Group Chief Medical Officer

Job summary

We are looking for an outstanding Group Chief Medical Officer to join the Royal Free London Board, and Executive Team. The successful candidate will be an experienced and inspiring clinical leader - passionate about population health, tackling health inequalities and providing professional leadership that supports and enables the delivery of world-class, person-centred and integrated care to our patient populations locally within North Central London, nationally and internationally via the provision of our specialist services for which we are recognised and renowned.

Given the complexity of our services it is likely that you will be an experienced medical leader that has worked extensively in acute and / or specialist settings.

It is a great and exciting time to join the Royal Free London. For us to maintain and build on our reputation for world-class care and ensure that we are successful across all elements of our tri-partite mission, we must harness and embed innovations in our clinical practice, encourage a research active approach in everything we do and seize the opportunity to transform our workforce to encompass new educational pathways, new roles and new ways of working.

As Group Chief Medical Officer, you will role-model outstanding professional leadership both directly and through others. You will be key to our success in developing a high performing, trusted and sustainable organisation that attracts the very best practitioners and provides the very best care.

Main duties of the job

Reporting to the Group Chief Executive, the post holder is accountable for contributing to, and implementing, group goals and strategies. They will lead the ongoing development and delivery of the RFL Clinical and Research strategies, the provision and extension of Clinical Practice Groups and lead group-wide interpretation and implementation of clinical guidelines to ensure consistent and high-quality outcomes are achieved and that unwarranted variation across the group is minimized.

They will work closely with, and provide professional support to, the Hospital Medical Directors, in order to drive and embed inclusive leadership and continuous improvement. They will also work strategically with the Group Chief Nurse to enhance patient experience, quality of care and to ensure patient safety is always paramount. In so doing, they will ensure that effective systems are in place to monitor and improve clinical, operational and financial performance; and champion, support and enable a positive learning culture to flourish and embed.

They will be a visible and compassionate professional leader who role-models excellence in clinical practice, multi-disciplinary working and commitment to improving colleague experience.

They will provide advice to the Trust Board on all medical issues, informed by high levels of engagement with the medical workforce across the organisation and operate within the highest standards of clinical and corporate governance.

About us

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, one of the UK's biggest trusts, was founded in 1828 by William Marsden, to provide free healthcare to those who could not afford medical treatment. The title "Royal" was granted by Queen Victoria in 1837, in recognition of the hospital's work with cholera patients.

Comprised of three London Hospitals, Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital and Royal Free Hospital, its combined mission is to provide world class expertise and local care. Working in partnership with North Mid, West Herts and the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust treats approximately 1.6million patients a year. The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RFL) also has a significant role within UCLPartners and the UCL Health Alliance, and the local ICB, in North Central London, with its commitment to reducing health inequalities across this vibrant part of the capital, is also a key partner and stakeholder.

The appointment of a new Group Chief Medical Officer will be key to The Royal Free's strategic leadership, ensuring the delivery of the highest quality, effective and efficient healthcare services, as well as its collective ability to deliver to ambitious goals for the populations it serves, for its colleagues and those it trains, educates and professionally develops.

For more information please read the attached candidate brief.