Job summary
This role is ideal for someone with strong RTT knowledge, a passion for data quality, and the confidence to influence and lead across multiple services. It requires a proactive and organised individual who enjoys problem-solving, developing others, and working collaboratively with clinical and operational teams. You should apply if you are looking for a role where you can make a tangible impact on patient care, shape Trust practice, and play a key part in delivering safe, and efficient elective access. This is a great opportunity to step into a senior operational role, lead a motivated team, and contribute to meaningful service improvement.
The post holder will lead and manage the Trust's Validation Team, ensuring the delivery of accurate RTT and waiting list data and providing assurance that all processes comply with the Elective Care Access Policy. They will develop and deliver a Trust-wide RTT training strategy, offering expert guidance and in-person training to clinical and administrative teams across the organisation. The role offers hybrid working however regular on-site presence is essential to provide visible leadership, support staff, collaborate with operational and clinical colleagues, and deliver face-to-face training sessions within both office and clinical settings. The role also involves overseeing day-to-day validation operations, supporting governance and performance monitoring, and driving improvements in elective access across the Trust.
Main duties of the job
The Planned Access and Validation Service Manager is responsible for the service delivery of the elective access validation team. Ensuring the accuracy, quality, and completeness of patient pathway and waiting list data in accordance with national Referral to Treatment (RTT) rules and local Trust policies.
The post-holder will manage a team of pathway validators and provide strategic leadership, oversight, and governance for validation practices across the organisation. They will work closely with operational and clinical teams to support delivery of national access standards and performance targets.
The post-holder will work alongside and, when required, deputise for the Head of Access, providing leadership and support across the broader elective access portfolio.
About us
CHFT is an integrated Trust of 6,500+ colleagues providing hospital and community services to patients and communities across Calderdale and Kirklees. We are rated as 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission, are a top performing Trust for Elective Recovery, Emergency and Cancer Care and widely acknowledged as a national digital lead when it comes to caring for people across our local and regional systems.
Our people are at the core of everything we do, hence our commitment to One Culture of Care. Our focus is to care for and support each other in order to provide outstanding compassionate care to our patients. That is why we are looking for an inclusive collaborative, creative, innovative and compassionate leader to join us in this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and lead a Trust-wide validation strategy aligned to national RTT and waiting list requirements.
- Provide expert guidance on pathway validation, data accuracy, and elective performance.
- Serve as the subject matter expert on RTT pathways, waiting list rules, and validation practices.
- Deputise for the Head of Access, supporting decision-making and service continuity across elective access functions.
Operational Management
- Manage the day-to-day operations of the validation team, ensuring all waiting list and RTT pathway data is regularly and accurately validated.
- Oversee and continuously improve validation processes, ensuring compliance with national and Trust standards.
- Design and implement Trust wide SOPs for validation activity and patient tracking processes.
- Monitor and report on validation metrics and KPIs to senior colleagues, identifying where performance is off plan and working with teams to put mitigation plans in place.
- Support the Head of Access in managing cross-functional initiatives, contributing to recovery plans, PTL oversight, and national reporting.
People Management
- Line manage a team of validation officers, providing direction, support, and oversight to ensure high performance and effective delivery of validation services.
- Oversee the allocation of work to staff, ensuring tasks are appropriately assigned to meet service priorities and individual development needs.
- Conduct appraisals, 1:1s, team meetings, and development plans.
- Manage team recruitment, induction, training, and rota planning.
- Foster a culture of high performance, accountability, and service improvement.
Data Quality & Governance
- Provide assurance to the Head of Access that validation processes support accurate RTT and elective care reporting, minimising data quality breaches and risks.
- Lead on internal audits, deep dives, and data quality investigations relating to patient access and pathway breaches.
- Ensure Trust-wide compliance with the Elective Care Access Policy through effective oversight, training, and governance of access-related processes.
- Maintain robust documentation, audit trails, and assurance processes to support CQC or NHS England reviews.
- Take the lead in designing and delivering Trust-wide RTT training to proactively reduce data quality issues, ensuring comprehensive training packages are developed and maintained to support consistent adherence to the Elective Care Access Policy.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Work collaboratively with Divisional Operational Managers, Clinical Leads, Information Analysts, and Performance Teams.
- Provide expert advice and training to a range of staff on RTT validation and national access standards.
- Attend and present complex information at performance meetings, PTL meetings, and executive oversight groups, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and strategic insight to support informed decision-making.
Service Improvement
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and automation of validation processes using digital tools.
- Contribute to the implementation and optimisation of systems such as EPRs, patient tracking lists, and waiting list modules.
- Drive forward projects to support the delivery of planned care to support the Trust to achieve its performance targets.
- Take a lead role in implementing and overseeing digital Patient-Led Validation through the Patient Portal, ensuring processes are efficient, patient-centred, and aligned with Trust objectives
Job description
Job responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and lead a Trust-wide validation strategy aligned to national RTT and waiting list requirements.
- Provide expert guidance on pathway validation, data accuracy, and elective performance.
- Serve as the subject matter expert on RTT pathways, waiting list rules, and validation practices.
- Deputise for the Head of Access, supporting decision-making and service continuity across elective access functions.
Operational Management
- Manage the day-to-day operations of the validation team, ensuring all waiting list and RTT pathway data is regularly and accurately validated.
