Job Description

Job Title Chief Executive

Grade Executive Level H
Hours Full time
Executive Director Yes Location NHS Tayside
Chair of the Board of NHS Tayside and as Accountable
Immediate Line Manager
Officer to the Chief Executive NHS Scotland

2 Job Purpose

 To provide overall leadership to and management of NHS Tayside as Chief

Executive of the Board.
 To report and be accountable to the Director General for Health and Social Care
(and Chief Executive of NHS Scotland) of the Scottish Government Health and
Social Care Directorates and through that post to the Scottish Parliament as
designated Accountable Officer for the Board.
 To be corporately accountable, as an Executive member of Tayside NHS Board
for the strategic planning, allocation, performance management and governance of
NHS Tayside.
 To lead the development of high level, holistic strategies for health improvement
and health services within Tayside in line with Government policies and priorities,
and integrates and deploys the resources available to the Board and the local
community, in order to improve the health of the Tayside population.
 To provide, with the Chair of the Board, strategic leadership to secure the
implementation of the national agenda for the integration of Health and Social
Care.
 To plan and lead the transformation required to redesign and improve services,
whilst achieving financial balance within the Board. This includes working in
partnership with local agencies and with community planning partners.
 To engage with and ensure delivery of regional solutions, where appropriate to
improve sustainability of services for Tayside residents.
 To develop a national portfolio of responsibilities in order to improve health and
health services
 To lead and direct the execution of Board policies and drive the strategic health
and healthcare plans in order that they deliver desired outcomes.
 To have overall management of all Board activities ensuring health and healthcare
objectives are achieved.
 To build on work on the tripartite mission of education, research and patient care.

3 Dimensions

Revenue Resource Limit c£898.0m

Capital Resource Limit c£9.5m
Post holder’s budget c£3.7m

Staff:
NHS Tayside employs c 13,000 staff operating from over 160 locations across 3000
square miles serving over 350,000 people.
4 Organisational Chart

See attached chart.

5 Role of the Health Board

Tayside NHS Board has overall accountability for the planning and delivery of healthcare
services and the lead role in improving the health of the resident population in Tayside.
This involves the assessment of health and health care needs; initiating and maintaining
effective measures for health protection, health promotion and health improvement;
development and delivery of health service provision; and allocating and evaluating the
utilisation of the resources controlled by the Board. This is secured by working as a
'whole system' NHS and by partnerships with Local Government to enable the successful
implementation of the Health and Social Care Integration Agenda. As a teaching Board,
Tayside has very close links with the University of Dundee Medical School and the
Department of Health Studies at Abertay University.

NHS Boards are expected to work in partnership with a diverse range of public, private
and voluntary bodies to participate with, influence, and/or take a leadership role in the
development of community initiatives which will impact on health in the widest sense. In
addition, NHS Boards are expected to take forward the health aspects of the
Government’s social inclusion and modernisation agendas as well as NHS priorities.

Significant Factors Affecting the Health Status of the Population

The health of the population in Tayside is adversely affected by a wide range of factors.
Many of these factors are not inevitable and can be addressed by the NHS working in
partnership with other organisations, especially local authorities.

There are large health inequalities seen across Tayside but particularly in Dundee, with
31% of Dundee’s population living in the 15% most deprived areas of Scotland. These
inequalities are associated with poverty, poor housing, homelessness, lack of educational
opportunity and relative proximity to services. In Tayside, examples of the effect of
inequalities are:

 Although the life expectancy of males and females in Tayside is comparable to the
whole of Scotland, males in Dundee are expected to live 2 years less than the Scottish
average with Dundee females living approximately 1 year less than females across
Scotland as a whole.
 Despite a decrease in the rate of teenage pregnancies over the last 4 years, Dundee’s
rate is still double the Scottish teenage pregnancy rate.
 Mothers living in the most affluent areas of Tayside are 2.2 times more likely to be
breastfeeding at their 6-8 week review than mothers in the most deprived areas.
 The rate of death from cancer is 1.5 times higher in our most deprived communities
compared to the least deprived.
 The rate of death from lung cancer is 2.5 times higher in our most deprived
neighbourhoods compared with the least deprived.
 Alcohol related mortality is 4 times higher in the most deprived areas of Tayside than
 the least deprived.
 Dundee City has the highest rate of drug related deaths in Scotland.

6 Key Result Areas

1.
1. Setting the tone and morale of the organisation.

Outcomes:
 A culture which is collaborative, integrated and supportive, embedding a Just and
Fair Culture.
 Performance management culture is embedded.
 The work environment encourages individuals to seek challenges and strive to
reach their full potential.
 A positive climate of partnership working fostering excellent employee relations.

