Clinical Safeguarding Lead

We’re looking for someone with clinical safeguarding experience to join our brilliant DWP Clinical Policy team. With a talented team of clinicians, you will improve the experience and outcomes for millions of vulnerable people who interact with public services at critical times in their lives. The role will be the most senior safeguarding expert within the department, working closely with the providers of health assessments, the customer experience and clinical teams. You will set and oversee the training for over 5500 health care professionals and ensure policies and processes are in line with best practice. You will give high level and accurate advice to the Chief Medical Advisor to provide assurance that safeguarding across the department is in line with relevant legislation requirements and clinical best practice.

You will:

• Be the lead clinical expert on the departmental review of safeguarding, providing final clinical decision making and advice to ministers alongside the Chief Medical Advisor.
• Advise the Clinical Governance Team and HR teams on safeguarding processes and policies for clinical staff.
• Run the new safeguarding process due to be implemented in 2026 in collaboration with the customer service directorate and act as the final clinical sign off.
• Be able to quickly identify when things are going wrong and put measurable steps in place to put them right.
• Draft and deliver (including in-person) high quality advice for the Chief Medical Advisor and senior officials on DWP wide safeguarding and how it’s working from a clinical perspective.
• Work directly with departmental senior clinical safeguarding leads and safeguarding leads within the providers of disability/functional assessments to deliver high standard, accurate clinical and health related advice that reflects current practice.
• Lead ad-hoc strategic work/projects in this area in response to areas in need of improvement.

Person specification:

• 5 years of post graduate experience and up to date registration with NMC, GMC or HCPC with no conditions on registration unless they relate solely to a disability.
• Medical applicants must have a licence to practise.
• High level of clinical confidence, including a broad range of clinical experience, with experience of working in the NHS.
• Trained to level 4 or 5 in safeguarding with experience of leading safeguarding in a large or complex organisation.
• Knowledge of evidence-based medicine and critical appraisal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate complex material into simple explanations.
• Good organisational skills with the ability to adapt, influence and solve problems at pace.
• Ability to work as a team in an inclusive way, leading by example.
• Ability to prioritise and manage competing demands.
• Experience of communicating with and influencing external stakeholders.

Successful candidates will be entitled to a generous Civil Service Pension Scheme (with employer contributions worth 27.9% – 30.3% of salary), indemnity insurance cover for their work within DWP, and professional regulatory body fees reimbursed.

For more information and to apply click APPLY now. If shortlisted there will be an opportunity for an informal discussion with our Chief Medical Advisor.