Senior Analyst

Job overview

The postholder will lead the development, delivery and promotion of a range of analytical, statistical and business intelligence services, ensuring information is translated into clear insight that supports operational, tactical and strategic decision making.

They will provide specialist advice and guidance across statistical, epidemiological and information disciplines, including the development, interpretation and analysis of healthcare, operational and population health management data.

The role forms part of the LCHG Data Team model, supporting the delivery of key organisational priorities through a flexible and collaborative approach. The postholder will work across Acute and Community services, helping develop a single, joined-up understanding of performance, demand, quality, outcomes and patient flow across the Group. The postholder will be expected to understand complex data flows and performance metrics, using data to identify opportunities for improvement, support service transformation and influence action through clear communication and insight.

The role will focus on continuous improvement, innovation and medium-term development work, supporting improved patient outcomes, service efficiency and organisational decision making.

Main duties of the job

All staff are expected to comply with Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group (LCHG) policies, procedures and values, and to fulfil safeguarding responsibilities for children, young people and adults.

Act as a dedicated improvement resource, free from operational and compliance duties, to drive short-term improvements that enhance patient outcomes. Respond to complex ad hoc requests using varied datasets and provide timely analysis to support organisational objectives and senior leadership decision-making.

Use agile and collaborative approaches to bring together multidisciplinary teams to scope, deliver and evaluate service improvements. Analyse and interpret complex information from multiple sources, transforming raw data into meaningful intelligence for a wide range of audiences.

Provide expert analytical support by identifying trends, explaining variation in performance and outcomes, and resolving highly complex statistical and information issues. Support leaders with forecasting, scenario modelling and evidence-based recommendations to improve services, maximise resources and reduce inequalities.

Communicate complex findings clearly through reports, presentations and negotiations, influencing stakeholders and securing agreement on actions. Evaluate the impact of service changes and cost improvement initiatives, providing insight to inform implementation and future development.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication and Relationship Skills Provides and receives complex information on short- to medium-term performance including Interpreting and resolving complex statistical/ epidemiological /information problems where there is no precedent or where leading opinions may conflict.

Due to the complex technical nature of the information, persuasive, motivational or negotiation skills are required where there may be barriers to understanding to gain agreement or co-operation including advising on unwarranted variations, performance issues or persuading them to a certain course of action.

Presents information both within the Trust and externally within the system e.g. on short-medium term strategic direction and performance trends, cost issues or health inequalities.

Needs to establish and maintain effective working relationships with senior colleagues and staff, both within and outside the organisation (including commissioners, regulators, partners, etc), often providing and interpreting complex and sensitive data to inform decision making.

Persuasion, motivation and negotiation skills to resolve gain agreement and reduce conflict

Analytical and Judgemental Skills Makes decisions and solves problems based on highly complex facts or situations relating to the financial, activity, quality performance of services, divisions, directorates and the organisation that require analysis, interpretation, comparison of a range of options including options for service improvements including opportunities and risks provided by the understanding of trend analysis e.g. unwarranted variations.

Analyses frequent highly complex problems relating to statistics, population health, population health management, epidemiology, information analysis and the use of information.

Makes judgements on decisions and risks where there is no precedent and where other leading opinions may conflict.

Able to analyse and interpret incomplete, highly complex numerical and verbal data, to develop and consider a range of options and make judgements that support the delivery of NHS Lincolnshire objectives and minimise risks.

Ability to identify and find links between issues and to think through and articulate the potential consequences of alternative courses of action e.g. to internal colleagues and external parties such as partners, system and regulators.

Interprets and resolves highly complex statistical/ epidemiological/information problems

Planning and Organisational Skills Develop, manage and plan a number of complex projects linked to the delivery of LCHS performance objectives.

Model and analyse different scenarios to inform negotiating approaches, including impact of CIP schemes, payment/ costing models, improvement plans, best practice models, and contract guidance. May need to adjust plans in response to internal and external factors.

Supports senior leaders to plan and improve services by estimating how activity levels, performance and outcomes change in the future under different assumptions and scenarios.

Physical Skills Standard Keyboard skills, use of IT equipment

Requirement to work flexibly across the county, travelling to various venues for meeting, workshops, conferences.

Responsibilities for patient/client care Incidental contact with patients

Responsibilities for Policy and Service Development Implementation Responsible for policy implementation for own area of activity across the senior analyst function e.g. provide expert analysis and interpretation of key national and local strategies, policy drivers and population health management.

Responsible for proposing policy changes in the wider finance and business intelligence services, which will impact across the whole organisation e.g. based on conclusions drawn from, and implications of results from, statistical/performance/public health analyses such as model hospital.

Responsibilities for financial and physical resources Authorises budgets and travel expenses/time sheets for own staff

Responsibility for human resources (including training) Day to day management (tasking and coordinating) a flexible pool of FBI staff e.g. Tactical Business Partners, Portfolio Managers, Business Support Technicians, Management Accountants and coordinating Tiger Teams to focus on in-year improvements and developments.

Responsibilities for information resources (including system access) Responsible for adapting and designing information management/analysis systems to meet the specifications of others e.g. responsible for introducing, adapting and improving systems to create/use insight including SPC, Excel, Data Warehouse, SQL, R, PowerBI, SSRS, SystmOne, electronic staff records, PLICS, and approaches e.g., Modern Hospital, statistics, population health, population health management, epidemiology, information analysis and the use of information

Responsibilities for research and development Regularly undertakes R&D activity as a requirement of the job (at least 1x monthly).

Uses research methodology for specific one-off surveys and audits, and collation of research results to improve their area/service of data analysis.

Support and interpret research to inform opportunities for development and improvement including best practice around cost improvement and delivery models e.g. model hospital.

Responsible for assessing the effectiveness of the process and experience of stakeholders/customers who receive the services of the senior analysts and the Tiger Team approach to ensure that the Trust is able to respond effectively to changing nature of system healthcare, and the organisation’s activities to efficiency and sustainability.

Freedom to Act Interprets priorities and objectives related to the tactical data analysis function, shaping and overseeing projects and programmes relating to improvement projects (Tiger Team) and financial/business performance.

Works with significant self-direction with regard to own area of responsibility e.g. coordinating Tiger Team exercises.

Expected results are defined by the Trust Data Strategy, senior leadership team, wider organisation and by national and local reporting requirements however the postholder is expected to decide how best these are to be achieved through their own interpretation e.g. making recommendations on the best course of action, new developments in service delivery (model hospital etc).

Will also be guided by regulations such as model hospital and NHSE guidance.

May seek guidance from internal experts or external sources on how to remain compliant.

Decisions on a range of highly complex project issues where there may be more than one course of action; interprets national guidance; expert in their field.

Physical Effort Light physical effort for short periods.

Is required to sit, stand, bend, walk, and travel each working day and operate a keyboard.

Is required to travel across the county.

Mental Effort Frequent concentration (0.5 of a shift at a time) e.g. when inputting performance data, checking and reconciling information, making calculations and preparing project documents.

Concentration required for investigating problems, analysing performance data and trends and national/local policies, including interruptions requiring immediate response.

Work pattern may be unpredictable with competing demands for attention including work requests from senior leaders within own and other directorates, or to respond to urgent organisational challenges e.g. urgent performance improvement projects.

Emotional Effort Occasional (approx. 1 x monthly) exposure to distressing or emotional circumstances.

Imparting unwelcome news e.g. where performance targets are not met/ unwarranted variation, organisational change, supporting staff with distressing personal circumstances.

Working Conditions Exposure to unpleasant conditions is rare (less than 3x per month).

Office conditions.

Frequent requirement to use VDU more or less continuously during day.