2. Strategic leadership of the system, developing and delivering the vision in

partnership, ensuring that there is ownership of the change strategies and
effective two-way communication.

Outcomes:
 Key staff and major partners understand and are motivated by the vision.
 Staff and service users actively support the vision.
 Strong organisational management grip, supported by a system of performance
management and delivery.
 Clear organisational alignment and understanding.
 Staff understand how their personal objectives are connected to the vision.
 Clear evidence that change and redesign projects have actually delivered results.

3. Promoting and recognising the importance of people in delivering the vision

Outcomes:
 Models the belief in the value of people in practice through consistent positive
behaviours.
 All staff are motivated and encouraged to work in partnership and are valued for
their contribution.
 Increasing organisational capacity, through workforce development and ensuring
there are robust links to service strategy, performance management and planning.
 Strong clinical leadership and engagement in the delivery of safe and effective
services.

4. Providing clear strategic direction to the leadership and across the

organisation, ensuring focus on the delivery of the key result areas

Outcomes:
 New, redesigned and better services have replaced other services within financial
budgets.
 The Health and Social Care national agenda is embedded in the organisation.
 Improved health in population and access to quality services.
 Resources are allocated based on sound intelligence and informatics.
 Key targets are achieved e.g. Transforming Tayside, Patient Safety, Health
Improvement/Health Inequalities, Academic Health and Science Partnership.
 The organisation is clear about how decisions are made and how conflict is
managed.
 An empowered workforce delivering against the organisation’s key strategic
themes and objectives.
5. Taking a strategic perspective while being able to handle people well

Outcomes:
 Strategic system options are available as a result of sound strategic planning,
supported by scenario planning strategic thinking and coproduction.
 Managed risks are taken to achieve successful outcomes and innovation and
creativity are encouraged and rewarded.
 Direct and constructive feedback is provided to all executive team members.

6. Key behavioural role model within the system

Outcomes:
 Consistently ensures that leaders in the organisation behave in alignment with the
vision and culture.

7. Actively promoting dialogue and involvement with the public, patients, press
and politicians

Outcomes:
 Communicates the vision powerfully and consistently.
 Ownership of important decisions is built by involving others in developing the
options, participation in the decision–making process, in particular through
empowering the community.
 Networks continue to be established and built upon with the community, public
sector partners, private sector, politicians and press.
 Proactive and supportive press coverage (as far as is reasonably practicable).
 Healthy and regular public dialogue.

8. Strategic management of external relations.

 Working with regional partners, particularly in the North of Scotland to deliver
sustainable services for the population of Tayside and the North.
 Leading, on behalf of NHS Scotland, agreed national initiatives and participating in
national fora, including the National Chief Executives Group and other key
committees.
 Responding to the requirements of the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament,
including the Health and Sport Committee and the Public Audit and Post- Legislative
Scrutiny Committee of the Scottish Parliament.
 Engaging internationally, for example with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
(IHI) to seek world calls solutions for local issues.
 Developing strong local and regional partnerships for the benefit of the Tayside
population, including Local Authorities, Community Planning Partners, third sector
voluntary agencies and private sector organisations, Universities and Colleges,
Special Health Boards, Police; etc. in order to influence the wider agenda. The Chief
Executive will be expected to devote significant time to developing and maintaining
external relationships locally, regionally and nationally.

Outcomes:
 Initiates and facilitates effective alliances.
 Creates strong strategies for influencing agendas of external bodies, which will
deliver long term health improvements.
 Integrated local plans are aligned with Regional and National plans.
 Better Health, Better Care and the Quality strategy are implemented.
 National policies for Health & Social Care (e.g. Quality Strategy).
 9. Horizon scanning for trends and anticipating those policy issues that will
impact upon the strategic direction of the system.

Outcomes:
 Tayside is appropriately involved at national level in the development of Health
and Social policy.
 Partner organisations actively seek involvement of Health in their strategic
deliberations.
 Fuller understanding of impact of policy landscape to inform better quality strategic
choices.
 Trends, obstacles and opportunities are identified which could impact on the local
system.

7 Assignment and Review of Work

The post has a high level of autonomy, working within Scottish Government policies and
priorities for health, and the NHS Board’s own strategic framework to which the
postholder contributes as an executive member of the Board. The leadership for local
interpretation and implementation of the central guidance, and ultimately the
achievement of health improvements, comes primarily from the postholder who is
responsible for ensuring the provision of appropriate information, analysis and advice to
the Board and for executing its decisions.

