Consultant Psychiatrist, Director Patient Safety & Quality Governance
- Full-time
Job summary
This is an exciting opportunity for a Consultant Psychiatrist to become Director of Patient Safety and Quality Governance. Based in Worthing, the post provides strategic leadership across patient safety, quality governance, regulatory assurance, risk and organisational learning.
The postholder will report to the Chief Nursing Officer, advise the Board and Executive Team, and undertake up to two clinical sessions aligned with their CCT and interests. The role is permanent, comprising 10 programmed activities and a £25,000 responsibility allowance.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will lead Trust-wide arrangements for patient safety and PSIRF, quality assurance, CQC readiness, risk management, health and safety, mortality review, suicide prevention and reducing restrictive practice. They will ensure that concerns are identified and escalated promptly, learning leads to measurable improvement, and the Board receives clear and timely assurance. The role includes senior cover for the Chief Nursing Officer, leadership of three direct reports and participation in the consultant on-call rota.
About us
Sussex Partnership provides mental health, learning disability and neurodevelopmental services to people of all ages across Sussex. We employ around 5,700 staff and deliver care across 53 sites, including 15 inpatient units, working closely with NHS, local authority and voluntary-sector partners. Our vision is "Delivering great care and improving outcomes together." We offer structured induction, CPD and study leave, peer support, mentoring for new consultants, wellbeing services and flexible-working opportunities.
Salary
£113,565 to £150,569 a year Pro rata. Responsibility allowance £25,000
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Job responsibilities
The Director will develop and continuously improve the Trusts quality-governance and assurance framework, strengthen Ward-to-Board reporting and lead regulatory engagement. They will bring together intelligence from incidents, complaints, deaths, audits, inspections and patient and carer feedback to identify risk, support learning and demonstrate sustained improvement. The postholder will provide expert advice to senior leaders, chair governance forums, oversee external reviews and lead relevant strategies, policies, budgets and teams. Clinical duties will comprise up to two sessions in an agreed community or inpatient setting.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- MB BS or equivalent medical qualification.
Desirable
- Qualification or higher degree in medical education, clinical research or management.
- MRCPsych
- Additional clinical qualifications including qualifications in leadership
Eligibility
Essential
- Fully registered with the GMC with a licence to practise at the time of appointment.
- Included on the GMC Specialist Register OR within six months.
- Approved clinician status OR able to achieve within 3 months of appointment
Desirable
- SCR In good standing with GMC with respect to warning and conditions on practice
Transport
Essential
- Holds and will use valid UK driving licence OR provides evidence of proposed alternative.
Clinical skills, knowledge and experience
Essential
- Excellent knowledge in specialty
- Excellent clinical skills using bio-psycho-social perspective and wide medical knowledge
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English
- Able to manage clinical complexity and uncertainty
- Makes decisions based on evidence and experience including the contribution of others
- Able to meet duties under MHA and MCA
Desirable
- Wide range of specialist and sub-specialist experience relevant to post within NHS or comparable service
- Experience of medical leadership
Academic skills and lifelong learning
Essential
- Able to deliver undergraduate or postgraduate teaching and training
- Ability to work in and lead team
- Demonstrate commitment to shared leadership & collaborative working to deliver improvement.
- Participated in continuous professional development
- Participated in research or service evaluation.
- Able to use and appraise clinical evidence.
- Has actively participated in clinical audit and quality improvement programmes
- Ability to work in a participatory way so that shared decision making and conversations around formulation/diagnosis and ongoing care are a collaborative endeavour with the people who access our service.
Desirable
- Able to plan and deliver undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and training relevant to this post
- Reflected on purpose of CPD undertaken
- Experienced in clinical research and / or service evaluation.
- Evidence of achievement in education, research, audit and service improvement: awards, prizes, presentations and publications.
- Has led clinical audits leading to service change or improved outcomes to patients
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
Employer details
Employer name: Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Portland House, Worthing, BN11 1HS, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/
For questions about the job, contact:
Chief Nursing Officer, Mandy Stevens, mandy.stevens10@nhs.net
Reference number: 354-CO-22019
Date posted: 26 October 2026
Closing date: 09 November 2026
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