Non Executive Director - Clinical

Non Executive Director - Clinical

The closing date is 27 March 2026

We seek to appoint a Non Executive Director with a clinical background. You will bring substantial experience of clinical practice, leadership and system working to the post. Its essential you can demonstrate the highest standards of integrity and governance.

Non-Executive Directors need to be highly collaborative, partnership and values-led and able to both support and challenge the Board. The role will involve collaboration with stakeholders such as peers, governors, and the wider board. We seek individuals who will be passionate about healthcare, will show a strong commitment to the local community and working with a range of partners, and have a strong focus on the best interests of all patients and the well being of all staff.

Main duties of the job

Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) are integral members of the Board of Directors, sharing collective responsibility for the leadership, direction and oversight of the organisation. As an independent voice on the Board, the Clinical NED brings specialist healthcare expertise, constructive challenge, and a patient-focused perspective to ensure decisions support high-quality, safe and effective care.

The role requires assurance that clinical standards, safety systems, and quality governance processes are robust, that the Trust remains compliant with statutory and regulatory expectations, and that clinical considerations meaningfully shape strategic decision making.

About us

Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to the population of the Fylde Coast and community and specialist healthcare services more widely across Lancashire and South Cumbria, supporting a diverse population of 1.7 million. The Trust also hosts the National Artificial Eye Service, providing services across England. It has approximately 7,200 staff and an annual turnover of c.£457m.

The Trust is working towards exceptional standards of health and care across the local population and is working in close partnership with the Trust's health and care partners across the Fylde coast, Lancashire and South Cumbria. The Trust is part of the Fylde Coast Integrated Care Partnership, which brings NHS and Council organisations together to improve health and care for people living in the area. Although there are challenges, the Trust is in an exciting position to work towards its ambitious vision to be a high performing Trust, operating as part of an integrated care system, providing high quality, safe and effective care across its communities.

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Clinical Quality

Provide authoritative clinical insight to inform long term organisational strategy, ensuring service development, workforce planning and transformation programmes reflect best practice and evidence based care.

Review and oversee strategies relating to quality improvement, patient safety, clinical effectiveness and professional standards.

Offer independent challenge on proposals affecting clinical pathways, models of care, or patient outcomes.

Hold the Executive Team to account for delivering high quality, safe and person centred care, ensuring quality and safety are prioritised alongside operational and financial considerations.

Assurance, Governance & Risk

Ensure that clinical governance frameworks, risk management systems, and regulatory compliance processes are rigorous, defensible and aligned to national requirements (including CQC expectations).

Scrutinise quality, safety and performance reports, triangulating data across clinical, operational, workforce and patient experience domains.

Support the Quality Committee (or equivalent) by offering independent, evidence informed judgement on clinical matters.

Promote a culture of early risk identification, transparent learning from incidents, and continuous improvement.

Champion the Trust's values of Caring, Safe, Respectful across all clinical related governance and decision making.

Act as a visible advocate for a compassionate, open and inclusive culture, encouraging professional integrity, high standards and safe behaviours.

Promote initiatives that support staff wellbeing, clinical leadership development, safe staffing and a positive working environment.

Ensure equality, diversity and inclusion are embedded within the clinical workforce and care delivery.

Relationship with the Council of Governors

Maintain a constructive relationship with the Council of Governors, ensuring they receive clear, meaningful insight into clinical performance, risks and strategic priorities.

Attend relevant Governor meetings to support their statutory responsibility in holding NEDs to account for quality, safety and patient centred outcomes.

Provide assurance to Governors that the Board is effectively overseeing clinical quality and regulatory compliance.

External Influence & Partnerships

Represent the Trust within wider system leadership forums, including the Integrated Care System (ICS), contributing clinical expertise to collaborative planning and service redesign.

Build strong relationships with partner organisations, regulators, healthcare providers, local authorities and community stakeholders.

Support the development of integrated, system wide models of care that improve population health outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

Eligibility & Regulatory Requirements

Must be a member of the Trust's public constituency.

Must satisfy the NHS England Fit and Proper Persons Framework Regulations and not be disqualified under the Trust Constitution or Provider Licence.

Expected to uphold the highest standards of probity, integrity and conduct as set out in the Board's Code of Conduct.

Person Specification

• Qualifies as a member of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
• Eligible for appointment in line with the Trust Constitution, "Fit and Proper Persons" requirement and criteria for disqualification.

Education & Qualification

• Recognised clinical qualification in medicine, nursing, or allied health profession.

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of operating at Board level in a large and/or complex organisation.
• Experience in complex organisations and strategic partnership working.
• Clinical experience with strong NHS service delivery background.
• Ability to contribute across governance, quality, planning, finance and advocacy.
• Experience advocating for patient needs and improving care quality.
• Understanding complex organisations and assurance processes.
• HR/OD, EDI, digital innovation, community involvement, voluntary sector, service transformation.

Skills and abilities

• Excellent communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to challenge constructively and think strategically.
• Ability to analyse complex clinical and organisational information.
• Capability to work effectively in a unitary Board.
• Efficient chairing of committees.
• Understanding the needs of diverse staff, patients and partners.
• Understanding of the local demographic.

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.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust