Director of Safeguarding

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Our award winning trusts recognise that our colleagues are our most valuable resource, we are proud of the excellent levels of service our Trust provides to our service users and the dedication and conscientiousness of our colleagues. With over 10,000 colleagues working for our trusts in a very wide range of services, we aim to provide a supportive, inclusive environment in which our colleagues can thrive.

Job overview

We are looking to welcome an exceptional leader to join our corporate senior team as Director of Safeguarding.

The role is professionally embedded within the Chief Nurse director team, offering board level exposure and development for aspiring executive applicants.

We can offer you the opportunity to succeed in leading a team providing an exceptional safeguarding service, whilst developing your own professional career and expanding your leadership potential.

As Director of Safeguarding, you'll be fundamental in leading our safeguarding strategy and empowering colleagues to deliver effective safeguarding practice, by working collaboratively within and across services to promote better health and social care outcomes.

Main duties of the job

Reporting directly to the Deputy Chief Nurse, you'll provide strategic leadership for safeguarding vulnerable people across the Trust and ensure that the Trust meets its statutory and regulatory obligations.

As the most senior safeguarding professional in the Trust, you'll ensure that the highest standards of safeguarding are delivered in line with national, regional, and local policy and guidance.

This is arguably the most exciting time to join Somerset Foundation Trust. Following our merge in April 2023 we are the only NHS trust in mainland England to deliver integrated acute, community, mental health and learning disabilities services. This provides a unique opportunity to enhance the safeguarding offer we provide to our 13,000 colleagues and in turn the Safeguarding Advisory Service they offer to our patients, families, and the public of Somerset.

We are looking for a solutions focussed, experienced safeguarding professional who is passionate about service delivery in this challenging but all-important service.

Working for our organisation

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is a unique Trust in England that provides services from two acute hospitals in Somerset (Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital), 13 community hospitals across the county, community services, mental health and learning disability services and approximately a quarter of the county's GP practices via its subsidiary Symphony Healthcare Services.

We believe that the broad range of services that we offer within one organisation put us in a better position to provide mental and physical health services for our population, helping people to enjoy healthier lives with improved equitable access to the specialist care and treatment they need, when they need it.

The aim of our Safeguarding Service is 'to empower Trust colleagues to deliver effective safeguarding practice, by working collaboratively within and across services to promote better health and social care outcomes.'

Our safeguarding strategy, which was developed in consultation with colleagues, patients, and system partners, sets out how as a trust we will play our part in delivering this aim. You will be able to find this document attached under additional information (please note this is currently a draft).

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached Job Description and Persons Specification for more information and the attached Safeguarding Strategy 2023 - 2026

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered health, social care, education or police professional educated at graduate level

Desirable criteria

• Post graduate studies relevant to the role or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential criteria

• Significant post qualifying experience of specialist safeguarding practice at a senior strategic level with some experience in the NHS.

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• An expert, operational and strategic level of understanding of Safeguarding Adults, Children, Domestic abuse and MARAC

Equity, diversity, and inclusion is a priority for us. As a trust we welcome and encourage applications irrespective of age, disability, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or personal circumstances. We do our best to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive. If you have a disability and require an adjustment at any point during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

• Director of Safeguarding JD (PDF, 480.4KB)
• DRAFT Safeguarding Strategy 2023 to 2026 (PDF, 292.7KB)
• Value of the NHS Pension Scheme (PDF, 97.5KB)