Medway NHS Foundation Trust

Divisional Medical Director

The closing date is 10 August 2025

Job summary

Divisional Medical Director

Medicine and Emergency Care Division

Interview Date: 1st September 2025

We are recruiting for a Divisional Medical Directorwho shares our ambition and vision to deliver theBest of Care by the Best Peopleand has the drive to take us forward, by ensuring that the Trust continues to strive to be the first choice for patients and our staff.

The Divisional Medical Director (DMD) will report directly into the Chief Operating Officer with professional accountability to the Chief Medical Officer.

Applicants welcome from any clinical specialty (medical or surgical). A bespoke job plan will be negotiated allowing you to work clinically in your basespecialty, whilst at the same time providing you with 4 PA's in this lead role.

Main duties of the job

It is a senior clinical management role working in the divisional triumvirate with the Director of Operations and the Director of Nursing with responsibility for running the operational performance of the Division. The Medical Director will have particular emphasis on the professional leadership of the medical staff within the division including strategic development, quality and safety, finance, appraisal and job planning and interpersonal team management. The post holder will also work closely with the Chief Medical Officer and their professional team.

Our values areBold,Every Person Counts,Sharing and Open andTogether. It is important that you understand and to refer to our values when completing your application and always reflect our values throughout your employment with the Trust.

We are committed to endorsing diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion; our policies / procedures ensure that all applicants are treated fairly at every stage of the recruitment process.

To contribute to our exciting future and become part of our team, apply today.

About us

Do you have the ambition and vision to deliver our mission of theBest of Care by the Best of People providing excellent care, every time?

Here at Medway, we pride ourselves on working together as one to ensure that our shared vision is achieved for our patients.

As a key partner in the healthcare of our local population, we are keen to deliver this as an outcome of our Trust-wide strategy - Patient First. Using an Operational Excellence approach to align our priorities and operational management structures, we are just over a year and half into our Patient First deployment. We are looking for creative, skilled people to join our Transformation Team and further support us on this journey.

Our culture and values define us here at Medway NHS Foundation Trust and are the heartbeat of who we are as an organisation.

Our BEST values underpin Patient First and are at the core of the care we give to our patients, the support we offer to our staff and our overall leadership approach:

B - Bold

E - Every person counts

S - Sharing and open

T - Together

Our Trust is a great choice for people who want to develop their career in an ambitious and dynamic environment; our employees are able to choose the coverage and supplemental benefits that best fit their needs and those of their families. This includes the promotion of flexible working opportunities across the Trust.

Details

Date posted

01 August 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£105,504 to £139,882 a year Per annum/Pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

275-2508DMD

Job locations

Medway Maritime Hospital

Windmill Road

Gillingham

ME7 5NY


Job description

Job responsibilities

Specific Responsibilities

1 People and Personal Leadership

a) To provide professional leadership to all clinical staff in the division.

b) To provide oversight and support to the broader care group leadership.

c) To link professionally with the Deputy Chief Medical Officers, Other Divisional Medical Director, Director of Medical Education, and the Medical Directors Office to ensure that the division fulfils its commitments for appraisal, revalidation and job planning and education.

d) To be an integral member of an effective, high performing divisional team, building effective working relationships with the Divisional Director of Nursing and the Divisional Director of Operation and all other members of the team.

e) To lead communications within the division, ensuring that staff are regularly briefed on developments and have the opportunity to contribute their views to the development of the divisions plans.

f) To set a personal example in articulating, role modelling and delivering a performance management culture within the division with emphasis on safe, effective and timely operational performance.

g) To seek feedback on personal performance, engage in self and peer assessment and take part in Trust leadership development activities.

h) To identify, encourage and develop the potential of staff in clinical leadership, research and education in the division.

i) To champion improved staff morale by encouraging innovation, autonomy and mastery within the workplace and ensuring that initiatives such as Freedom to Speak up for staff are embedded across the Division and in particular within the medical staff.

