Job summary
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) is a senior executive medical leadership role, providing strong professional leadership and supporting the delivery of high standards of quality, safety, and medical professionalism across the Trust. Working closely with the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Responsible Officer (RO), and Associate Medical Director team, the post holder will provide Trust-wide leadership across the CMO portfolio.
The DCMO will work in close partnership with the CMO's Office, Divisional leadership teams, and the Executive team to embed high standards of professionalism, engagement, and continuous improvement across clinical services. The role provides senior medical leadership in delivering the Trust's vision for safety, learning, and excellent patient outcomes, ensuring that learning from experience is translated into meaningful and sustained improvement.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will support the CMO in co-chairing Consultant and Medical Director meetings and will be a member of the Responsible Officer's Advisory Group (ROAG). They will provide senior medical leadership and assurance in relation to learning from deaths, mortality review, and inquests.
Externally, the DCMO will build strong relationships with clinical leaders and partner organisations across the system, representing the Trust at relevant Integrated Care System, King's Health Partners, and other regional forums. The role will contribute to system-wide clinical leadership and collaborative approaches to quality, safety, and workforce challenges.
The DCMO will formally deputise for the Chief Medical Officer when required, providing cover for essential activities including attendance at Executive, Board, and system-level meetings and responding to urgent matters. In addition, the post holder will hold a defined personal portfolio, aligned to their experience and development goals, such as medical workforce and job planning, mortality, governance, or patient safety.
This role is particularly suited to senior medical leaders aspiring to a future Chief Medical Officer position within a large and complex organisation. Tailored support will be provided through management appraisal to support career development and progression.
About us
The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.
We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.
King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Formally deputise for the Chief Medical Officer, providing senior clinical leadership and decisionmaking when required
- Provide senior executive medical leadership in support of the Chief Medical Officer, promoting high standards of quality, safety, professionalism and clinical governance across the Trust
- Hold delegated responsibility formedical professional standards, including appraisal, revalidation and Maintaining High Professional Standards (MHPS), working closely with the Responsible Officer
- Oversee the management of medical staff concerns, conduct and capability, including remediation and support for doctors in difficulty
- Provide expert advice to Divisional and Executive teams on complex medical workforce, performance and professional standards issues
- Lead and embed alearningfocused patient safety culture, promoting learning from incidents, complaints, claims, audit and service improvement
- Ensure robust clinical governance, risk escalation and assurance arrangements, with clear reporting to Executive and Board committees
- Chair, lead or sponsor strategic programmes that improve patient outcomes, quality and safety
- Provide Trustwide executive oversight of consultant and SAS job planning, supporting consistency, productivity and effective workforce planning
- Lead development of frameworks to understand and improve medical productivity using highquality data
- Provide executive medical leadership forInfection Prevention and Control, promoting high standards of hygiene, antimicrobial stewardship and regulatory compliance
- Act as a visible and credible leader for medical staff, promoting professionalism, inclusion, psychological safety and effective MDT working
- Champion equality, diversity and inclusion, talent development and succession planning within the medical workforce
- Represent the Trust at ICS, placebased and regional forums, contributing to population health, health inequalities and system collaboration
- Act as an ambassador for the Trust, strengthening partnerships, influence and reputatio
- Contribute to Trustwide corporate governance, financial sustainability and executive leadership responsibilities
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Formally deputise for the Chief Medical Officer, providing senior clinical leadership and decisionmaking when required
- Provide senior executive medical leadership in support of the Chief Medical Officer, promoting high standards of quality, safety, professionalism and clinical governance across the Trust
- Hold delegated responsibility formedical professional standards, including appraisal, revalidation and Maintaining High Professional Standards (MHPS), working closely with the Responsible Officer
- Oversee the management of medical staff concerns, conduct and capability, including remediation and support for doctors in difficulty
- Provide expert advice to Divisional and Executive teams on complex medical workforce, performance and professional standards issues
- Lead and embed alearningfocused patient safety culture, promoting learning from incidents, complaints, claims, audit and service improvement
