Welcome from our Chair
Thank you for your interest in the role of Non-Executive Director - Audit Committee Chair.
This is an opportunity for a collaborative, curious and value-driven leader who can bring senior-level experience from the public service, charity sector or another complex environment.
Since 2023 Dorset County Hospital (DCH) and Dorset HealthCare (DHC) trusts have been working together as a group provider model (described locally as a federation). The fundamental purpose of this group arrangement is to achieve the objectives set out in our joint strategy.
We want to make the most difference we can to population health with the resources that we've got by focusing on the objectives of providing safe, high-quality care, a positive environment for colleagues, contributing to strong, healthy local communities and being sustainable – both financially and environmentally.
See below a summary of our joint strategy: Working together, improving lives. Read the full strategy.
We have done considerable work on our governance arrangements. Alongside the executive team working as one, we have established a number of board level committees in common, being careful to set clear objectives and to reflect on and evaluate their effectiveness in providing assurance and strategic direction, as well as their impact on culture and what it feels like to be working in our federation.
Our relationship and partnership with our communities is reflected throughout our new joint strategy, with its focus on improving population health, helping people to take care of themselves and helping them to stay well, while playing our part in supporting our communities to flourish and thrive.
We have continued to develop the way we work with partners over the last year, and this is a cornerstone in building the health and care services of the future. In our federation between Dorset HealthCare and Dorset County Hospital we have developed a programme of joint Board workshops which allow directors to work through problems together.
More broadly across our system, we have also organised three-way Board workshops with our own two trusts and University Hospitals Dorset. While the urban and rural populations of these two areas may be different, it’s incredibly important that we strive for equity of access and outcomes for everyone living in our county, whatever their needs and situation.
For the appointed Dorset HealthCare Non-Executive Director - Audit Committee Chair, you will carry corporate responsibility for effective delivery of business objectives, quality standards, probity and governance in all aspects of healthcare provision and will play a key role in determining and implementing strategic aims. All Board members are expected to work as part of a unified team.
We are seeking an individual who will bring fresh perspective, oversight, governance and leadership to the Board.
We look forward to hearing from you.
David Clayton-Smith
Joint Chair (Dorset HealthCare and Dorset County Hospital)
About the role and how to apply
Non-Executive Director (Audit Committee Chair)
Make a lasting difference to health and care across Dorset.
Dorset HealthCare is looking for a Non-Executive Director (NED) to Chair our Audit Committee to join our high-performing Board and support our federated model with Dorset County Hospital. This is a promising prospect to shape the future of healthcare delivery, with a specific focus on care, communities, colleagues and sustainability.
We are a CQC-rated ‘Outstanding’ organisation delivering mental health and community services to a population of almost 800,000 people. Our 7,000 dedicated staff are encouraged to constantly find new ways of working which help us improve our services for local people. Part of Dorset’s integrated care system, Our Dorset, the Trust has a long history of working in partnership and are committed to achieving the very best outcomes for our communities. We know there’s even more we can do to join up services, improve population health and tackle inequalities.
At Dorset HealthCare, we are operating in a federation model with Dorset County Hospital. Our joint ambition is to encourage healthier lives, empower citizens and help build thriving communities with a culture of compassion, excellence and improvement. The strategy, Working together, Improving lives marked a significant milestone for both trusts and now share a unified vision, mission, and set of objectives.
Central to our aligned governance is the need to recognise organisational identity and to support this we have maintained the statutory committees (Remuneration Committee and Audit Committee) as separate Committees in each organisation, with an Audit Committee Chair in each organisation to ensure we maintain the organisational oversight.
We are seeking a collaborative, curious and values-driven leader who can:
- offer independent scrutiny and insight to our Board
- be strategic and impartial, providing an external view of the work of the Trust that is removed from the day to day running of the organisation
- bring senior-level experience from the public service, charity sector, or another complex environment
- chair the Audit Committee and bring a fresh perspective to the Board in order to provide oversight, governance and leadership.
We welcome applicants who reflect the diversity of our communities, and especially encourage expressions of interest from underrepresented groups with a genuine commitment to public service and inclusive leadership is.
View the job description and person specification.
To arrange an informal conversation with the Chair of the Trust, David Clayton-Smith, please contact Mandy Robson via email mandy.
Or to apply please submit your CV and supporting statement to dhc.
Closing date: 21 September 2025.
Interview date: 8 October 2025.
