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About
NHS England leads the NHS in England to deliver high quality care for all. We support NHS organisations to deliver better outcomes for our patients and communities, work to get the best possible value for taxpayers, and drive improvement across the NHS.
Through our seven regional teams, NHS England supports local integrated care systems, made up of public services that provide health and care – NHS organisations, primary care professionals, local councils, social care providers and the community, voluntary and social enterprise sector – to improve the health of the population, improve the quality of care, tackle inequalities and deliver care more efficiently.
Head of School of Primary Care - South West
Accepting applications until: 08-Feb-2026 23:59
Vacancy status: Open
Accepting applications until: 08-Feb-2026 23:59
Key details
Location
- Site
- Bristol, Plymouth or Taunton Base
- Address
- 100 Temple Street
- Town
- Bristol
- Postcode
- BS1 6AG
- Major / Minor Region
- West Yorkshire
Contract type & working pattern
- Contract
- Fixed term: 14 months (until 31st March 2027. Secondment only for current NHS employees)
- Hours
- Part time - 6 sessions per week (20 hours per week)
Salary
- Salary
- £140,025 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Grade
- (GP Educator GP06)
Specialty
- Main area
- General Practice
Our Organisation
The NHS is building a culture that is positive, compassionate and inclusive – and we all have our part to play.
As employers we are committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. This underpins our values as set out in the NHS Constitution and supports us to be an Employer of Choice, while helping our colleagues to deliver high quality services for our patients and communities.
As a flexible employer, we want to support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.
We are an accredited Living Wage Employer which means that every colleague working for our organisation and third-party contractors will earn a real Living Wage. We are one of over 15,000 organisations, who voluntarily chose to pay the real Living Wage.
Job overview
NHS England is recruiting a Head of School for Primary Care, There are two heads of school for the South West Primary Care Schools who work collaboratively across all training and education related issues.
Sharing line management responsibilities and portfolio workstreams such as Placement Capacity, Assessment, and International Medical Graduates, aligins the schools priorities with the long term workforce plan, GP training expansion and delivery of GP training programmes
The role of Head of School is to work with and support the other Head of school, the Primary Care Dean and Regional Postgraduate Dean in leading the delivery of a wide range of functions. The responsibility of the role, to inform and support the Primary Care Dean, is an important one and along with the other Head of School creates a senior South West Primary Care strategic leadership team which responds to and informs national and regional plans and thinking.
Although the main role is to lead and develop the Postgraduate School of Primary Care, all senior clinicians may have wider roles and projects as agreed with the Postgraduate Dean/Primary Care Dean. Heads of School are expected to develop multiprofessional education, innovative ways of curriculum delivery and engage with workforce well-being strategies.
Advert
The Head of School is professionally and managerially accountable to the Primary Care Dean and will be responsible for line managing and supporting a number of Associate Deans. They will focus on improvement of learner supervision, support, assessment and experience, engagement of faculty and ensuring effective educational outcomes, both now and in the future. The role is evolving and will also focus on whole workforce transformation and developing multi-professional links as well as innovative ways of curriculum delivery and workforce well-being strategies. The Head of School will contribute to the vision of the local NHS and to enhance patient care by providing leadership and direction with respect to the quality of education and training.
We are responsible for:
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Providing strategic oversight, leadership, innovation and improvement of all activities related to the education and training of the workforce.
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Providing educational governance with respect to the quality of clinical learning placements
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Ensuring all learners across primary and community care achieve the levels of excellence required
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Providing oversight of the management of nationally coordinated Primary Care programmes across the South West
Working for our organisation
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
If you are successful at interview, we will run an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) in the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This transfer gathers valuable information from a previous or current NHS employer to support the onboarding process, including; statutory and mandatory competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will have the opportunity throughout the recruitment process to inform us if you do not consent.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You can find further details about the job, organisational structure, recruitment profile, expected outcomes and benefits information in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
If you like what you have read and think you have the skills and experience, we need then don't delay, apply today! We get lots of applications for our roles and so we sometimes have to close our posts early. Don't miss out!
Secondments
Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
Applicant requirements
Person specification
Behaviours and Values
Essential criteria
- Understand the values of the NHS constitution and work with these values underpinning
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable leadership skills and an ability to influence and motivate others
- A strong sense of vision and ability to innovate
- Politically astute with an ability to sensitively manage complexity and uncertainty
- Ability to problem solve and maintain objectivity
- Strong interpersonal, communication, written and presentation skills
- Ability to quickly establish personal and professional credibility with colleagues and other key stakeholders
- Excellent organisational and time management skills
- Committed to own personal development and an ability to support others to develop and progress
Desirable criteria
- Ability to rapidly establish academic credibility
Experience and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Considerable experience of working with learners or doctors in training in an educational context
- Experience of clinical and educational leadership and innovation, including managing a multi-professional team
- Demonstrable track record of delivery in service and education
- Understanding of developments involving the relevant Colleges/Faculties, professional bodies, related NHS organisations and regulatory bodies
- Understanding of the workforce transformation agenda
- Trained and experienced in recruitment, selection and Equality and Diversity in the last 3 years
- Active involvement in, and up to date with, appraisal processes
- Knowledge of the NHS, its structures and processes, including an understanding of healthcare/multi-professional workforce matters
Desirable criteria
- Previous or current appointment as a leader in healthcare education
- Awareness of funding streams for healthcare education
- Understanding of current health, social care and education policy
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
- Primary clinical healthcare qualification
- Membership/Fellowship of a College, Faculty, professional association and/or regulatory body
- Educational qualification such as a postgraduate certificate, diploma or Masters in Medical Education
- Attendance at courses aimed to support educational development
- Inclusion on the NHS Performers List (or equivalent)
- Licence to Practise
Documents
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Sarah Ansell
- Job title
- Primary Care Dean
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Helen Rochester
Head of School
Email address
Helen.rochester[email protected]
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