Recruitment campaigns
Dorset Integrated Urgent Care Service (DIUCS) Operations Lead
Band 8a
Main area
Business Improvement
Grade
Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Flexible working
Job ref
152-C426.25
Site
St Leonards Hospital
Town
Ferndown
Salary
£55,690 - £62,682 p.a., pro rata for part time
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
02/04/2026 23:59
Job overview
Are you passionate about operational delivery, driving high performance and service improvement to ensure the best outcomes for patients and staff? Are you an inspiring leader with strong organisational and networking skills? If the answer is yes, then we have a fantastic opportunity to join the Dorset Integrated Urgent Care Service (DIUCS).
As part of the Senior Leadership Team, as Operations Lead you will make a real difference leading the day-to-day operational running of DIUCS and ensuring national standards and key performance indicators are being met. Building positive and mutually beneficial relationships with Dorset acute hospitals and wider system partners, you will be responsible for ensuring efficient use of resources and the best patient pathways.
You will be organised, self-motivated, and able to remain calm under pressure. You will have excellent communication skills, the ability to interpret and act upon data, and be a problem solver with a positive mind-set. With excellent people skills and flexibility in your style of relationship management, you will support others to succeed and achieve service goals. Importantly you will be a team player who wants to consciously make a difference and be confident in all aspects of senior leadership, service improvement strategies and driving budget sustainability within your service.
For further information about how this may be the role for you, please contact Maria Doherty via email maria.
Main duties of the job
DIUCS brings together NHS 111, a clinical assessment service, out of hours visiting services, a single point of access for professionals, urgent treatment centres and minor injuries units. Integrating these elements presents the opportunity for more people to receive seamless urgent advice and/or care, and reduce the strain on primary care, our Emergency Departments and the 999 service.
The role holder will:-
Have lead responsibility for the day-to-day operational functioning of NHS 111, the Clinical Assessment Service and visiting services.
As part of the IUCS Senior Leadership Team, ensure delivery to national KPIs, monitoring performance, mitigating risk and initiating service improvements where required
Lead positive and mutually beneficial relationships with Dorset acute hospitals and wider system partners to ensure efficient use of resources and the best patient pathways.
Work flexibly to ensure a visible presence at St Leonards Hub, whilst being prepared to travel across Dorset to meet stakeholders; this will primarily be in office hours but there may be a need to flex hours to meet the needs of a 24/7 service as required.
Please note visa sponsorship for this role is unfortunately not available. Please ensure you hold valid right to work in the UK and will not require sponsorship if successful.
Working for our organisation
At Dorset HealthCare we’re on a mission to empower people to make the most of their lives through our outstanding, joined-up healthcare services. We’re a dynamic, forward-looking Trust, running 12 community hospitals, specialist inpatient facilities and a wide range of integrated community and mental health services for a population of almost 800,000 people.
We do things differently here – it’s one of the reasons the CQC rated us ‘outstanding’ in 2019. It’s also why 95% of patients across our services say they have a good or very good experience of our services and 89% of staff feel they can really make a difference. Whether you’re looking to work with us in one of our bustling market towns, vibrant urban locations, thriving seaside spots, or among the rolling hills of Dorset, there are lots of ways you can make a difference in our communities.
Our 7,000-strong workforce is at the heart of what we do and our success is a testament to our brilliant people. We're all about building a workplace for the future, we believe in equal opportunities and we celebrate diversity. We’re an inclusive workplace, where everyone is welcome, everyone can be authentic, and we are all encouraged to be the best version of ourselves.
Working with us you’ll be part of a strong team, challenge yourself, build a career, and teach us what we don’t know. And you’ll be working towards our vision to create healthier lives, empowered citizens and thriving communities.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.
We understand that using AI can be a useful and supportive tool when completing your application. However, we have also seen an increase in the over-reliance of AI tools which is negatively impacting applications as they remove candidate’s individuality, and it becomes much harder to get a sense of who you are and your authentic experience. If you do use AI, it should be used to enhance your application and not to create your supporting statement in its entirety. If we suspect you have used AI to create your supporting statement and this does not match your experience, we may withdraw your application.
As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact dhc.
Person specification
Knowledge, skills and training
Essential criteria
- Relevant full master’s degree or demonstrable extensive equivalent experience in the relevant specialty.
Job Specific Experience
Essential criteria
- Evidence of effective leadership and risk management skills
- Experience of working at senior operational level
- Experience of complex service delivery including multi agency working
- Able to demonstrate innovation and effective use of resources
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working within an urgent care call centre
Managerial/supervisory experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of operational management at Band 7 or above.
Personal qualities/attributes
Essential criteria
- Evidence of skills in diplomacy, negotiation and influencing and the ability to deal appropriately and professionally with challenge.
- Ability to adapt to a changing environment and changing priorities
- Evidence of demonstrating the Trust's values and behaviours
At Dorset HealthCare we want to offer all our staff the opportunity to work flexibly, putting health and wellbeing first, whilst continuing the delivery of excellent patient care. Flexible working looks different for everyone and we welcome applicants to discuss flexible working opportunities with the recruiting manager.
What working for us will provide:
- 27 days of annual leave, rising to 33 over ten years (for staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions)
- Excellent NHS pension scheme
- Health and wellbeing services
- Flexible working options, including family-friendly hours
- Free training and one-to-one career coaching to reach your career goals
- Preceptorship programme for newly qualified nurses and AHPs
- Access to nine staff networks – have a voice and transform our Trust
- Relocation costs where applicable
- Salary sacrifice scheme opportunities – including childcare vouchers, car lease and cycle scheme, home technology equipment, and buying annual leave
- NHS discounts to save on your shopping, gym membership and more
Visit our careers website to learn more about our culture, staff stories, benefits, development programmes and opportunities.
What you need to do:
Before applying for this post, please do ensure that you have read the job description and person specification requirements. If you think you have everything we're looking for, then we'd love to hear from you, alternatively if you would like more information about the role please do not hesitate to contact us.
Regrettably, we are not able to offer sponsorship for all our job roles. If you attempt to apply for a role that we do not offer sponsorship for, you will receive notification of this at the time of starting your application and you will not be able to proceed. At this point, we wish to thank you for your interest in working for us and apologise we cannot take your application any further.
Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless you have permission to work via another route. Further guidance can be found on the gov.uk website. It is vital that you provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Overseas applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Documents to download
Apply online now
Further details / informal visits contact
Name
Maria Doherty
Job title
Head of Service ( DIUCS)
Email address
maria.doherty3@nhs.net
Telephone number
0300 369 0004