Associate Head of Healthcare - West Midlands in Wednesbury

Ready for a career that's truly different?

Mountain Healthcare is one of the UK’s leading providers of forensic healthcare within the Health and Justice sector.

Working in partnership with NHSE, police, and wider criminal justice agencies, we deliver high-quality care to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

• We are proud to be guided by our core values of
• Being Kind and

Doing the Right Thing.

We are seeking an

Associate Head of Healthcare to join our team. As permitted under the Sex Discrimination Act Section 7(2)b and 7(2)e, we can only accept female applicants.

If you are looking for a role where your impact is immediate, meaningful and aligned with national forensic and safeguarding standards, this is the opportunity for you.

About the Role

SARC Healthcare is a dedicated service commissioned by the Police and NHSE to provide an effective forensic healthcare service to patients after a sexual assault or rape.

The Associate Head of Healthcare will have 3 key elements

• Providing clinical cover when required as a Forensic Practitioner throughout MHL SARC contracts to enable you to keep your skills up to date.
• Be the CQC Registered Manager if required to cover during recruitment of SARC Manager.
• Lead on delivering and evaluating a training and professional development programme that ensures all staff are equipped with the right knowledge, experience and evidence base to best deliver care.

To have specific responsibility for co ordinating with SARC Managers and experienced FNE’s on working with clinical staff on the career journey and competency framework, e-learning and other educational activities.

Manage a robust sign off process for statements and peer review that need reviewing using the wider SARC team that are deemed competent.

(dependent on CQC registration and probation)

Plus

• 3,000 car allowance
• (Per Annum, paid monthly)
• Contracted Hours : 40 hours

Shift pattern

Monday – Friday 9am-5pm

Location

Base location depends on closest site to home address.

Locations

• Willow Tree SARC WS10 8SY
• Horizon B36 8ND
• The Glade HUB WR6 5JD
• Grange Park ST6 2JN
• Blue Sky Centre CV10 7DJ
• Additional Locations
• The Glade (Spoke) – TF1 2BB
• Occasional travel is expected across the Midlands region such as for training purposes.
• Leadership, Education and Training
• Provide effective regional leadership, acting as deputy to the Regional Contracts Director where required.
• Lead SARC training and education across the region, working with the Director of Education and National SARC Training Lead to ensure compliance with MAST, competency frameworks, e-learning and professional development.
• Design, deliver and evaluate training for SARC, Secure Estate staff and partner agencies, using feedback, audit, incident learning and evidence-based practice to keep programmes effective.
• Support newly appointed staff and preceptees to become confident, competent practitioners, including sign-off against agreed competencies.
• Contribute to research, service evaluation and innovation to strengthen the evidence base and improve SARC clinical care, access and service delivery within budget.
• Ensure staff receive clear guidance and training on the use, maintenance and security of medical and forensic equipment.
• Manage training administration, including course creation, invitations, attendance records, learning objectives and reporting through relevant systems.
• Support SARC Managers and the Regional SARC Director with commissioner reporting and monthly updates.
• Prepare appropriately for all training delivery, including arriving one hour before sessions where required.
• Governance and Quality
• Support the development, implementation and ongoing maintenance of ISO 15189 and FSR Code of Practice compliance before and after accreditation.
• Work within professional registration and follow MHL, NHSE, police and professional guidance, including standards from FFLM, UKAFN, NICE, Royal Colleges and safeguarding guidance.
• Provide local leadership for CQC compliance, ensuring robust audit processes across health and safety, infection control, safeguarding, information governance, clinical notes, Oasis entries, data quality and the Quality Manual.
• Ensure training reflects Mountain Healthcare policies, procedures and required standards.
• Complete statements when on call within five working days, or agree exceptions with your line manager to support timely criminal justice responses.
• Lead governance activity, including audit, policy and protocol development, service user engagement, risk management, quality assurance and continuous improvement.
• Develop, deliver and act on the local audit plan.
• Clinical
• Provide safe, sensitive and non-judgemental clinical care, including minor injury management, basic life support and appropriate follow-up information.
• Undertake forensic examinations with valid consent, or in the person’s best interests where capacity is lacking, ensuring an appropriate forensic strategy, robust chain of evidence and accurate injury documentation.
• Liaise with police and partner agencies, completing handovers and police IT records in line with information governance principles.
• Support service users through the criminal justice process and help facilitate access to appropriate healthcare and local pathway services.
• Attend alternative venues, including hospitals, to undertake forensic sampling where required.
• Maintain effective working relationships with ambulance, mental health, drug and alcohol, and other external healthcare providers.
• Maintain SARC medical facilities, medicines, equipment, supplies and infection control processes in line with NHSE, police, professional and security requirements.
• Keep practice up to date by reading and acting on management communications and service updates.
• Communication
• Liaise with the multidisciplinary team and provide a clear interface between the Senior Management Team, operational services and criminal justice agencies.
• Training and Development
• Complete a comprehensive training programme and maintain ongoing personal and professional development in line with appraisal objectives and PDP.
• Lead by example in completing mandatory training and maintaining CQC and forensic standards.
• Support personal and professional development within defined resources, including ensuring registered healthcare professionals maintain professional registration.
• Communicate the importance of professional registration and maintain accurate records of registration, expiry and renewal dates for staff under your management.
• Keep up to date with emails, MHL communications and changes to practice.
• Safeguarding
• Act as Executive Lead for safeguarding across SARC contracts, working with the MHL Medical Director, named Adult Safeguarding Lead and named Paediatric Safeguarding Lead to ensure staff remain updated and practise in line with local and national policy.
• Ensure appropriate information sharing with child and adult safeguarding teams, including consideration of exploitation, PREVENT and protection of vulnerable adults.
• Participate in clinical and operational supervision.

Essential

• NMC or HCPC registration.
• SOM qualification, such as LFFLM or ASET.
• Minimum three years’ experience within sexual offence medicine.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, strong attention to detail and a passion for high-quality clinical care.

Desirable

• Teaching, mentoring or training delivery experience.
• Experience of senior peer review.