NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board

Independent Chair - South West Shropshire PCN

The closing date is 22 June 2025

Job summary

NHS Shropshire Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board are seeking an experienced Independent Chair for South West Shropshire PCN to work with the member practices of the PCN and the ICB Primary Care Team to support a safe, progressive and structured approach to the development of the PCN governance and delivery models following a recent re-organisation.

South West Shropshire PCN covers approximately 35,000 patients centred around the small towns of Ludlow, Bishops Castle, Craven Arms and Church Stretton and the surrounding rural areas. South West Shropshire Primary Care Network (PCN)is an NHS collaboration between six GP practices:

  • Bishops Castle Medical Practice

  • Church Stretton Medical Practice

  • Craven Arms Medical Practice

  • Portcullis Surgery

  • Station Drive Surgery

  • The Meadows Medical Practice

The PCN aims to provide extended services to patients in the region. The PCN will be central to the continued development of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams / Providers.

You will have recent evidence of relevant experience of similar roles, and ideally a strong understanding of NHS commissioning and contracting, governance and mentorship. The candidate will need to demonstrate a commitment to high quality patient centred care and public involvement.

The successful candidate will be supported by the ICB Head of Primary Care.

Main duties of the job

The independent chair for SWS PCN will:

  • Work collaboratively with both arms of the PCN to shape the long-term, viable plan for the delivery of the functions, duties and objectives of the PCN with the primary aim of high quality services, equitable provision across the population of SWS.

  • Ensure that the PCN is effective in all aspects of its role and appropriately focused on the delivery of the PCN DES and integral within the development of an Integrated Neighbourhood Team within SWS.

  • Support collaborative leadership and effective partnership working between the PCN arms and wider neighbourhood partners.

  • Act as a point of escalation and mediation within the PCN where there are challenges relating to working practices, approaches or relationships between the two arms of the PCN.

  • Play a key role in establishing and overseeing governance arrangements for the PCN, including supporting the PCN with assuring the ICB that it is meeting the requirements of the DES in both arms of the PCN.

  • Chair quarterly full PCN board meetings and monthly assurance meetings with each arm of the PCN.

About us

NHS STW is committed to equality and diversity and works hard to make sure all staff and service users have access to an environment that is open and a free from discrimination. NHS STW value the diversity of our staff and service users and therefore recognise and appreciate that everyone associated with NHS STW is different and so should be treated in ways that are consistent with their needs and preferences.

In support of this all staff are required to be aware of NHS STW's Equality and Diversity Policy and the commitments and responsibilities NHS STW has to:

  • Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act
  • Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.

  • Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not

Details

Date posted

17 June 2025

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

£100,000 to £200,000 a year pa

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

8 months

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

942-ICB-7284747

Job locations

Wellington Civic Offices

Tan Bank, Larkin Way

Wellington

TF1 1LX


Job description

Job responsibilities

You will work alongside the PCN Clinical Directors and Managers of both arms as equal partners to develop governance and board structures. You will be responsible for specific areas relating to board governance and oversight:

  • Bringing independent and respectful challenge to the plans, aims and priorities of the overall PCN, and both arms of the PCN.

  • Promoting open and transparent decision-making that facilitates consensus aimed to deliver exceptional outcomes for the population of SWS, regardless of which arm of the PCN their practice sits in.

Personally, you will bring a range of professional expertise as well as community understanding and experience to the work of the PCN. We are interested in your life experience and personal motivations that will add valuable personal insights such as: being a patient, carer or service user; experience of gender and womens issues; engaging with diverse social, economic and cultural groups and communities; experiences and challenges of younger people; and those with lived experience of mental health issues and/or living with physical chronic conditions or disability.

Experience in mediation, relationship building and collaboration will be key to supporting the development of an effective Neighbourhood Team within SWS with primary care with GPs and the PCN at the heart of planning and development of new delivery models.

Job description

Job responsibilities

You will work alongside the PCN Clinical Directors and Managers of both arms as equal partners to develop governance and board structures. You will be responsible for specific areas relating to board governance and oversight:

  • Bringing independent and respectful challenge to the plans, aims and priorities of the overall PCN, and both arms of the PCN.

  • Promoting open and transparent decision-making that facilitates consensus aimed to deliver exceptional outcomes for the population of SWS, regardless of which arm of the PCN their practice sits in.

Personally, you will bring a range of professional expertise as well as community understanding and experience to the work of the PCN. We are interested in your life experience and personal motivations that will add valuable personal insights such as: being a patient, carer or service user; experience of gender and womens issues; engaging with diverse social, economic and cultural groups and communities; experiences and challenges of younger people; and those with lived experience of mental health issues and/or living with physical chronic conditions or disability.

