Chief Medical Officer
Job Description
Job summary
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is at a pivotal stage in its development, and our next Chief Medical Officer (CMO) will play a fundamental role in shaping clinical services for our population, ensuring that patient safety, quality, and excellence remain at the heart of everything we do. Alongside the appointment of Thom Lafferty as our new CEO, this is an exciting opportunity to join our executive team.
This is a crucial time for PAHT as we embark on the development of our new Clinical Strategy and continue our journey towards a state-of-the-art new hospital, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform healthcare for our community. While construction has been delayed until 2032, our commitment to modernising our services, improving patient care, and fostering a thriving clinical workforce has never been stronger. The Chief Medical Officer will be instrumental in driving this transformation, ensuring that our clinical strategy is aligned with our evolving needs and that we continue to deliver safe, effective, and innovative patient care.
Main duties of the job
This role will be instrumental in delivering national NHS priorities, including the Three Shifts, NHS Long Term Plan, reducing health inequalities, and embedding a culture of learning, research, and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will ensure that our clinical governance framework remains robust, that medical education and training flourish, and that our organisation continues to meet and exceed national regulatory and quality standards.
We are looking for an exceptional medical leader with a passion for patient care, safety, and quality improvement. The successful candidate will be a consultant-level clinician with extensive experience in medical leadership, quality governance, and service transformation within a relevant healthcare setting. They will be a visible and inspiring leader, with the ability to build strong relationships internally and externally, influence system-wide clinical strategy, and drive innovation and excellence across our services.
About us
We are a district general hospital at the heart of our community, with over 4,000 dedicated staff providing services across The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop's Stortford, and St Margaret's Hospital in Epping. Working closely with our partners across the Herts and West Essex Integrated Care System, we are committed to transforming the way healthcare is delivered to a population of over 500,000 people. Our vision is to be modern, integrated, and outstanding in all that we do, underpinned by our PAHT 2030 strategy and the core values of patient at heart, everyday excellence, and creative collaboration.
As an anchor institution in West Essex, we play a vital role in shaping the health and wellbeing of our local population. Our new Chief Medical Officer will lead this agenda, championing patient safety, clinical effectiveness, and medical workforce transformation to ensure that our services remain sustainable and responsive to the needs of our diverse communities. The CMO will also play a critical role in integrating research, innovation, and digital health solutions to drive forward new models of care.
Job responsibilities
This role will be instrumental in delivering national NHS priorities, including the Three Shifts, NHS Long Term Plan, reducing health inequalities, and embedding a culture of learning, research, and continuous improvement. The successful candidate will ensure that our clinical governance framework remains robust, that medical education and training flourish, and that our organisation continues to meet and exceed national regulatory and quality standards.
We are looking for an exceptional medical leader with a passion for patient care, safety, and quality improvement. The successful candidate will be a consultant-level clinician with extensive experience in medical leadership, quality governance, and service transformation within a relevant healthcare setting. They will be a visible and inspiring leader, with the ability to build strong relationships internally and externally, influence system-wide clinical strategy, and drive innovation and excellence across our services.
This is a rare opportunity to make a lasting impact on the future of healthcare delivery in our region. If you share our ambition and are passionate about the impact you could make at our Trust, we encourage you to speak with our partners at Alumni Global.
Person Specification
Education and qualifications
Essential
- Medical degree (MBBS, MBChB, or equivalent) with full General Medical Council (GMC) registration
- Registration on the GMC specialist register without conditions
Desirable
- Recognised management/leadership qualification
Education
Essential
- Extensive senior medical leadership experience, such as Deputy Medical Director, Associate Medical Director, or Divisional Director, within an acute NHS provider setting.
- The post holder will be a practicing medical consultant
- Proven track record in improving clinical outcomes, patient safety, and quality governance in a complex healthcare organisation.
Desirable
- Evidence of working across organisational and system boundaries, particularly with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), commissioners, local authorities, and primary care networks (PCNs).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Address
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Harlow
CM20 1DR