- Oversee and continuously improve validation processes, ensuring compliance with national and Trust standards.
- Design and implement Trust wide SOPs for validation activity and patient tracking processes.
- Monitor and report on validation metrics and KPIs to senior colleagues, identifying where performance is off plan and working with teams to put mitigation plans in place.
- Support the Head of Access in managing cross-functional initiatives, contributing to recovery plans, PTL oversight, and national reporting.
People Management
- Line manage a team of validation officers, providing direction, support, and oversight to ensure high performance and effective delivery of validation services.
- Oversee the allocation of work to staff, ensuring tasks are appropriately assigned to meet service priorities and individual development needs.
- Conduct appraisals, 1:1s, team meetings, and development plans.
- Manage team recruitment, induction, training, and rota planning.
- Foster a culture of high performance, accountability, and service improvement.
Data Quality & Governance
- Provide assurance to the Head of Access that validation processes support accurate RTT and elective care reporting, minimising data quality breaches and risks.
- Lead on internal audits, deep dives, and data quality investigations relating to patient access and pathway breaches.
- Ensure Trust-wide compliance with the Elective Care Access Policy through effective oversight, training, and governance of access-related processes.
- Maintain robust documentation, audit trails, and assurance processes to support CQC or NHS England reviews.
- Take the lead in designing and delivering Trust-wide RTT training to proactively reduce data quality issues, ensuring comprehensive training packages are developed and maintained to support consistent adherence to the Elective Care Access Policy.
Stakeholder Engagement
- Work collaboratively with Divisional Operational Managers, Clinical Leads, Information Analysts, and Performance Teams.
- Provide expert advice and training to a range of staff on RTT validation and national access standards.
- Attend and present complex information at performance meetings, PTL meetings, and executive oversight groups, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and strategic insight to support informed decision-making.
Service Improvement
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and automation of validation processes using digital tools.
- Contribute to the implementation and optimisation of systems such as EPRs, patient tracking lists, and waiting list modules.
- Drive forward projects to support the delivery of planned care to support the Trust to achieve its performance targets.
- Take a lead role in implementing and overseeing digital Patient-Led Validation through the Patient Portal, ensuring processes are efficient, patient-centred, and aligned with Trust objectives
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING
Essential
- Degree level or equivalent qualification/equivalent level of experience.
- A postgraduate qualification/equivalent level of experience
- Evidence of continuous professional development
- Recognised management qualification
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE
Essential
- Experience of working in a management post within the NHS.
- Evidence of sound appreciation of waiting list management as appropriate to role.
- Extensive experience in applying RTT rules including identifying and rectifying RTT data errors and omissions.
- Experience of providing RTT and validation training to clinical and admin staff.
- Experience of working with complex spreadsheets and databases.
- Ability to take initiative and make decisions in absence of senior leadership
- Extensive experience of Clinical Systems e.g. EPR
- Recent relevant experience of managing teams
- Recent relevant experience of application of the Elective Care Access Policy.
- Experience producing, interpreting, and presenting complex data
- Strong communication and influencing skills across all levels
- High proficiency in Excel, KP+, and patient administration systems
COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)
Essential
- Able to deal effectively with challenging or sensitive staff issues, e.g. performance, within Trust processes and legislative frameworks.
- Able to use a range of management styles as appropriate, including a coaching style.
- Has self-confidence and uses this to lead, involve and challenge others as appropriate
- Displays a strong motivation and commitment to success
- High level of verbal communications skills, including the ability to make effective formal presentations and informal approaches to a wide range of audiences.
- High level written communication skills and able to adapt style and method as appropriate, to include the ability in report writing, responding to complaints.
- Treats all people equally and with respect.
- Ensures personal, professional behaviour and integrity at all times
Person Specification
QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING
Essential
- Degree level or equivalent qualification/equivalent level of experience.
- A postgraduate qualification/equivalent level of experience
- Evidence of continuous professional development
- Recognised management qualification
KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE
Essential
- Experience of working in a management post within the NHS.
- Evidence of sound appreciation of waiting list management as appropriate to role.
- Extensive experience in applying RTT rules including identifying and rectifying RTT data errors and omissions.
- Experience of providing RTT and validation training to clinical and admin staff.
- Experience of working with complex spreadsheets and databases.
- Ability to take initiative and make decisions in absence of senior leadership
- Extensive experience of Clinical Systems e.g. EPR
- Recent relevant experience of managing teams
- Recent relevant experience of application of the Elective Care Access Policy.
- Experience producing, interpreting, and presenting complex data
- Strong communication and influencing skills across all levels
- High proficiency in Excel, KP+, and patient administration systems
COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)
Essential
- Able to deal effectively with challenging or sensitive staff issues, e.g. performance, within Trust processes and legislative frameworks.
- Able to use a range of management styles as appropriate, including a coaching style.
- Has self-confidence and uses this to lead, involve and challenge others as appropriate
- Displays a strong motivation and commitment to success
- High level of verbal communications skills, including the ability to make effective formal presentations and informal approaches to a wide range of audiences.
- High level written communication skills and able to adapt style and method as appropriate, to include the ability in report writing, responding to complaints.
- Treats all people equally and with respect.
- Ensures personal, professional behaviour and integrity at all times
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).
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).