2 Safety and Quality Leadership

To line manage the Divisional Medical Lead for Quality & Governance to ensure that:-

a) Clinical incidents are managed in a timely way and analysed to identify underlying themes and trends throughout the Division.

b) To ensure that complaints are managed in a timely way, where necessary intervening personally to make sure patients receive adequate redress.

c) To use all appropriate means to ensure that patients are actively consulted on current service delivery and future plans.

d) To make sure that safety, quality and patient experience are properly reflected in the performance scorecard, performance management processes and in the review of the performance of individual members of staff.

e) To take final accountability for the investigation of serious incidents and implementation of action points emerging from the reports.

3 Operational Leadership

In collaboration with Divisional Nursing and Operation Directors to ensure that patients accessing Division services do so in a safe, effective and timely manner. In particular to;

a) Provide day to day management of the Division dealing with and or effectively delegating operational critical issues as they arise. This includes the appointment and support for the Divisional lead consultant for Resident doctors.

b) To manage Clinical Directors in the Division. The post holder will be responsible for the appointment and development of 3 Clinical Directors in the division. Through the Clinical Directors the post holder will be responsible for the appointment and development of the 10 Clinical Leads in the division Acute, Emergency, Frailty, Neurology, Rheumatology, Cardiology, Respiratory, Gastroenterology, Diabetes and Endocrinology and General Medicine.

c) Mandatory attendance at the monthly Divisional Governance and Management board meetings and approval of relevant papers.

d) It will be the responsibility of the post holder to lead the timely completion of the annual job planning process in the division. It will be the post holders responsibility to ensure the departments produce team job plans with the support of the operational colleagues. The Divisional Medical Director will be the second and final sign offs of all the consultant and SAS doctors in the division.

e) To work on behalf of Chief Operating Officer when in Opel 4 to prioritise flow and effective response to site pressures.

f) Ensuring that medical staff are engaged in delivering effective board rounds to encourage effective discharge and promote flow within the system

g) To identify and provide support to medical colleagues who are performing at variance from the norms with regard to safe and effective discharging.

h) To drive a performance management approach to flow across all professions to encourage safe, timely and effective management of patients through the hospital to achieve both organisational and broader NHS performance targets.

i) Along with the triumvirate the post holder will be expected to create a divisional winter plan ahead of the winter months.

j) To support the Divisional Director of operations in the annual business planning.

4 Transformational Leadership

a) To lead on the implementation of Patient First as part of the divisional triumvirate across the division. This includes mandatory presence at the weekly patient first coaching and driver sessions, monthly Strategic Deployment Review (SDR) meetings with the executives and separately with each of the care group triumvirates.

b) To lead on the implementation of Seven Day Services within the Division.

c) To lead on Getting it Right First Time across the Division, working with GIRFT clinical lead, for the division ensuring all areas have action plans to achieve GIRFT standards within agreed timescales and are managing progress towards achieving these goals. The post holder will be supported by three Divisional GIRFT leads who are nominally designated to each care group.

d) To take accountability, with the Divisional Directors of Nursing and Divisional Director of Operations, for the development and delivery of plans agreed through the annual planning round and strategic reviews, including financial and operational plans and service developments.

e) To champion small and large scale transformation projects to drive up quality, safety and efficiency at Medway.

f) To develop in co-ordination with HR Business Partners new and innovative staffing solutions including establishing the Physicians Associate programme.

g) To articulate the case for service change, motivate staff and to lead personally implementation of agreed plans.

h) To represent Chief Operating Officer on UEC Delivery Board and Medway and Swale Delivery Board as required.

5 Collaborative Leadership

a) To ensure that service strategies within the division align with the Trusts vision, objectives and overarching strategic plan.

b) To work collaboratively with other divisions and corporate functions, contributing as appropriate to the work of others.

c) To make sure that the division is properly briefed on issues and developments within the division.

d) To work with other members of the division in communicating effectively with and engaging external partners, including GPs, commissioners and patient representative groups.

e) To collaborate fully, openly and honestly with all regulatory and supervisory bodies.

