Quality Improvement & Audit Manager
Job summary
We are seeking an experienced, motivated, and forward-thinking leader to join The Christie NHS Foundation Trust as our Quality Improvement & Audit Manager. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and deliver high-quality quality improvement and clinical audit programmes that drive excellence in patient outcomes, safety, and experience.Working closely with the Quality Improvement & Audit Lead, you will provide operational leadership and expert guidance to embed a culture of continuous improvement. You will ensure improvement and audit activity is aligned to Trust priorities, clinical governance requirements, and national standards, while leading and developing a specialist team.You will play a key role in building improvement capability across the Trust through training, coaching, and effective stakeholder engagement. As a credible subject matter expert, you will influence and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to deliver meaningful and sustainable change.The successful candidate will have a proven track record in quality improvement and clinical audit, with strong project management and analytical skills. You will be resilient, proactive, and confident working in complex environments, with the ability to deliver measurable improvements in patient care. Experience of applying quality improvement methodologies (e.g. PDSA, driver diagrams, process mapping, measurement for improvement) is essential.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will provide operational leadership and day-to-day management of the Quality Improvement and Clinical Audit (QICA) function, ensuring high quality improvement and clinical audit activity is effectively delivered and embedded across the organisation.Working closely with the Quality Improvement & Audit Lead, the role will support the delivery of the Trust's Quality Strategy by ensuring quality improvement and clinical audit programmes are aligned to organisational priorities, clinical governance requirements, and national standards.They will work collaboratively with clinical leaders, managers, patients, and wider partners to promote a culture of continuous learning, transparency, and improvement, ensuring that audit findings and improvement initiatives translate into measurable and sustainable improvements in patient safety, experience, and clinical effectiveness.The role will also ensure robust processes are in place for monitoring compliance with national guidance, supporting effective reporting through governance structures and contributing to organisational assurance and regulatory requirements.
About us
Working for your organisationThe Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres and an international leader in cancer research. We are a performance-driven, high-achieving organisation, with the patient at the heart of everything we do. Our ambition is to be one of the leading comprehensive cancer centres in the world.A Foundation Trust since 2007 we are one of Europe's leading comprehensive cancer centres, treating over 44,000 patients a year and with a turnover in excess of £220m. Based in Manchester we serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, and as a national specialist around 26% of patients are referred to us from other areas of the country.Our combination of service, research and education provides opportunities for innovation, and we use a strong business approach to develop our services. Our ambitious strategy includes delivering services closer to patients' homes for example through our network of Christie radiotherapy centres and developing new treatments for patients in our early phase trials unit which is the largest in the world.If you think you could be the person we are looking for and wish to arrange an informal discussion, please contact Eugene Collins - Quality Improvement & Audit Lead: eugene.collins3@nhs.net
Job description
Job responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Human Resources:
Provide active first line management of departmental staff, setting work plans and priorities with the guidance of the Quality Improvement & Audit Lead; including recruitment, induction, sickness/absence monitoring, appraisal and personal development plans in line with processes.
Lead the departmental team to implement, deliver and adhere to national, regional and Trust initiatives, guidelines, policies and procedures such as quality improvement, confidentiality, health & safety.
Develop and implement training and development opportunities for departmental staff.
Physical and Financial Resources
To be aware of budgetary controls and monitoring and support the budget holder in this.
Contribute towards the procurement and maintenance of all physical assets, including IT equipment and software.
To be responsible for the safe and proper use by users of IT equipment and software such as Office 365, Microsoft Forms, Snap, Tableau, monday.com.Service
To contribute to and implement the quality improvement and clinical audit plan in line with the Trust Quality Strategy and produce policies for the department in line with national and local clinical governance priorities.
To co-ordinate the development of the Trust quality improvement and clinical audit programme, reflecting national, regional and local priorities including the requirements of NICE, national audit programme, PSIRF, quality improvement priorities and CQC outcomes. To maintain a database of all types of projects to ensure there are accurate records, communication and planning.
To coordinate the process for reviewing, monitoring and reporting progress with national guidance in the Trust. To maintain a database of responses ensuring that relevant guidance is included in the quality improvement and clinical audit programme to confirm compliance. To support individual leads and managers to assess and implement guidance, including carrying out risk assessments.
To oversee the project management of the quality improvement and clinical audit programme, delegating and prioritising work as appropriate within departmental resources.
