Deputy Head of Healthcare

Posting date:	24 December 2025
Salary:	£57,690.00 to £64,682.00 per year
Additional salary information:	£57690.00 - £64682.00 a year
Hours:	Full time
Closing date:	05 January 2026
Location:	Rochester, ME1 3QS
Company:	NHS Jobs
Job type:	Permanent
Job reference:	C9277-25-1559

Summary

To support the HoH in accountability for the delivery of the Quality Agenda; participate in the effective management of clinical risk, the identification of best practice and addressing remedial actions as required To have oversight of all complex patients within the service To develop, implement and maintain the National Standards for Health Care in Prisons for the service. To support the HoH in accountability for implementation of clinical policies that are fair and equitable and support the needs of the Commissioners and offenders and are in line with Trust key performance targets and Clinical Governance Frameworks. To be responsible for day-to-day management & co-ordination of the healthcare provision and ensure integration amongst all teams within healthcare delivery. Supporting the HoHC to ensure all clinics and consultations are delivered in an effective & timely way, in line with service needs. Supporting the HoH to manage the cycle of clinical audits and evaluation of integrated healthcare services for the prison, including primary care interventions, long term conditions management, substance misuse services, mental health, and other health promotion activities in line with Health and Justice Indicators of Performance. To lead the development of healthcare strategies and to support strategy development to promote and improve health and prevent disease, working proactively and collaborating with other professionals, organisations and agencies as required. To provide expert clinical leadership with a sound understanding of evidence based practice, having a pro-active approach ensuring delivery of quality and outcome driven practice on a day-to-day basis. Maximising resources to target need, including the deployment and supervision of staff. To be responsible for the development of systems for the collection triage & allocation of referrals to appropriate service provision, and monitoring and auditing the quality and effectiveness of service delivery. Delegate appropriate responsibility and authority to team members, whilst retaining overall responsibility and accountability for performance & results. To maintain an effective case management service to ensure care and continuity of treatment is maintained throughout a patient care pathway whilst detained in prison. To be responsible for ensuring high standards of electronic record-keeping competencies and offender confidentiality in line prison/ forensic unit policy and systems, through effective monitoring and auditing processes. To monitor and review the implementation of appropriate & effective and accredited care planning tools for all patients that are subject to the process in accordance with agreed Trust Policies. To implement and monitor systems for clinical supervision to team members including annual appraisal and identification of specific service, training, and personal development needs. To develop effective systems and interfaces with community services ensuring continuity of care on release or discharge. To actively promote and demonstrate working across professional and organisational boundaries. To maintain close working partnerships with all services that may be involved with the care and management of offenders, (prison staff, Ministry of Justice, Trust & Directorate senior managers & relevant forums, CMHT staff, NHS Hospitals, Probation Services, CPS, Courts, GPs, community health services, Housing/Benefit services, social care, community multi-agency forums etc.). To maintain staff compliance with all Prison and Trust clinical policies and procedures as appropriate. Responsible for the management of all matters relating to discipline, complaints and serious & untoward incidents and investigations as required. To be responsible for ensuring appropriately skilled & qualified staff comply with the administration and management of medications according to their responsibilities in accordance with all relevant policies, guidance, and procedures. Responsible for the selection recruitment and retention of appropriately skilled staff. To liaise with other Senior Trust personnel to share expertise, promote ideas and to ensure the service is working collaboratively with the Trusts other Directorates as required. Dimensions of Post Holder To effectively manage and continuously monitor all delegated budgets and resources within the post holder's sphere of control. To be an authorised signatory for the Integrated Healthcare team as required. Develop and maintain inter-disciplinary and inter-agency working with all relevant agencies and organisations Undertake other duties agreed in conjunction with the Head of Healthcare. Custodial Responsibilities Assume personal responsibility for the security of issued keys. Understand and comply with prison orders, procedures, and instructions in your area of work. Comply with all security requirements. Respond to any situation or circumstance that might indicate a threat to security of the establishment or to the safety of an individual, completing Incident, Security, Injury, or other reports as appropriate. Report breaches of order and discipline including reporting and recording untoward incidents according to local protocol. Contribute to effective risk assessment and management procedures. IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ: All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team. You will need to provide: Proof of right to work documentation Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographicID Proof of address documentation Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code. Address History: 5 years address history will be needed. Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously. Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited. In order to assist you in obtaining a Police Certificate, guidance can be sought from:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en).