6 Interpersonal Team Management

a) To provide professional leadership to all clinical staff in the division.

b) To link professionally with the Chief Medical Officer to ensure sure that the division fulfils its commitments for quality, safety, appraisal, revalidation, job planning, mandatory training, audit, research and education.

c) To work collaboratively with the Quality & Safety Medical Director patient safety for all aspects of safety relating to patient care.

d) To lead communications within the directorate, ensuring that staff are regularly briefed on developments and have the opportunity to contribute their views.

e) To role model and deliver the Trusts values

f) To seek feedback on personal performance, engage in self and peer assessment and take part in Trust leadership development activities.

g) To provide clinical leadership of complex and challenging specialties providing mentoring and support to Clinical Directors to manage these areas effectively.

d.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Specific Responsibilities

1 People and Personal Leadership

a) To provide professional leadership to all clinical staff in the division.

b) To provide oversight and support to the broader care group leadership.

c) To link professionally with the Deputy Chief Medical Officers, Other Divisional Medical Director, Director of Medical Education, and the Medical Directors Office to ensure that the division fulfils its commitments for appraisal, revalidation and job planning and education.

d) To be an integral member of an effective, high performing divisional team, building effective working relationships with the Divisional Director of Nursing and the Divisional Director of Operation and all other members of the team.

e) To lead communications within the division, ensuring that staff are regularly briefed on developments and have the opportunity to contribute their views to the development of the divisions plans.

f) To set a personal example in articulating, role modelling and delivering a performance management culture within the division with emphasis on safe, effective and timely operational performance.

g) To seek feedback on personal performance, engage in self and peer assessment and take part in Trust leadership development activities.

h) To identify, encourage and develop the potential of staff in clinical leadership, research and education in the division.

i) To champion improved staff morale by encouraging innovation, autonomy and mastery within the workplace and ensuring that initiatives such as Freedom to Speak up for staff are embedded across the Division and in particular within the medical staff.

2 Safety and Quality Leadership

To line manage the Divisional Medical Lead for Quality & Governance to ensure that:-

a) Clinical incidents are managed in a timely way and analysed to identify underlying themes and trends throughout the Division.

b) To ensure that complaints are managed in a timely way, where necessary intervening personally to make sure patients receive adequate redress.

c) To use all appropriate means to ensure that patients are actively consulted on current service delivery and future plans.

d) To make sure that safety, quality and patient experience are properly reflected in the performance scorecard, performance management processes and in the review of the performance of individual members of staff.

e) To take final accountability for the investigation of serious incidents and implementation of action points emerging from the reports.

3 Operational Leadership

In collaboration with Divisional Nursing and Operation Directors to ensure that patients accessing Division services do so in a safe, effective and timely manner. In particular to;

a) Provide day to day management of the Division dealing with and or effectively delegating operational critical issues as they arise. This includes the appointment and support for the Divisional lead consultant for Resident doctors.

b) To manage Clinical Directors in the Division. The post holder will be responsible for the appointment and development of 3 Clinical Directors in the division. Through the Clinical Directors the post holder will be responsible for the appointment and development of the 10 Clinical Leads in the division Acute, Emergency, Frailty, Neurology, Rheumatology, Cardiology, Respiratory, Gastroenterology, Diabetes and Endocrinology and General Medicine.

c) Mandatory attendance at the monthly Divisional Governance and Management board meetings and approval of relevant papers.

d) It will be the responsibility of the post holder to lead the timely completion of the annual job planning process in the division. It will be the post holders responsibility to ensure the departments produce team job plans with the support of the operational colleagues. The Divisional Medical Director will be the second and final sign offs of all the consultant and SAS doctors in the division.

e) To work on behalf of Chief Operating Officer when in Opel 4 to prioritise flow and effective response to site pressures.

f) Ensuring that medical staff are engaged in delivering effective board rounds to encourage effective discharge and promote flow within the system

g) To identify and provide support to medical colleagues who are performing at variance from the norms with regard to safe and effective discharging.

h) To drive a performance management approach to flow across all professions to encourage safe, timely and effective management of patients through the hospital to achieve both organisational and broader NHS performance targets.

i) Along with the triumvirate the post holder will be expected to create a divisional winter plan ahead of the winter months.

j) To support the Divisional Director of operations in the annual business planning.

4 Transformational Leadership

a) To lead on the implementation of Patient First as part of the divisional triumvirate across the division. This includes mandatory presence at the weekly patient first coaching and driver sessions, monthly Strategic Deployment Review (SDR) meetings with the executives and separately with each of the care group triumvirates.

b) To lead on the implementation of Seven Day Services within the Division.

c) To lead on Getting it Right First Time across the Division, working with GIRFT clinical lead, for the division ensuring all areas have action plans to achieve GIRFT standards within agreed timescales and are managing progress towards achieving these goals. The post holder will be supported by three Divisional GIRFT leads who are nominally designated to each care group.

d) To take accountability, with the Divisional Directors of Nursing and Divisional Director of Operations, for the development and delivery of plans agreed through the annual planning round and strategic reviews, including financial and operational plans and service developments.

e) To champion small and large scale transformation projects to drive up quality, safety and efficiency at Medway.

f) To develop in co-ordination with HR Business Partners new and innovative staffing solutions including establishing the Physicians Associate programme.

g) To articulate the case for service change, motivate staff and to lead personally implementation of agreed plans.

h) To represent Chief Operating Officer on UEC Delivery Board and Medway and Swale Delivery Board as required.

5 Collaborative Leadership

a) To ensure that service strategies within the division align with the Trusts vision, objectives and overarching strategic plan.

b) To work collaboratively with other divisions and corporate functions, contributing as appropriate to the work of others.

c) To make sure that the division is properly briefed on issues and developments within the division.

d) To work with other members of the division in communicating effectively with and engaging external partners, including GPs, commissioners and patient representative groups.

e) To collaborate fully, openly and honestly with all regulatory and supervisory bodies.

6 Interpersonal Team Management

a) To provide professional leadership to all clinical staff in the division.

b) To link professionally with the Chief Medical Officer to ensure sure that the division fulfils its commitments for quality, safety, appraisal, revalidation, job planning, mandatory training, audit, research and education.

c) To work collaboratively with the Quality & Safety Medical Director patient safety for all aspects of safety relating to patient care.

d) To lead communications within the directorate, ensuring that staff are regularly briefed on developments and have the opportunity to contribute their views.

e) To role model and deliver the Trusts values

f) To seek feedback on personal performance, engage in self and peer assessment and take part in Trust leadership development activities.

g) To provide clinical leadership of complex and challenging specialties providing mentoring and support to Clinical Directors to manage these areas effectively.

d.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Medical Consultant with recent Senior Leadership Experience
  • Full GMC with licence to practice is essential
  • Specialist registration is essential

Skills and approach to leadership

Essential

  • Performance Management skills particularly in improving individual and team performance
  • Knowledge of planning, workforce planning and delivering change
  • Understanding of national drivers including in clinical effectiveness, research and revalidation.
  • Credible role model for the medical workforce, promoting and demonstrating commitment to Trust values
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Medical Consultant with recent Senior Leadership Experience
  • Full GMC with licence to practice is essential
  • Specialist registration is essential

Skills and approach to leadership

Essential

  • Performance Management skills particularly in improving individual and team performance
  • Knowledge of planning, workforce planning and delivering change
  • Understanding of national drivers including in clinical effectiveness, research and revalidation.
  • Credible role model for the medical workforce, promoting and demonstrating commitment to Trust values

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 (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.

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 (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).

Employer details

Employer name

Medway NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Medway Maritime Hospital

Windmill Road

Gillingham

ME7 5NY


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Medway NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Medway Maritime Hospital

Windmill Road

Gillingham

ME7 5NY


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Business Support Manager

Alison Heron

alisonheron@nhs.net

01634978923

Details

Date posted

01 August 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£105,504 to £139,882 a year Per annum/Pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

275-2508DMD

Job locations

Medway Maritime Hospital

Windmill Road

Gillingham

ME7 5NY


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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