Vacancy -- Head of Independent Healthcare & Statutory Functions

'Pan Wales' means that the location in which the vacancy can be based is flexible, subject to the needs of the business. Please note it may not always be possible to accommodate a preference for a specific office location, but requests will be taken into consideration.

To ensure that independent sector regulation is delivered in an integrated way from registration through to inspection.

 To provide leadership to the timely and high quality delivery of HIW’s programme of independent healthcare inspections to ensure that patient safety and quality are upheld and improved in healthcare services across Wales.

 To oversee the delivery of HIW’s statutory functions.

Post-specific tasks: 
•    To provide leadership to any of HIW’s staff delivering regulatory activities as well as corporate leadership as a member of HIW’s Senior Leadership Group.
•    To provide leadership to HIW’s Regulation Manager, ensuring that there is effective and efficient delivery of registration activities and processes to support HIW’s role as regulator of independent healthcare in Wales. 
•    To be accountable for regulatory decision making with regard to independent and private healthcare, working closely with senior colleagues, Legal Services and profession, and key stakeholders. 
•    Responsibility for the scheduling and delivery of HIW’s programme of independent healthcare inspections, including the dental programme, and activities relating to statutory responsibilities such as Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations. 
•    Adapting HIW’s programme of independent healthcare inspections to take account of decisions made by HIW’s Risk and Escalation Committee and other known intelligence.

To manage HIW’s relationships with independent healthcare providers across Wales in line with the definition of HIW’s Relationship Manager role, which includes:
•    Maintain an overview of the intelligence and evidence about IH organisation(s) in order to determine the required level of HIW activity to be conducted within that organisation. 
•    Accurately present the intelligence and evidence about IH organisations at the Risk and Escalation Committee to drive the risk based work programme. To be sighted on reports, particularly those with a high or risky profile in advance of publication or in advance of sharing with the inspected body. 
•    Be the first point of contact, as necessary, for issues raised about the organisation(s) through the concerns process. 
•    To provide further briefing as required on the organisation to the Chief Executive and others, to include meetings with the Minister and other stakeholders. 
•    To provide a plan of activity for the forthcoming financial year, based on our statutory requirements and risks as part of the agreed HIW planning process. 
•    Conduct relevant engagement with the organisations.  
•    Ensuring that independent healthcare inspection work is carried out to a professional standard and in a way that is efficient and effective. 
•    To oversee the delivery of HIW’s statutory functions in relation to Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R). 
•    Have oversight of work, as appropriate, to respond to emerging healthcare issues and concerns, which could include: 
•    Leading special reviews/inspections. 
•    Working with Legal Services Department, seeking advice on a range of issues where appropriate. 
•    Preparing and, if required, presenting evidence before the Care Standards Tribunal or Courts. 
•    As necessary, collaborating with HIW’s policy and legislation team to review HIW’s framework of inspection IH policies, guidance and procedures together with the workbooks and documentation necessary for effective inspections. 
•    To work with key stakeholders including colleagues within HIW, Welsh Government, Healthcare Providers, other Inspectorates and Healthcare professions to share information and work together to improve healthcare services, and influence where relevant any future changes required to regulations. 
•    To ensure that there are arrangements in place to quality assure all independent healthcare inspection processes and outputs. 
•    To represent HIW at a UK and international level through attendance at regulatory forums, conferences and workshops. 
•    To contribute to media, press and other activities that communicate HIW’s inspection programme and findings.     
Common tasks: 
•    To act under delegations from the Chief Executive. 
•    To uphold HIW's mission, purpose, role and values. 
•    To input to the development of HIW’s forward work programme. 
•    To deliver priorities in support of HIW’s overarching strategy.  
•    To provide effective and supportive leadership in accordance with Welsh Government policies. 
•    To work collaboratively with colleagues throughout HIW to ensure the delivery of HIW’s priorities.
•    To take part in the corporate activities of HIW. 
•    To manage their own continuing professional development and the development of their team members. 

This post is part of the Healthcare Inspectors Profession. You will be expected to devise, maintain and follow an appropriate professional development plan and to undertake training mandated by HIW.

The responsibilities associated with this role require significant engagement both within and outside HIW. The post holder is therefore likely to develop their own profile/reputation and gain experience of dealing with stakeholders.

11/10/2022, 16:00

Posts recruited to as part of this recruitment campaign are broadly open to UK nationals, those with right to remain and work in the UK and those that meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules only. Check your eligibility here:

• UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

• Nationality rules – GOV.UK

Prior to appointment, all successful applicants will be required to produce original, acceptable documents as part of the pre-employment checks. If it becomes apparent at a later stage in the process that you aren’t eligible to apply, your application will be withdrawn, or offer retracted.

The Welsh Government is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. This is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010 and will be adhered to at each stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments are also embedded in our day-to-day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and increasing diversity in the Welsh Government by removing barriers and supporting all our staff to reach their potential. We are committed to recruiting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and disabled people who are currently under-represented in Welsh Government.

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, marriage and civil partnership (both same sex and opposite sex), impairment or health condition, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, gender identity or gender expression.

We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident Level 3 (Leader) organisation. Key to supporting this work and providing peer support are five Board sponsored Staff Networks (Disability Awareness and Support (DAAS); Minority Ethnic Support Network (MESN); Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex +) and Women Together.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation and Welsh language skills are considered an asset to the organisation. We encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills in the workplace. 

The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the line manager on behalf of the Welsh Government of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:
•         PCS
•         Prospect
•         FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:
•         pay
•         terms and conditions
•         policies and procedures
•         organisational change.

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We encourage staff to get involved. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. and to learn more about trade unions and partnership working.

• Unless stated otherwise in ‘actual starting salary’, all candidates will start at the minimum of the pay scale being appointed to (this includes existing civil servants).This is not negotiable.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘type of opportunity’, this recruitment advert is not open on a Loan or Secondment basis.
• For more information on the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions for Loan and Secondment positions in Welsh Government, please see external recruitment candidate guidance.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘Location of Post’ the role/s recruited to via this campaign can only be worked in the UK, not overseas.

All applications for this vacancy should be made online via the Welsh Government's online application system.  If you have an impairment which would prevent you from applying on-line, please e-mail SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales to request an application pack in an alternative format, or to request a reasonable adjustment related to an impairment in order to submit your application.

To apply, you'll need to have an account on our online application system.  Click the 'Apply' button below, and you'll be asked to 'Log in' if you already have an account, or 'Register' if you don't yet have an account.  Registration takes just a few minutes to complete.  You'll need an e-mail address to be able to register.  Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form, which you'll need to fully complete and submit before the deadline on the closing date.  

If you’d like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

For further information regarding the Welsh Government recruitment process, please see the Recruitment Guidance for External Candidates (link).

When evidencing your suitability for the post, it is recommended that you refer to the Civil Service Competency Framework (link)

Anyone who believes they have been treated unfairly, or has a grievance or complaint, about how the process was conducted should either write to the Head of Resourcing, Welsh Government, Cathays Park 2, Cardiff CF10 3NQ or email SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales.  If you are unhappy with the outcome of the complaint raised with the Welsh Government and feel that the principles of appointment on merit through fair and open competition have not been met you have the right to pursue your grievance with the Civil Service Commission.