- Ensure robust clinical governance, risk escalation and assurance arrangements, with clear reporting to Executive and Board committees
- Chair, lead or sponsor strategic programmes that improve patient outcomes, quality and safety
- Provide Trustwide executive oversight of consultant and SAS job planning, supporting consistency, productivity and effective workforce planning
- Lead development of frameworks to understand and improve medical productivity using highquality data
- Provide executive medical leadership forInfection Prevention and Control, promoting high standards of hygiene, antimicrobial stewardship and regulatory compliance
- Act as a visible and credible leader for medical staff, promoting professionalism, inclusion, psychological safety and effective MDT working
- Champion equality, diversity and inclusion, talent development and succession planning within the medical workforce
- Represent the Trust at ICS, placebased and regional forums, contributing to population health, health inequalities and system collaboration
- Act as an ambassador for the Trust, strengthening partnerships, influence and reputatio
- Contribute to Trustwide corporate governance, financial sustainability and executive leadership responsibilities
Person Specification
Qualifications, Education & Professional Development
Essential
- Full registration with the GMC and inclusion on the Specialist Register
- Hold current Licence to Practice
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development, including accredited leadership development.
- Unblemished professional conduct record
Desirable
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent specialist medical qualification
Job-Related Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Senior consultant-level clinical practice with clear professional credibility across service delivery, education and/or research
- Significant senior medical leadership experience (e.g. Clinical Director, Divisional Director, Clinical Network Lead or equivalent)
- Exceptional communication skills (written, verbal and presentation), with the ability to articulate a clear strategic vision and translate this into delivery.
- Demonstrated ability to anticipate, diagnose and respond to complex organisational challenges, with political awareness and sensitivity to competing stakeholder interests.
- Strong understanding of the provision and delivery of healthcare services, including national policy, strategy and modernisation agendas.
Desirable
- System-level leadership experience (e.g. ICS, regional or national roles)
- Experience leading across organisational or professional boundaries, including partnership working with academic or system partners.
Leadership Skills
Essential
- Ability to build organisational capability and establish a clear strategic direction.
- Ability to set ambitious objectives, monitor performance and drive delivery against agreed outcomes.
Desirable
- Experience leading large scale transformation or cultural change programmes
Personal Skills & Attributes
Essential
- Demonstrates resilience, tenacity and personal robustness.
- Clear commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in leadership and service delivery.
Desirable
- Experience acting as an ambassador for the organisation at regional or national
Person Specification
Qualifications, Education & Professional Development
Essential
- Full registration with the GMC and inclusion on the Specialist Register
- Hold current Licence to Practice
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development, including accredited leadership development.
- Unblemished professional conduct record
Desirable
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent specialist medical qualification
Job-Related Skills, Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Senior consultant-level clinical practice with clear professional credibility across service delivery, education and/or research
- Significant senior medical leadership experience (e.g. Clinical Director, Divisional Director, Clinical Network Lead or equivalent)
- Exceptional communication skills (written, verbal and presentation), with the ability to articulate a clear strategic vision and translate this into delivery.
- Demonstrated ability to anticipate, diagnose and respond to complex organisational challenges, with political awareness and sensitivity to competing stakeholder interests.
- Strong understanding of the provision and delivery of healthcare services, including national policy, strategy and modernisation agendas.
Desirable
- System-level leadership experience (e.g. ICS, regional or national roles)
- Experience leading across organisational or professional boundaries, including partnership working with academic or system partners.
Leadership Skills
Essential
- Ability to build organisational capability and establish a clear strategic direction.
- Ability to set ambitious objectives, monitor performance and drive delivery against agreed outcomes.
Desirable
- Experience leading large scale transformation or cultural change programmes
Personal Skills & Attributes
Essential
- Demonstrates resilience, tenacity and personal robustness.
- Clear commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in leadership and service delivery.
Desirable
- Experience acting as an ambassador for the organisation at regional or national
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.
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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
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.
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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
