Job summary
- Main area
- Management
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday 9-5. This role includes an on call element)
- Job ref
- 249-8137897
- Employer
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Great Western Hospital
- Town
- Swindon
- Salary
- £57,528 - £64,750 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 30/07/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 19/08/2026
Employer heading
Assistant General Manager - Community Diagnostic Centre
Band 8a
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital.
Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.
We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.
Job overview
We are seeking a full time Assistant General manager to join on Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) Team.
You will provide dedicated operational leadership for the Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC), ensuring the effective, efficient and sustainable delivery of diagnostic services across all modalities. The role exists to strengthen operational oversight, improve utilisation, enhance patient access and support the Trust’s diagnostic recovery ambitions. Working closely with the Deputy Divisional Director for Medicine, the Divisional Director of Operations and clinical and operational leads, the postholder will coordinate day‑to‑day CDC operations and ensure that planned activity is delivered consistently and in line with national expectations.
A key purpose of the role is to optimise diagnostic pathways across Radiology, Cardiology, Respiratory, Gastroenterology and Audiology, ensuring that capacity is used effectively and that patients move smoothly through referral‑to‑test processes. The postholder will lead improvements in scheduling, data quality, coding accuracy and performance reporting, enabling timely decision‑making and supporting income recovery.
Main duties of the job
Although the role does not include direct line management responsibilities, the postholder will provide influential leadership across administrative, booking, estates and operational teams to ensure a safe, functional and well‑maintained CDC environment. Through strong stakeholder engagement, proactive problem‑solving and robust governance, the postholder will help ensure that the CDC delivers high‑quality, patient‑centred diagnostic services aligned with Trust priorities and national CDC standards.
Operational management
1. Be accountable to the Trust through the Specialty and Divisional Management Teams for the planning, coordination and delivery of responsive, efficient and cost‑effective diagnostic services, working closely with the Service Managers, Radiology Operational & Service Lead, modality leads and clinical teams operating within the CDC.
2. Lead the achievement of CDC service objectives by contributing to strategic direction, implementing
operational improvements and supporting service developments that enhance utilisation, access and
patient experience.
3. Develop and maintain systems, processes and procedures that support the Divisional Director of Operations in activity planning, capacity modelling and delivery of the Trust‑wide CDC programme.
4. Act as a key member of the CDC Delivery Group, providing influential operational leadership, supporting programme delivery and ensuring alignment with national CDC expectations.
Working for our organisation
We are proud to be part of BSW Hospitals Group – a formal partnership between Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. With a combined workforce of over 17, 600 colleagues, and budget of 1.6 billion the Group is united by a common purpose to deliver the best possible care to over 1 million people.
We are creating a health and care system that works with the people we care for, reducing the differences people currently face in access, experience and outcomes, improving the experience of our colleagues and tackling shared challenges like sustainability and finances. Every improvement we make across our Group will be guided by what creates the greatest benefit for our colleagues, our patients, our communities and our partners.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
5. Identify, scope and lead service improvement initiatives to optimise patient throughput, streamline referral‑to‑test pathways and improve overall patient experience across all CDC modalities.
6. Exercise delegated operational responsibility on behalf of the Service Manager to resolve day‑to‑day issues, ensuring timely escalation and effective problem‑solving.
7. Work collaboratively across specialties and divisions to support delivery of Trust activity plans, waiting time standards and diagnostic performance targets.
8. Plan, encourage and facilitate continuous improvement, ensuring that operational processes align with Trust policies, strategic priorities and available resources.
9. Implement, monitor and maintain standard operating procedures and operational policies to ensure safe, consistent and high‑quality diagnostic service delivery.
10. Identify problems, risks and emerging trends early, developing and implementing mitigation plans and escalating concerns to the Specialty Management Team where required.
11. Ensure robust systems are in place for performance reporting, monitoring and analysis, including accurate data collection for capacity and demand planning, utilisation tracking and income variance monitoring.
12. Drive improvements in productivity, efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring that CDC capacity is used optimally and that operational barriers are addressed promptly.
13. Ensure effective use of resources, recommending changes, initiating corrective actions and contributing to divisional decision‑making to support sustainable service delivery.
14. Work as an integral member of the specialty and divisional operational teams, supporting shared objectives and contributing to Trust‑wide diagnostic transformation.
15. Act as the operational point of contact for estates and facilities issues affecting the CDC, ensuring timely escalation and resolution of building, maintenance, environmental and equipment-related concerns.
16. Work with Estates, Facilities and Medical Engineering teams to ensure the CDC environment remains safe, compliant and fit for purpose, including oversight of planned and reactive maintenance affecting service delivery.
17. Support the coordination of estates-related works, ensuring minimal disruption to diagnostic activity and effective communication with clinical and operational teams.
18. Monitor environmental risks, such as temperature control, ventilation, infection-prevention requirements and space utilisation, escalating issues promptly through appropriate governance routes.
19. Act as a key contributor to the Improving Together workstream, promoting a culture of continuous improvement, staff engagement and operational excellence.
20. Be able to deliver sensitive or contentious information to large groups of staff at Trust and Divisional board meetings.
Please see attached JD for full responsibilities.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Master or equivalent level of ability gained through substantial NHS operational management experience
- Postgraduate qualification in healthcare management or equivalent experience
- Specialist knowledge across a range of operational and performance management procedures
- Evidence of continued professional development (CPD)
Desirable criteria
- Management qualification
- Experience using CVIS, CRIS, Medilogik, Power BI or equivalent systems
Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant experience in operational or service management within the NHS at a senior level
- Experience of strategic planning, business planning, service development and project implementation
- Experience of managing or monitoring budgets, income, activity plans or financial performance
- Experience of handling patient complaints, incidents or service issues at a senior operational level. Experience of delivering training, briefings or presentations to staff across a range of professions
Desirable criteria
- Formal project management qualification or experience
- Experience of coordinating and chairing multi-disciplinary meetings
Skills
Essential criteria
- Awareness of NHS policy, diagnostic transformation priorities and national performance standards
- Understanding of the changing NHS environment and system-wide diagnostic pathways
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of clinical governance principles
- Understanding of patient safety, estates compliance and risk management frameworks
- Desire to further develop career and leadership capability
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
- Alan Tidy
- Job title
- Deputy Divisional Director
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01793 605062
- Additional information
The main contact for this role is Alan Tidy - Deputy Divisional Director - Medical Specialities and Diagnostics. For additional information on the role please contact at [email protected].
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