To develop and oversee the Trust clinical audit database to support regular reports, archive, classification and management of projects.
To provide regular reports of quality improvement and clinical audit activity and findings to divisions, governance committees and the Trust Board, including the trusts annual Quality Accounts and annual clinical audit and improvement reports.
To work closely with a wide range of healthcare professionals to ensure that appropriate quality improvement and clinical audit tools are designed to measure standards of care and deliver improvements where indicated.
To communicate efficiently with staff at all levels, including the presentation of the results ofcomplex projects to small and large groups.
To promote good practice at all stages of projects, requiring advice and technical support:
o Project Planning:To ensure appropriate use of the local project proposal process.To organise meetings with relevant participants to establish clear aims and objectives of the project and responsibilities of staff taking part.o Design and Methodology:Undertaking fieldwork as necessary including population and sample definitionDesign and co-ordinate questionnaires and other data collection tools as required, including encouraging and supporting data requests from the Trusts EPR.o Data Collection:
Use tools provided to retrieve information from the EPR when is cannot be extracted.Occasional review of patients records to support audit processes.To support data quality and use of electronic information sources.o Analysis/Interpretation:Design databases/spreadsheets to prepare statistical analysis using relevant software including, Microsoft Forms, Snap and Excel.Undertake analysis of data and produce preliminary reports for interpretation with participants .o Reports and action plans:Produce detailed reports integrating all information extracted from data analysis.To advise on recommendations and improvement planning.To facilitate the change process to ensure maximum benefit to patient care.o Presentation and dissemination:Organise presentation seminars to disseminate results of audits (Trust wide).Produce comprehensive presentation slides (Powerpoint).Present reports to participants, interested groups and committees.To support clinicians to submit projects for publication through appropriate media (journals, posters and conference presentations).
To resolve conflicting situations about complex queries arising from projects and raise issues with data quality appropriately.
To attend committees as required to provide quality improvement and clinical audit advice and promote a quality improvement culture as appropriate.
To contribute to supporting arrangements for managing quality improvement and clinical audit within Divisions.
To undertake the provision of training to Health Care Professionals and other staff as required in quality improvement and clinical audit, including on Trust induction.
To oversee the maintenance of the quality improvement and clinical audit intranet pages as an information and training resource for the trust.
Professional Requirements
To develop professional and personal skills through continual professional development and training in quality improvement, clinical audit and clinical governance
Participate in meetings and activities at local, regional and national level; specifically, the National Quality Improvement and Clinical Audit Network (NQICAN) and NICE managers forum.Freedom to Act
The postholder has significant discretion to work within a set of defined parameters.
Work autonomously, prioritising own workload.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Degree or equivalent level of experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Recognised qualification in quality improvement and clinical audit
Experience
- Experience of managing quality improvement and clinical audit projects
- Line management experience
- Evidence of effective people management and leadership skills
- Extensive IT knowledge across a range of areas including Microsoft Office, and clinical systems
- Experience of data management (design, data abstraction, analysis, and presentation)
- Exposure to national frameworks, including NICE guidance and the modernisation agenda
- Developing and delivering quality improvement training programmes that include QI coaching using PDSA, driver diagrams, process mapping, measurement for improvement and SPC.
- Use of relevant software (e.g Snap, Tablo, Microsoft 365 inc Forms)
Skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Effective project management skills to meet deadlines
- Ability to present written and verbal information effectively
- Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret and manage large volumes of complex, sensitive or contentious information
- Well-developed time management skills with an ability to deliver to multiple and conflicting deadlines
- Ability to work flexibly as part of a multi-disciplinary team
- Ability to critically appraise relevant literature
Knowledge
- Detailed knowledge of quality improvement and clinical audit tools and methodologies (e.g. QI coaching, PDSA, driver diagrams, process mapping, measurement for improvement and SPC.)
- Extensive knowledge of the NHS including current initiatives relating to quality and improvement
- Clear understanding of the principles of clinical governance
- Understanding of General Data Protection Regulation and confidentiality
- An understanding of clinical terminology
Values
- Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
Other
- Ability to think creatively with excellent problem-solving skills
- A self-starter with the strength of character to influence others
- Organised and logical approach to work and high-level attention to detail
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
Employer details
Employer name
The Christie NHS FT
Address
Quality and Standards - E00025
Manchester
M20 4BX
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.christie.nhs.uk/