Job summary
We have an exciting fixed-term opportunity for a Head of Safeguarding within our mental health hospital. You will provide strategic leadership and organisational oversight of safeguarding adults and children, ensuring high-quality practice, focus, compliance, and a strong culture of safety across all services.
Main duties of the job
This is a senior leadership role responsible for providing expert oversight, leadership, and direction for safeguarding adults and children across multiple sites. You will lead the safeguarding agenda, ensuring high-quality, safe, and effective practice is embedded across all services, in line with statutory requirements and best practice.
About us
Our Charity
We are St Andrew's. We are a mental health charity, and our purpose is to inspire hope for those living with complex mental health needs.
We are looking to a future with less stigma, more community support, more research and education, and we aim to be at the forefront of inspiring real change. We want to ensure we can all live in a society where everyone with complex mental health needs is heard, valued and has hope for their future.
Come and join us and support us to help people transform their lives.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- You will be reporting directly to the Executive Director for Quality and Nursing
- Provide strategic leadership for safeguarding adults and children across the organisation
- Ensure compliance with statutory frameworks, including the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, and Working Together to Safeguard Children
- Lead on safeguarding policies, procedures, and governance systems
- Provide expert advice and guidance to staff, senior leaders, and the Board
- Oversee safeguarding incidents, referrals, and complex case management
- Ensure robust systems are in place for learning from safeguarding incidents and embedding improvements into practice
- Lead safeguarding training strategy, ensuring staff meet required competencies (Level 35 as appropriate
- Work collaboratively with external partners (Local Authorities, ICBs, NHSE, CQC, Police)
- Provide assurance through audits, reporting, and performance monitoring
- Promote a positive safeguarding culture and reflective practice across the organisation
- Lead for PREVENT
Job description
Job responsibilities
- You will be reporting directly to the Executive Director for Quality and Nursing
- Provide strategic leadership for safeguarding adults and children across the organisation
- Ensure compliance with statutory frameworks, including the Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, and Working Together to Safeguard Children
- Lead on safeguarding policies, procedures, and governance systems
- Provide expert advice and guidance to staff, senior leaders, and the Board
- Oversee safeguarding incidents, referrals, and complex case management
- Ensure robust systems are in place for learning from safeguarding incidents and embedding improvements into practice
- Lead safeguarding training strategy, ensuring staff meet required competencies (Level 35 as appropriate
- Work collaboratively with external partners (Local Authorities, ICBs, NHSE, CQC, Police)
- Provide assurance through audits, reporting, and performance monitoring
- Promote a positive safeguarding culture and reflective practice across the organisation
- Lead for PREVENT
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- You will have significant experience of working within the safeguarding field. You will hold an NMC Registration or relevant equivalent health or social care professional registration.
Experience
Essential
- You will have significant experience of working within the safeguarding field. You will hold an NMC Registration or relevant equivalent health or social care professional registration.
- You will bring an advanced knowledge of legislation related to safeguarding and mental health and public protection and related statutory guidance and regulations.
- You will have significant expert/specialist knowledge in safeguarding and quality improvement, and strategic development preferably in a large or similar complex organisation. You will also have extensive experience of working at a senior level in a safeguarding context.
- You will have both the breadth and depth of skills to fulfil the role described above and strong leadership skills to inspire and lead with a focus on excellence and accountability.
- You will also be a role model for the St Andrews CARE values and the pillars of our Leadership Commitment including compassionate, person-centred care.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- You will have significant experience of working within the safeguarding field. You will hold an NMC Registration or relevant equivalent health or social care professional registration.
Experience
Essential
- You will have significant experience of working within the safeguarding field. You will hold an NMC Registration or relevant equivalent health or social care professional registration.
- You will bring an advanced knowledge of legislation related to safeguarding and mental health and public protection and related statutory guidance and regulations.
- You will have significant expert/specialist knowledge in safeguarding and quality improvement, and strategic development preferably in a large or similar complex organisation. You will also have extensive experience of working at a senior level in a safeguarding context.
- You will have both the breadth and depth of skills to fulfil the role described above and strong leadership skills to inspire and lead with a focus on excellence and accountability.
- You will also be a role model for the St Andrews CARE values and the pillars of our Leadership Commitment including compassionate, person-centred care.
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 (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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 (opens in a new window).
