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North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) are working towards merging as one organisation from July 2026.
This will create an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.
Should you join NBT as an employee prior to our organisations merging, your employment will be automatically transferred across to UHBW. Should your employment begin after our two Trusts merge, you will be employed directly by UHBW and therefore UHBW terms and conditions of service will apply
Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.
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Job Overview
The Deputy Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) supports the COO in delivery of the Trust’s operational plan, with delegated responsibility for managing delivery of services across the organisation.
Working with Divisional and Corporate teams, the DCOO has day to day oversight of operations and is responsible for ensuring services are fit for purpose and compliant with standards. This includes ensuring that robust service planning is in place across the organisation. The DCOO will be expected to work with divisions to ensure services are coordinated and Trust-wide issues resolved, with responsibility to make decisions on whether to escalate issues to COO and other Execs.
The DCOO will work with the COO, wider Executive team and partners within Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) to implement improvement and transformation at Trust and system-levels, ensuring that NBT can realise the opportunities which come from working across the wider health system.
The DCOO will deputise for the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Trust, system national levels.
Main duties of the job
The Deputy Chief Operating Officer (DCOO) is a core member of Chief Operating Officers team and the role is to deliver against the performance portfolio.
Working in partnership with Divisional and Corporate teams, the DCOO has day to day oversight of operations and is responsible for ensuring services are safe, fit for purpose and compliant with standards.
The DCOO is accountable to the COO for the delivery of national access standards related to:
Urgent and Emergency Care Standards.
Planned care (i.e. Referral to Treatment Times, Cancer Waiting Times, Diagnostic Waiting Times standards).
Efficiency/and productivity improvements in theatres and outpatients.
Performance reporting and assurance.
Trust-wide capacity planning to support delivery of timely care.
Working for our organisation
North Bristol NHS Trust employs over 12,000 staff providing healthcare to the residents of Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset from our award-winning hospital building at Southmead. We are the regional Major Trauma Centre, and an internationally recognised centre of excellence in a range of services and major specialities. Our vision is that by enabling our teams to be the best that they can be, we will provide exceptional healthcare, personally delivered.
North Bristol NHS Trust values all people as individuals. We aim to be an anti-discriminatory organisation and are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We welcome applicants from all underrepresented groups.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Working in partnership with Divisional and Corporate teams, the DCOO has day to day oversight of operations and is responsible for ensuring services are safe, fit for purpose and compliant with standards.
The DCOO is accountable to the COO for the delivery of national access standards related to:
- Urgent and Emergency Care Standards
- Planned care (i.e. Referral to Treatment Times, Cancer Waiting Times, Diagnostic Waiting Times standards),
- efficiency/and productivity improvements in theatres and outpatients,
- performance reporting and assurance
- Trust-wide capacity planning to support delivery of timely care
The DCOO is responsible for ensuring all access policies are compliant and updated in line with national guidance and that training is provided to all staff on a regular basis.
The DCOO is responsible for ensuring that consistent and robust waiting list systems and processes are in place across the Trust, for Elective and Emergency waiting times, and that these are actively and appropriately managed.
Lead on the implementation of the Trust’s Bed model, based on strategic plans for efficiencies and improvements in patient flow.
The DCOO is responsible for leading the Trust’s Cancer Management work, implementing the Trust’s Cancer Strategy and the annual peer review cycle and ensuring that national standards are met.
The DCOO has Trust-wide responsibility for the effective service delivery of the Senior Manager on-call rota including development of standard operating procedures and training for on-call directors and managers, ensuring they are fully equipped to manage operational risks and contingency plans.
With the COO, the DCOO is responsible for the delivery of savings for the Operations Directorate and for supporting processes which improve financial information and budgetary control.
Person specification
Education
Essential criteria
- Master’s Level Education or equivalent relevant experience.
- Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development
Work Experience
Essential criteria
- Substantial recent experience in a management/lead role in optimising flow within complex planned and unplanned care pathways.
- Demonstratable experience of leading multiple stakeholders to deliver a performance objective and ensure that this is sustainable
- Experience of effective partnership working with internal and external stakeholders.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities
Essential criteria
- Extensive leadership and operational management experience in a medium/large acute healthcare provider setting
- A high level of operational planning/organisational skill and experience, with a track record of delivery.
- Strong communication and relationship skills, including proven ability to build relationships with senior leaders and partners within the organisation and externally and ability to deliver complex, sensitive and sometimes contentious corporate messages.
Please note that if you apply for a position with North Bristol NHS Trust, you may be contacted via TRAC or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your TRAC Account and email accounts including junk and spam folders.
If you apply for this vacancy and have not received a communication from North Bristol NHS Trust within three weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.
Please note that North Bristol NHS Trust does not reimburse travel expenses relating to interview attendance.
If you feel you meet the requirements of the Disability Act / Two Ticks scheme and require further support/advice, please contact us on tel 0117 414 1151.
North Bristol NHS Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
The successful applicant(s) will normally commence at the minimum of the scale unless they have previous NHS service at the same band. Progression through the scale is by annual increments.
At North Bristol Trust (NBT), we know diverse and inclusive environments lead to happier and healthier teams and improved patient care and outcomes. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in NBT’s workforce at Band 8a and above. These include people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQIA+ people.
Please note that stringent pre-employment checks are undertaken on all successful applicants prior to commencement in post.