Programme Manager – Patient Safety

Job summary
Health Innovation Wessex (HIW) is pleased to offer an opportunity to join one of England's leading health innovation organisations as programme manager - patient safety at a pivotal moment for the NHS, life sciences sector and the wider health and care system.

This is a 23 month secondment / fixed-term vacancy.

Main duties of the job
We are an ambitious organisation, looking for passionate and motivated people to join us with a proven track record of delivery.

You will need a tenacity to succeed, great communication and project management skills, an ability to build new relationships quickly, and the capability to manage and report data, and organise events.

A clinical background is required with patient safety / quality improvement experience. We welcome applications from people with a wide range of additional past experiences, whether that be clinical, NHS management or from industry.

Experience in programme management is also advantageous. An appreciation of the challenges involved with innovation deployment and transformation in the NHS is an advantage to succeed in this role.

About us
What we offer
At Health Innovation Wessex, you will have the opportunity to influence some of the most important patient safety challenges facing health and care today while helping shape the future of innovation across the NHS.

You will join a highly regarded organisation with a national reputation for collaboration, delivery and impact.

Health Innovation Wessex is a company limited by guarantee, owned by the NHS and University Members with staff hosted by University Hospital Southampton.

We offer:

• A unique opportunity to work at the forefront of health innovation and healthcare transformation.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements - A minimum of 2 days in office or out visiting partners/stakeholders and home working aligned to the role and business needs.
• Commitment to professional development, leadership growth and continuous learning.
• A collaborative, ambitious and supportive culture.
• An organisation committed to inclusion, diversity and wellbeing. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to thrive.
• Modern office facilities at Southampton Science Park in Chilworth, one of the UK's leading centres for science, technology and innovation.

Details
Date posted: 26 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 23 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 188-HS061026
Job locations: Innovation Centre, 2 Venture Rd, Chilworth, Southampton, SO16 7NP, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
The Opportunity
As the Programme Manager Patient Safety you will manage and implement a number of projects within HIW, which will deliver against the national and local patient safety collaborative programme objectives detailed in the NHSE specification and supporting documents. This includes engaging and negotiating with Wessex health care providers, commissioners, academic organisations, social care, industry, patient partners and other key partners including senior leaders and front-line clinicians, with an ambition to give staff at all levels the skills and support they need to improve patient safety.

What You'll Be Responsible For

• Performance and outcomes of projects to deliver Health Innovation Wessex Patient Safety Collaborative programmes.
• The role includes putting in place appropriate programme management plans to ensure key milestones are achieved; improvement team formation, monitoring and support; raising awareness of Quality Improvement and safety culture; coaching, mentoring and influencing clinicians; ensuring appropriate measurement of outcomes; Patient Safety Network creation and delivery to support the sharing of good practice; providing data, reports and evidence on progress and promoting dissemination, communication and spread across Wessex to reduce avoidable harm to patients.
• As work stream lead the role will be responsible for leading and delivering a suite of programmes (national and local ICS agreed programmes).

Join Us
This is an exceptional opportunity for a patient safety programme manager who wants to make a lasting difference to health outcomes, healthcare transformation and economic growth.

If you are passionate about innovation, inspired by the future of the NHS and excited by the opportunity to shape the next chapter of Health Innovation Wessex, we would love to hear from you.

Together, we can accelerate innovation, improve lives and create a healthier future for Wessex and beyond.

Person Specification
Qualifications / Training Required
Essential

• Degree-level qualification in nursing or midwifery, allied health / public health / social care, including professional registration e.g. NMC or HCPC registration where appropriate
• A Master's degree level or equivalent postgraduate qualification in relevant discipline or equivalent demonstrable experience
• Knowledge of the specialist work practices and/ or professional guidelines relevant to patient safety
• Knowledge and experience of the NHS and local health and social service functions

Desirable

• Project Management training (e.g. PRINCE II)
• Institute of Health Care Breakthrough Series Training (or equivalent)
• Institute of Health Care Patient Safety Executive Course (or equivalent)
• Coaching / mentoring training

Previous or relevant experience necessary
Essential

• Relevant Clinical experience
• Clinical Management experience
• Knowledge of the Patient Safety Strategy
• Patient Safety experience in an NHS or care setting
• Quality Improvement experience (using QI tools and techniques such as process mapping, PDSA cycles, run charts or equivalent)
• Project management experience in an NHS or care service setting
• Experience of integrated working across professional boundaries and involving several organisations

Desirable

• Knowledge / experience of the priority Safety Improvement Programmes (in the Patient Safety Strategy)
• Ability to teach/facilitate the use of QI methodology
• Experience in evaluating projects
• Experience of organising/ managing events
• Coaching / mentoring experience

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.

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.

Employer details
Employer name: University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust
Employer's website: https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/home.aspx

For questions about the job, contact: Associate Director for Innovation Adoption, Jo Murray, jo.murray@hiwessex.net

Apply through our website