This role offers an excellent opportunity to gain senior leadership experience while helping to maintain safe environments for patients, staff and visitors across a large NHS organisation.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

The Deputy Health and Safety Manager is a key leadership role within the Operating Unit's Health and Safety Services, supporting the Head of Health and Safety Services in delivering a safe, compliant and effective environment for patients, staff, volunteers and visitors. The postholder will work across a large and complex healthcare organisation, providing expert professional advice on a wide range of health and safety matters and helping to ensure compliance with health and safety legislation, NHS standards and best practice.

The successful candidate will lead and coordinate the day-to-day activities of the Health and Safety Team, supporting the delivery of the Trust's Health and Safety objectives and assurance programmes. They will work closely with managers, clinical teams and corporate services to promote a positive safety culture, develop practical solutions to health and safety challenges, and ensure risks are managed effectively and proportionately.

A significant part of the role involves providing professional advice and guidance to staff and managers at all levels, helping them understand and fulfil their health and safety responsibilities. The postholder will undertake audits, inspections and assurance reviews, monitor compliance and performance, analyse incident and risk data, and provide reports and recommendations to governance groups and senior leaders.

The Deputy Health and Safety Manager will lead investigations into significant incidents and near misses, identifying root causes and supporting the implementation of corrective and preventative actions. The role also includes supporting regulatory inspections, responding to enforcement activity where required, and ensuring lessons learned are shared across the organisation to support continuous improvement.

The postholder will contribute to the development of health and safety policies, procedures, training programmes and awareness campaigns, ensuring these reflect current legislation, national guidance and organisational priorities. They will play an active role in developing staff competence and engagement, helping to embed health and safety into everyday operational practice.

As a senior member of the Health and Safety Service, the successful candidate will provide leadership and support to Health and Safety Advisors, Manual Handling Trainers and administrative staff, promoting high standards of performance, collaboration and professional development. The postholder will also deputise for the Head of Health and Safety Services when required, representing the service at meetings, committees and Trust-wide forums.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced health and safety professional to gain broader leadership experience, influence strategic decision-making, and make a tangible contribution to improving safety, governance and organisational performance within one of the region's largest NHS organisations.

Person specification

Education And Qualifications

Essential criteria

• NEBOSH Diploma Level 6 or equivalent, with degree level knowledge or equivalent health and safety management experience
• Certified or Chartered IODH membership or actively working towards Chartered Status
• Management, leadership or teaching/training qualification, or equivalent practical experience

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

Essential criteria

• Strong knowledge of UK health and safety legislation, HSG65, NHS standard and regulatory expectations
• Able to lead, influence and communicate effectively with staff, managers and senior stakeholders
• Able to analyse complex information, use data and translate strategy into practical plans and solutions

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of healthcare-related hazards, controls and governance arrangement

Experience

Essential criteria

• Significant health and safety advisory or management experience, including incident investigation, audit and inspection
• Experience of developing policy, delivering training and supporting organisational compliance programmes
• Experience of leading teams, managing performance and supporting staff development

Desirable criteria

• NHS or healthcare experience, including regulatory inspection or enforcement liaison

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria

• Professional, resilient and organised, with sound judgement and a proactive approach
• Collaborative, improvement-focused and committed to ongoing professional development

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.

BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.

If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred