implemented
• Experience of deputising for senior management

Skills and Abilities
Essential

• Ability to develop and communicate a long-term vision for patient safety and convert that into plans, objectives and deliverables for their organisation
• Ability to apply a high attention to detail whilst seeing the bigger picture
• Ability to concurrently manage a number of work streams

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
Address: New Mill, Bradford, BD18 3LD, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.bdct.nhs.uk/current-vacancies/

For questions about the job, contact:
Deputy Director of Nursing, Chris Dixon, christopher.dixon@bdct.nhs.uk

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