Our Integrated Care System (ICS) footprint covers 1,347 square miles and is one of the smallest in terms of population, covering around 500,000 people across the area of Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin. The ICS boundaries are coterminous with our two Local Authority footprints of Shropshire County Council and Telford and Wrekin Council. We have two acute hospitals, with services delivered by one acute trust, The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust (SaTH). We also have a specialist orthopaedic hospital, Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RJAH), a community trust (Shropcom), a mental health trust - Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT) which covers Shropshire and Staffordshire, and the region is served by the West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust (WMAS). Alongside this, our partnership includes our GP Practices, social care services and our diverse voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. 

Our Opportunities and Challenges

Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin is a beautiful place to live and work, but there is more that we can do to improve people’s lives, tackle inequalities and address the cause of loneliness, poverty and obesity.  As a system we are committed to working ‘together as one’ to seek opportunities to work differently to join services up, maximise the opportunities of innovation and digital technology and ensure our environments are fit for our staff to deliver world-class modern-day health and care services.  We are working in partnership across statutory and non-statutory health and care providers, through open and compassionate relationships; organising teams as locally as possible, and working with our communities, volunteers and staff, to enable our populations to live healthier lives. Equally, our size enables us to be agile and fleet of foot in terms of decision making and delivery.

Subject to legislative approval, our ICS will take on statutory form in July 2022; and following the appointment of our ICB Chair Designate Sir Neil McKay and ICB Interim Designate Chief Executive, Simon Whitehouse, we are now embarking on the process of appointing to several exciting new Executive roles, each of whom will play a pivotal role as we develop our vision, structure, our governance, our strategy and, perhaps most importantly, delivery for local people.  As a system we have committed to 10 pledges that demonstrate our responsibility for the wider social and economic prosperity of our populations.  We are seeking to create a sustainable health and care system in which our communities and our workforce are supported and empowered to thrive and to deliver our aims to reduce health inequalities and improve wellbeing.

The Role

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced, compassionate, and strategic Chief Nursing Officer to join our Executive team and provide senior clinical leadership across our local health and care system.  We are a unique system that is well positioned with the right size and determination to quickly progress change.  In this exceptional role you will drive strategic change working with a dynamic and cohesive group of leaders.  Engaging our nursing, midwifery, and allied health professionals workforce across organisations within our system, you will support continuous improvement in the quality and safety of services across the ICS. Working closely with the ICB Chief Medical officer you will lead the development of a system wide ambitious and forward-thinking strategy for the quality agenda and for clinical and professional leadership across our system.  You will lead the work to translate that into reality and local delivery.

Working closely with partners, patients, staff, the public and regulators, you will support the embedding of a culture of inclusion, openness and learning; ensuring our dedicated clinical and professional staff have the resource, development, knowledge and capability to join up services for our patients and citizens.  You will bring experience of delivering high-quality clinical services and a track record of working collaboratively across organisational boundaries. With a positive outlook and impact, you will be adept at relationship building and advocating for patients, the public and staff at all levels with the vision to engage them in the transformation of our care pathways.

We value and promote diversity and are committed to equality of opportunity for all and appointments made on merit. We particularly welcome applications from people who are from groups which are underrepresented at senior levels in the NHS and wider society, and we are a Disability Confident Employer.

For a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at GatenbySanderson, Helen Barkham, Mark Bate or Emma Pickup on 07921 308766 / helen.barkham@gatenbysanderson.com.

Closing Date: 9am on 14^th February 2022

Final interviews: w/c 28^th February 2022 and w/c 7^th March 2022