Job summary
- Main area
- Head of Administration & Patient Services
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 222-SF-765
- Employer
- West London NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- St Bernard's Hospital
- Town
- Southall
- Salary
- £63,665 - £70,887 per annum inclusive
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 20/10/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Head of Administration & Patient Services
Band 8a
West London NHS Trust provides a full range of mental health, community and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow.
We also provide some specialist services that are commissioned regionally, such as our medium secure services; and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.
Job overview
Head of Administration & Patient Services
West London Forensic Services
We are seeking an experienced and motivated leader to join West London Forensic Services as our Head of Administration & Patient Services. This is a rare opportunity to lead a number of vital services across a large and diverse forensic mental health setting.
Reporting to the Service Director, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for administration services across the Three Bridges Medium Secure Directorate, The Orchard Women's Service, Low Secure and Community Services, and the Cassel Hospital. You will also oversee Patient Affairs, Patient Banking Services, CQC administration support, and key service budgets.
The successful candidate will have strong leadership, organisational, and financial management skills, with the ability to drive service improvement and deliver high-quality patient-centred support services.
This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact within a nationally recognised forensic service while working as part of a supportive senior leadership team.
For an informal discussion, please contact the recruiting manager.
Main duties of the job
1.
This is a rare and exciting opportunity to lead and shape administrative and patient support services across one of the UK's largest forensic mental health services.
As Head of Administration & Patient Services, you will provide strategic leadership for administration, patient affairs, and patient banking services, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, efficient, and patient-focused support across West London Forensic Services.
You will lead services across:
- The Three Bridges Medium Secure Directorate
- The Orchard Women's Service
- Low Secure and Community Services
- The Cassel Hospital
- Primary Health Care
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading and developing administration services across the division.
- Managing administration managers and supporting workforce development.
- Overseeing Patient Affairs and Patient Banking services, ensuring effective and compliant service delivery.
- Leading on governance processes, service procedures, and CQC activity.
- Supporting investigations, disciplinary processes, and service improvement initiatives.
- Managing departmental budgets and resources to support operational excellence.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced leader to make a significant impact on service quality, patient experience, and organisational performance while working as part of a supportive senior leadership team.
Working for our organisation
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for 2024-25 is over £500m.
The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
- First degree or equivalent experience
- Management qualification
Desirable criteria
- Formal project management training
- Root cause analysis training
Experience
Essential criteria
- Previous experience within an NHS setting/health service management
- At least 5 years general management experience including the management of a large, complex group of staff and the management of a range of critical organisational tasks.
- Significant experience of working within complex teams and across complex systems including providing clear leadership and exercising own judgement to manage complex situations and resolve problems.
- Evidence of Strategic decision making
- Significant experience of budget management including management of other budget holders and financial planning
- Experience of commissioning new projects and decommissioning services
- Experience of procurement and contract monitoring
- Experience of writing policies and procedures
- Project Management
- Ability to work collaboratively and in partnership with other senior managers and professions
- Experience of risk management
Desirable criteria
- Procurement of goods and services
- Experience of audit and service review
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of a range of administrative systems
- Proficient in Microsoft software
- Ability to participate in/lead risk assessments and management processes, including the use of risk registers
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of electronic patient record systems ie. RiO & Alfresco
- Knowledge of the environmental risks and issues of forensic services
- Understanding of the Care Programme Approach (CPA)
- Understanding/experience of Clinical Governance
- Working knowledge of security related issues within a secure environment
Skills
Essential criteria
- An exceptional standard of communication both verbal and written, including the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information across a wide range of audiences
- Clear and effective strategic planning and decision-making skills
- Strong and effective leadership and management skills
- Ability to communicate, negotiate and influence effectively with staff at all levels
- Ability to prepare and present bids for major service developments
- Experience of presenting and participating in delivery of conferences/training days
Desirable criteria
- Experience of teaching IT skills
Other Requirements
Essential criteria
- Able to deal with potential verbal / physical aggression
- Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
- Flexible and proactive
- Able to exercise discretion and always maintain confidentiality
- Ability to balance numerous priorities and deadlines including responding to immediate issues and managing multiple demands
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Arthur Chiwandire
- Job title
- Service Director -The Orchard Service
- Email address
- [email protected]
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