Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Head of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR)

The closing date is 26 September 2025

Job summary

A corporate leadership opportunity has arisen to join Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust as the Head of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR).

We are seeking an experienced professional to lead the EPRR team working closely with internal teams and external multi-agency partner organisations.

The post holder will be the expert for all EPRR matters within the Trust and act as a conduit for all guidance and information. The post holder will ensure the Trust meets its statutory, regulatory and NHS requirements.

If you are a strong leader who can proactively build relationships and engage with internal teams and external stakeholders to the benefit of the organisation, this role could be for you.

You must have significant senior management experience in a large complex organisation, demonstrable experience of strong financial and performance management, as well as experience of leading people, and managing change.

Main duties of the job

This is a demanding and varied role, which is why we are seeking an exceptional individual who can demonstrate their ability to achieve results, drive improvement and maintain high quality, safe and effective services to patients within an ever-changing regional and national strategic context.

The postholder will be responsible for compiling the Trust annual work programme in relation to EPRR, developing the strategy for each area of activity to secure delivery of EPRR statutory compliance, and to ensure local regional and national guidance implementation, performance targets and strategic objectives are met.

The successful candidate will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, be self-led and able to work collaboratively across internal teams and with external stakeholders.

About us

Based in the North East of England we provide a range of hospital and community health services from our leading facilities, including the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Blaydon urgent care centre and Bensham Hospital, all within Gateshead.

Established in 2005, we were one of the first foundation trusts in the country and since then have consistently achieved the highest levels of care for patients.

We now employ around 4,800 staff and currently provide 444 hospital beds across the Gateshead region.

Our values should be the 'golden thread' which runs through everything we do - they are the core of who we are. Our five values can easily be remembered by the simple acronymICORE; Innovation, Care, Openness, Respect, Engagement.

We have a number of staff networks including the Global Ethnic Majority (GEM) network, D-Ability network, LGBTQ+ Network and the Women's Network, to challenge us and help us to constantly improve. Our Armed Forces network is one of our emerging networks.

The health and wellbeing of our staff is one of our highest priorities, and we offer a range of support and initiatives as part of our 'Balance' programme balancegateshead.com to cater for our diverse workforce, so that your individual needs can be supported, allowing you a happy and healthy working experience with us.

Details

Date posted

12 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-7472050

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Sheriff Hill

Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

NE9 6SX


Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder has strategic lead responsibility for professional leadership and improvement strategies in the areas of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience & Response (EPRR) and Business Continuity Management (BCM) for trust planning, assessing and responsiveness, acting with a delegated responsibility on behalf of the Accountable Emergency Officer [AEO].

The post holder will ensure the Trust meets its statutory, regulatory and NHS requirements and ensuring alignment with the activity of the Trust under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and complies with all relevant EPRR guidance for the NHS, non-statutory guidance that accompanies the Civil Contingencies Act including business continuity and resilience preparedness. Ensuring national and local standards are met including the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The post holder will have an oversight of the on-call system (strategic and tactical) and ensure coordination of rotas, logs, thematic learning and the on-call share-point site. The post holder will lead on winter planning supporting the lead director working collaboratively internally and with system partner organisations.

The post holder will have trust-wide responsibility overseeing and delivering an EPRR Work programme for the Trust and developing the policies, protocols and frameworks. The post holder will lead in creating a culture and environment in which EPRR and BCM is embedded at all levels in the organisation to ensure the sustained delivery of high quality, safe, personal and effective patient care. The postholder will build key relationships with external multi-agency partnerships organisations.

In the event of a critical or major incident, the post holder will be required to act as an EPPR Advisor to the CEO/Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations in working hours or Strategic or Tactical On-call out of hours (when available).

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder has strategic lead responsibility for professional leadership and improvement strategies in the areas of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience & Response (EPRR) and Business Continuity Management (BCM) for trust planning, assessing and responsiveness, acting with a delegated responsibility on behalf of the Accountable Emergency Officer [AEO].

The post holder will ensure the Trust meets its statutory, regulatory and NHS requirements and ensuring alignment with the activity of the Trust under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and complies with all relevant EPRR guidance for the NHS, non-statutory guidance that accompanies the Civil Contingencies Act including business continuity and resilience preparedness. Ensuring national and local standards are met including the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The post holder will have an oversight of the on-call system (strategic and tactical) and ensure coordination of rotas, logs, thematic learning and the on-call share-point site. The post holder will lead on winter planning supporting the lead director working collaboratively internally and with system partner organisations.

The post holder will have trust-wide responsibility overseeing and delivering an EPRR Work programme for the Trust and developing the policies, protocols and frameworks. The post holder will lead in creating a culture and environment in which EPRR and BCM is embedded at all levels in the organisation to ensure the sustained delivery of high quality, safe, personal and effective patient care. The postholder will build key relationships with external multi-agency partnerships organisations.

In the event of a critical or major incident, the post holder will be required to act as an EPPR Advisor to the CEO/Chief Operating Officer or Director of Operations in working hours or Strategic or Tactical On-call out of hours (when available).

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING

Essential

  • oMasters' qualification or equivalent; or demonstrable equivalent experience working at a senior level in specialist area
  • oEvidence of active continued professional development to support the delivery of a senior leadership role including a minimum of 5 years of experience of working in Emergency Preparedness, Resilience & Response (EPRR)

Desirable

  • oProject Management Qualification
  • oTraining Qualification (min BTEC Level 3)
  • oDiploma in Health Emergency Planning
  • othe Hospital Major Incident Medical Management Support (HMIMMS)
  • oAward in Health Emergency Planning
  • oCertificate in Business Continuity Institute (CBCI)

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE

Essential

  • oSkilled in analysing and interpreting complex and highly specialised information from various sources to measure themes, trends and improvement.
  • oMotivating, persuading and influencing skills
  • oFull range of IT skills including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams and other databases/ dashboards.
  • oExperience of facilitating emergency planning exercise and tests
Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS & TRAINING

Essential

  • oMasters' qualification or equivalent; or demonstrable equivalent experience working at a senior level in specialist area
  • oEvidence of active continued professional development to support the delivery of a senior leadership role including a minimum of 5 years of experience of working in Emergency Preparedness, Resilience & Response (EPRR)

Desirable

  • oProject Management Qualification
  • oTraining Qualification (min BTEC Level 3)
  • oDiploma in Health Emergency Planning
  • othe Hospital Major Incident Medical Management Support (HMIMMS)
  • oAward in Health Emergency Planning
  • oCertificate in Business Continuity Institute (CBCI)

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE

Essential

  • oSkilled in analysing and interpreting complex and highly specialised information from various sources to measure themes, trends and improvement.
  • oMotivating, persuading and influencing skills
  • oFull range of IT skills including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams and other databases/ dashboards.
  • oExperience of facilitating emergency planning exercise and tests

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).

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Sheriff Hill

Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

NE9 6SX


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Sheriff Hill

Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

NE9 6SX


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Director of Operations

Keely Robson

david.patterson10@nhs.net

01914458755

Details

Date posted

12 September 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

297-7472050

Job locations

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Sheriff Hill

Gateshead, Tyne and Wear

NE9 6SX


Supporting documents

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