Interim Head of Clinical Services

Why this role?

This role suits an experienced clinical leader with a strong background in governance, patient safety, and operational leadership within a hospital environment. You will lead clinical services across a well-established independent hospital, providing visible leadership to multidisciplinary teams while ensuring safe, efficient, and compliant service delivery. Working closely with the Hospital Director and senior leadership team, you will support operational performance, workforce planning, governance, and service development. This is an excellent opportunity to join a collaborative leadership team within a specialist hospital environment known for high standards of patient care and ongoing service improvement.

About the employer

This role sits within a respected independent healthcare provider operating specialist services across the South of England. The hospital is a modern, purpose-built facility with an established reputation for delivering complex elective care across a range of specialist surgical services. The site combines a long-standing clinical heritage with a forward-thinking approach to patient care, governance, and innovation. The environment is highly collaborative and quality-focused, with strong leadership, excellent patient satisfaction scores, and clear ambitions around continuous improvement, clinical excellence, and future service growth.

What you'll be doing:

• Provide operational and professional leadership across clinical services within the hospital.
• Ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, evidence-based patient care in line with regulatory requirements.
• Lead and support multidisciplinary clinical and non-clinical teams, setting clear expectations around standards and performance.
• Drive clinical governance, quality improvement, risk management, and patient safety initiatives.
• Support preparation for regulatory inspection activity and contribute towards achieving outstanding standards of compliance.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, retention, and staff development initiatives across clinical services.
• Work closely with consultants, senior managers, and corporate teams to support operational and strategic objectives.
• Monitor and manage key performance indicators including staffing, patient outcomes, satisfaction, and operational efficiency.
• Support service development, business planning, and operational improvement projects.
• Contribute to financial management, budgeting, and cost improvement initiatives across clinical services.
• Act as a highly visible and accessible clinical leader and role model across the hospital.

What we are looking for:

• Qualified and UK registered Nurse (NMC) with experience operating within a senior clinical leadership role.
• Experience working within an independent or NHS hospital setting.
• Proven track record of leading clinical governance, quality improvement, and operational performance.
• Strong understanding of CQC requirements, safeguarding, Caldicott, data protection, and wider healthcare governance frameworks.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and leading organisational change initiatives.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience managing budgets and delivering services within financial parameters.
• Ability to build strong working relationships with consultants, senior clinicians, and operational teams.
• Passionate, resilient, and solutions-focused leadership style.
• Comfortable acting as a visible leader and Registered Manager within a hospital setting.

What's in it for you:

• £80,000 Basic Salary Pension  27 Days Holiday Plus Bank Holidays Private Medical  Life Assurance  Free Parking Additional Benefits.
• Highly autonomous position with direct exposure to senior leadership and strategic decision-making.
• Strong and supportive leadership team with an established clinical management structure.
• Opportunity to influence governance, operational performance, and future service development.
• Excellent patient satisfaction outcomes and strong reputation for quality care.
• Free onsite parking, subsidised meals, onsite gym access, and additional employee benefits.
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave.

Apply today for this Interim Head of Clinical Services opportunity or contact Stroud Resourcing for a confidential discussion, quoting reference 4166. We'd be delighted to hear from you.