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Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Governance and Patient Safety Manager

The closing date is 15 March 2026

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Job summary

We are seeking an experienced and forward thinking Governance and Patient Safety Manager to provide strategic leadership across our Mental Health & Learning Disabilities (MH & LD) Service Group.

This pivotal Band 8a role will champion a culture of high quality care, robust governance, and continuous learning. You will lead on patient safety, quality improvement, and assurance frameworks, ensuring our services meet national standards, deliver excellent outcomes, and promote a culture of openness and transparency.

Working closely with the Service Group Leadership Team, you will influence strategic decision-making, support implementation of the NHS Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), and provide expert guidance on governance, risk, and quality.

Please note: the banding for this post is indicative and subject to formal job matching

Main duties of the job

In this senior leadership role, you will guide the Service Group's governance and patient safety agenda, ensuring alignment with Trust priorities and regulatory expectations. You will lead strategic programmes that enhance safety, improve patient experience, and embed a culture of continuous improvement.

Your responsibilities will include:

  • Overseeing governance and assurance systems, ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory frameworks.
  • Coordinating high-quality incident investigations under PSIRF and ensuring meaningful learning is embedded.
  • Leading on the analysis of complex data to identify trends, highlight risks, and inform strategic priorities.
  • Delivering specialist training and education programmes to strengthen organisational capability in governance and patient safety.
  • Supporting workforce development through visible leadership, effective communication, and fostering psychological safety.
  • Keeping abreast of emerging best practice, research, and innovation to advance governance and quality standards.
  • Managing complex and sensitive information with professionalism, empathy, and clarity.
  • Contributing to research, audit, evaluation, and quality improvement projects at service, Trust, and system levels.

This role requires exceptional communication, analytical thinking, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment. You will bring a strong track record in healthcare governance and patient safety.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

  • Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
  • NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
  • Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
  • A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Details

Date posted

02 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

184-OL-GR-3997

Job locations

Foundation House

Wellsprings Road

Taunton

Somerset

TA2 7PQ


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Provide strategic leadership for governance, patient safety, and quality improvement across the MH & LD Service Group.
  • Support the development and implementation of governance structures, policies, and assurance processes.
  • Drive the integration of quality improvement methodologies and ensure effective learning from incidents and patient safety events.
  • Act as a key advisor to the Associate Director of Patient Care and the wider Service Group leadership.
  • Lead the Learning from Events Governance Group (LfEGG) and oversee learning dissemination.
  • Support identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks, ensuring risk registers are accurate and effectively used.
  • Build strong relationships with clinical teams, service users, carers, regulators and system partners.
  • Provide professional leadership, development, and mentorship to governance, safety, and quality teams.
  • Deputise for the Associate Director of Patient Care when required.
  • Represent the Service Group at Trust, regional, and system-level forums.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Provide strategic leadership for governance, patient safety, and quality improvement across the MH & LD Service Group.
  • Support the development and implementation of governance structures, policies, and assurance processes.
  • Drive the integration of quality improvement methodologies and ensure effective learning from incidents and patient safety events.
  • Act as a key advisor to the Associate Director of Patient Care and the wider Service Group leadership.
  • Lead the Learning from Events Governance Group (LfEGG) and oversee learning dissemination.
  • Support identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks, ensuring risk registers are accurate and effectively used.
  • Build strong relationships with clinical teams, service users, carers, regulators and system partners.
  • Provide professional leadership, development, and mentorship to governance, safety, and quality teams.
  • Deputise for the Associate Director of Patient Care when required.
  • Represent the Service Group at Trust, regional, and system-level forums.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Clinical qualification and active relevant professional registration.Post registration qualification or demonstrate equivalent experience in leadership and management.Knowledge of a range of specific clinical areas, acquired through post graduate diploma to master's level or demonstrate equivalent

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in the NHS or health care setting.Knowledge and experience of working within Care Quality Commission guidelinesExperience of audit and evidence of improvement of services.Experience of management of healthcare standards, policies, procedures, and audit of the same.Management of staff

Desirable

  • Experience of healthcare governance including knowledge of corporate governance, risk management and assurance frameworks.

Additional Criteria

Essential

  • Access to own car and full driving licence
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Clinical qualification and active relevant professional registration.Post registration qualification or demonstrate equivalent experience in leadership and management.Knowledge of a range of specific clinical areas, acquired through post graduate diploma to master's level or demonstrate equivalent

Experience

Essential

  • Experience in the NHS or health care setting.Knowledge and experience of working within Care Quality Commission guidelinesExperience of audit and evidence of improvement of services.Experience of management of healthcare standards, policies, procedures, and audit of the same.Management of staff

Desirable

  • Experience of healthcare governance including knowledge of corporate governance, risk management and assurance frameworks.

Additional Criteria

Essential

  • Access to own car and full driving licence

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Foundation House

Wellsprings Road

Taunton

Somerset

TA2 7PQ


Employer's website

https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Foundation House

Wellsprings Road

Taunton

Somerset

TA2 7PQ


Employer's website

https://www.somersetft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Hiring Manager

Alison van Laar

alison.vanlaar@somersetft.nhs.uk

07900856843

Details

Date posted

02 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

184-OL-GR-3997

Job locations

Foundation House

Wellsprings Road

Taunton

Somerset

TA2 7PQ


Supporting documents

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