Experience in mediation, relationship building and collaboration will be key to supporting the development of an effective Neighbourhood Team within SWS with primary care with GPs and the PCN at the heart of planning and development of new delivery models.

Person Specification

Setting strategy and delivering long-term transformation

Essential

  • Knowledge of health, care, local government landscape and/ or the voluntary sector
  • A capacity to thrive in a complex and politically charged environment of change and uncertainty
  • Experience leading change at a senior level to bring together disparate stakeholder interests

Building trusted relationships with partners and communities

Essential

  • An understanding of different sectors, groups, networks and the needs of diverse populations
  • Exceptional communication skills and comfortable presenting in a variety of contexts
  • Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills, able to lead in a creative environment which enables people to thrive and collaborate
  • Experience working collaboratively across agency and professional boundaries

Leading for social justice and health equality

Essential

  • An awareness and appreciation of social justice
  • Record of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in leadership roles
  • Life experience and personal motivation that will add valuable personal insights

Driving high quality, sustainable outcomes

Essential

  • Problem solving skills and the ability to identify issues and areas of risk, leading stakeholders to effective resolutions and decisions

Providing robust governance and assurance

Essential

  • An understanding of good corporate governance
  • Ability to remain neutral to provide independent and unbiased leadership with a high degree of personal integrity
  • Experience contributing effectively in complex professional meetings at a very senior level

Creating a compassionate and inclusive culture for our people

Essential

  • Models respect and a compassionate and inclusive leadership style with a demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in respect of boards, patients and staff
  • Creates and lives the values of openness and transparency embodied by the principles-of-public-life and in Our People Promise

Additional requirements

Essential

  • Have experience operating at senior or board level
  • Have an excellent working knowledge of the NHS and its strategic vision, especially the three left shifts, understanding of primary care and PCN roles and opportunities within the ICS.
  • Demonstrate independent and proactive leadership with confidence and integrity
  • Champion open, frank and disciplined discussion and be prepared to ask the difficult questions
Person Specification

Setting strategy and delivering long-term transformation

Essential

  • Knowledge of health, care, local government landscape and/ or the voluntary sector
  • A capacity to thrive in a complex and politically charged environment of change and uncertainty
  • Experience leading change at a senior level to bring together disparate stakeholder interests

Building trusted relationships with partners and communities

Essential

  • An understanding of different sectors, groups, networks and the needs of diverse populations
  • Exceptional communication skills and comfortable presenting in a variety of contexts
  • Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills, able to lead in a creative environment which enables people to thrive and collaborate
  • Experience working collaboratively across agency and professional boundaries

Leading for social justice and health equality

Essential

  • An awareness and appreciation of social justice
  • Record of promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in leadership roles
  • Life experience and personal motivation that will add valuable personal insights

Driving high quality, sustainable outcomes

Essential

  • Problem solving skills and the ability to identify issues and areas of risk, leading stakeholders to effective resolutions and decisions

Providing robust governance and assurance

Essential

  • An understanding of good corporate governance
  • Ability to remain neutral to provide independent and unbiased leadership with a high degree of personal integrity
  • Experience contributing effectively in complex professional meetings at a very senior level

Creating a compassionate and inclusive culture for our people

Essential

  • Models respect and a compassionate and inclusive leadership style with a demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in respect of boards, patients and staff
  • Creates and lives the values of openness and transparency embodied by the principles-of-public-life and in Our People Promise

Additional requirements

Essential

  • Have experience operating at senior or board level
  • Have an excellent working knowledge of the NHS and its strategic vision, especially the three left shifts, understanding of primary care and PCN roles and opportunities within the ICS.
  • Demonstrate independent and proactive leadership with confidence and integrity
  • Champion open, frank and disciplined discussion and be prepared to ask the difficult questions

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.

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board

Address

Wellington Civic Offices

Tan Bank, Larkin Way

Wellington

TF1 1LX


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board

Address

Wellington Civic Offices

Tan Bank, Larkin Way

Wellington

TF1 1LX


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Head of Primary Care and PCN Development

Elizabeth Walker

elizabeth.walker@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

17 June 2025

Pay scheme

Very senior manager (VSM)

Salary

£100,000 to £200,000 a year pa

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

8 months

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

942-ICB-7284747

Job locations

Wellington Civic Offices

Tan Bank, Larkin Way

Wellington

TF1 1LX


Supporting documents

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