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This role is listed by an employer that holds a live Home Office sponsor licence on the Skilled Worker route.

Salary for this role£81,774 – £93,879 a year

Health and Care route minimum£25,000 a year

Pay basisNational pay scales (NHS bands)

NHS roles fall under the Health and Care Worker route. Salaries set by national pay scales (NHS bands) at or above the relevant band rate typically meet the occupation's requirement.

Individual eligibility depends on personal circumstances. These figures are public reference information, not advice or a verdict on this job.

Role description

Job summary

Are you an inspiring leader with a passion for improving patient flow, reducing delays and delivering outstanding patient care?

We are seeking an exceptional and dynamic Clinical Lead for Patient Flow (Band 8c) to join our senior leadership team at a pivotal time for the organisation. This is an exciting opportunity to lead the strategic and operational delivery of patient flow across the Trust, ensuring patients receive timely, effective and coordinated care while supporting the delivery of performance, quality and financial objectives.

As the Trust's senior clinical lead for patient flow, you will work collaboratively across clinical divisions, corporate teams, system partners and the wider Integrated Care System to drive sustainable improvements in patient flow, capacity management and discharge processes. You will provide visible leadership across urgent and emergency care, inpatient services and community pathways, helping to shape innovative solutions that improve both patient experience and operational efficiency.

Main duties of the job

Provide strategic leadership for patient flow across the Trust.
Lead the development and implementation of patient flow, discharge and capacity management strategies.
Drive reductions in length of stay, delayed discharges and unnecessary variation in patient pathways.
Work closely with divisional triumvirates, site teams, operational leaders and clinical colleagues to improve patient movement and hospital throughput.
Lead and influence change across professional and organisational boundaries.
Build strong partnerships with community services, local authorities and system partners to optimise discharge pathways.
Provide expert advice to executive colleagues on patient flow, capacity and utilisation.
Foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability and excellence in patient care.

About us

We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer. We strive to employ people who reflect the communities we serve, and aim to create an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Whatever your race, ethnicity, belief, generation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or experience, you'll appreciate the opportunities we give you to work in an inclusive atmosphere. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build on the progress we've achieved to make our Trust diverse and the best place to work. We celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that help us overcome challenges and embrace new possibilities. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge and have a commitment to the Armed Forces Community.

We are dedicated to using our Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach as our shared organisation model of change to enhance our services and ensure excellence in patient care.

If you are considering applying for a role, please be aware that as an NHS Employee you may have contact with vulnerable service users. We strongly encourage that all our staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 and are vaccinated annually against Flu, in order to protect the health and safety of our staff and patients. Your commitment will help us to put the safety and care of our patients first, as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues.

Date posted

23 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8c

Salary

£81,774 to £93,879 a year incl HCAS per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

252-8386492

Job locations

Darent Valley Hospital

Darenth Wood Road

Dartford

DA2 8DA

United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Working as part of the Operations Directorate Management Team, alongside the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Assistant Chief Operating Officer (ACOO), the Clinical Lead for Patient Flow is a senior clinical and operational leader responsible for ensuring the safe, effective and timely movement of patients through the hospital pathway. The role provides strategic leadership for patient flow, capacity management, site operations and discharge processes, ensuring high-quality, patient-centred services that optimise performance, improve outcomes and enhance patient experience.

The post holder will lead the Trust's Clinical Site Team and Discharge Lounge, overseeing the day-to-day management and future development of site services, capacity management arrangements and escalation processes. Working closely with divisional teams, community partners and system stakeholders, they will develop and implement initiatives that improve flow, reduce delays and support delivery of key operational standards.

This role is a key support to the wider Directorate and Divisional leadership teams, including service leads and operational managers, in the planning, development, delivery and review of high-quality, patient-centred pathways and services. The post holder will directly manage a portfolio of services and projects as determined by the COO, with responsibilities adapting to meet the changing needs of the organisation.

The Clinical Lead for Patient Flow will play a leading role in creating a culture that embodies the Trust's values and behaviours, providing visible leadership around standards, performance and staff engagement. They will ensure services remain clinically led and performance focused, placing patients and service users at the heart of all managerial and operational decisions. The post holder will also contribute to the Trust's emergency preparedness and response arrangements, participate in the Tactical On-Call rota, and work collaboratively with internal and external partners to maintain patient safety and operational resilience during periods of pressure.

Person Specification

Education and Training

Essential

Registered Nurse
Post-Graduate Management qualification in business or NHS management, MSc or equivalent experience
Evidence of ongoing and sustained CPD

Desirable

Emergency resilience training

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

Excellent understanding of operational issues within an acute NHS organisation
Experience of leading service improvement programmes across services and with multi-disciplinary teams

Desirable

Experience of working across multiple professional staff groups, AHP's, nursing, clinical & scientific
Experience of implementing and utilising 'teletracking' digital capacity management system.

Experience

Essential

Proven experience as a senior manager with knowledge of operational management in an acute Trust or community setting
Extensive experience working as a clinical site coordinator within an acute trust

Desirable

Significant staff management including senior level experience

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.