Service Manager - Quality, Safety & Governance

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Service Manager with responsibility for Quality, Safety & Governance to join the Specialist Mobility Rehabilitation Centre (SMRC) at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

We are seeking a highly organised, proactive and resilient leader with experience of ISO9000 quality systems management, clinical governance, regulatory compliance, audit, risk management and service improvement within a healthcare setting. The successful candidate will possess excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to work across professional boundaries to drive quality, safety and continuous improvement.

This is an excellent opportunity for an individual with significant experience in healthcare quality, governance, service management, and continuous improvement who is passionate about delivering high-quality services and maintaining excellence in patient care.

Main duties of the job

You will provide strategic and operational leadership for quality governance, all aspects of health & safety, including patient safety, risk management, service improvement, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance across all services delivered by the SMRC. Working closely with clinical and operational teams, the successful candidate will lead the development and maintenance of robust governance systems that support the delivery of safe, effective, and patient-centred care.

The role has responsibility for overseeing the service's Quality Management System, including maintenance of ISO 9001 accreditation, ensuring compliance with national standards, Trust policies, contractual requirements, and regulatory frameworks. You will coordinate internal and external audits, manage quality improvement programmes, oversee incident and complaint management processes, and ensure that lessons learned are translated into meaningful service improvements.

In addition, you will have shared responsibility for leading a team of administrative colleagues.

This role is integral to maintaining the high standards of care, governance and quality assurance that underpin the Specialist Mobility Rehabilitation Centre's services and reputation.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Lead quality governance and assurance activities across the service.
• Maintain compliance with ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System standards.
• Oversee internal and external audit programmes and regulatory inspections.
• Manage risk, incidents, complaints, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Support compliance with CQC standards and NHS governance requirements.
• Monitor and report on quality performance indicators and service outcomes.
• Ensure effective document control and policy management.
• Provide leadership for continuous service improvement and change management.
• Work collaboratively with clinical teams to support safe and effective patient care.
• Provide assurance and advice to senior leaders regarding quality, safety, and regulatory compliance.

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.