Review of performance in the post is conducted at two levels – through the annual
Accountability Review process directed by the Director General of the Scottish
Government Health and Social Care Directorates and Chief Executive of NHS Scotland)
which reviews the Board’s performance within the Performance Accountability
Framework, and by individual performance appraisal undertaken by the Board
Chair/Remuneration Committee. Formal appraisal is undertaken in an annual cycle, but
more frequent informal review of development and progress on major issues will be
undertaken on an ongoing basis with the Chair.

8 Communications and Working Relationships

The postholder will communicate with a wide range of senior clinical and non clinical staff
in NHS Tayside; the wider NHS in Scotland and beyond; and with senior officials of
external organisations. Excellent communication skills are required in order to persuade
others and negotiate the implementation of change. Strong presentational skills are
required as is the ability to express views convincingly and coherently using a variety of
media.
In addition to the NHS Board Chair, direct reports, clinicians, managers and staff and
Staff Side within NHS Tayside, the following are key working relationships, with examples
of the purpose of these contacts:
With Non-Executive Directors (including the Employee Director) of NHS Tayside –
to ensure the provision of information and support to enable them to effectively fulfill their
roles as non-executives.
With the Director General for Health and Social Care (and Chief Executive of NHS
Scotland) and other members of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care
Directorates – e.g. to agree the Health Plan and to participate in the Performance
Framework. On an ad hoc basis to discuss and resolve difficult or controversial issues
relating to national policy or problems of potentially high political or media interest. To
provide information and briefing to support Scottish Ministers (e.g. in relation to
Parliamentary Questions).
 With Chairs and Chief Executives of NHS Boards – e.g. review performance against
plans; to discuss and resolve high level problems of resource allocation or service
planning impacting upon the Strategic Plan.
With leaders of Local Government, third/voluntary sector agencies and private
sector organisations – e.g. to influence agendas for the benefit of health; to plan,
support and review services and/or community actions which will impact on the health
status of the population and to promote real partnership.
With staff, their representatives, the Area Partnership Forum and Local Partnership
Forum to ensure that the staff governance responsibilities of the Board are fully
discharged and understood.
With MP’s/ MSP’s/ Local Health Council Chair/ Public Pressure Groups/ Patient
Representatives/ etc – e.g. to impart information about/ consult upon/ seek support for/
respond to questions or concerns about health issues.
With universities and colleges – e.g. to ensure integration of health service and
educational planning and to maintain an appropriate balance between the needs of
teaching and research and health service delivery.
With representatives of international bodies – e.g. to share learning in healthcare
improvement.
With the Media – e.g. to respond to media questions about relevant matters; to
proactively involve the media to impart information to the community at large on the work
of the Board or on specific health issues.
With national and local representatives of Trade Unions and Professional
Organisations – e.g. for communication and/or consultation on major issues affecting
staff, and to develop and maintain effective partnership working and staff governance.

9 Most Challenging Part of the Job

 Achieving a progressive broadening of the NHS Board’s role and influence

focusing on improving health in its widest sense.
 Delivering a financially balanced and sound system within NHS Tayside.
 Delivering transformation and embedding new, innovative and sometimes
radically different ways of tackling complex health and service delivery issues,
within the current challenging financial context. These will entail involvement and
commitment from a wide range of stakeholders and the integration of their
contributions must largely be achieved through persuasion and facilitation.
 Nurturing and enabling a continuous improvement culture that is supportive of
sustainable new models of working and inclusive of clinicians, managers,
workforce and the wider community.
 Taking the lead in dealing with intractable problems of matching available
resources to competing NHS priorities and demands.
 Developing a citizen focused culture that fully involves patients, communities and
citizens, improves the reputation of the Board and regains the trust of the people
of Tayside.
10 Qualifications and/or Experience Specified for the Post by the Employing Authority

 Educated to Graduate and Postgraduate level.

 Extensive senior management experience within a large healthcare or similar
organisation with at least 15 years experience in a senior role. Knowledge and
ability to operate within a large and complex system with a wide variety of partner
organisations (Public, Private or Voluntary organisations).
 Evidence-based track record of leading and delivering change within a complex
organisational system with significant resource constraints.
 Proven leadership capability in complex organisational structures.
 Experience of influencing policy at national level.
 Proven experience of delivering on key performance targets.
 Evidence of alignment with the values of NHS Scotland.
 Chair
Tayside NHS
Chief Executive Board
NHSScotland

Chief Executive
(this post)

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