Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services. Guy’s is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas’ has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions. Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients. In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research. We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King’s Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King’s College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit. Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of ‘good’. Our adult community services achieved a rating of ‘outstanding’. The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients. We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS. Job overview An exciting opportunity has arisen for a permanent Assistant Service Manager, working within the GSTT Integrated Local Services directorate. Main duties of the job The Assistant Service Manager (ASM) supports the Service Manager in delivering a range of high-quality services within the department. This involves achieving performance targets across various operational areas and ensuring the provision of an efficient and patient-centered medical secretarial service to clinicians, clinical teams, and patients. The ASM is responsible for managing administrative staff, overseeing the delivery of administrative support to clinical teams, and maintaining service quality within resource constraints. They play a key role in ensuring services meet agreed objectives, targets, and quality standards while adhering to budgetary and resource limitations. In addition to resolving minor operational issues promptly, the ASM escalates more complex challenges to the Service Manager and senior management team as appropriate. They support the coordination of best practices across the service, promoting consistency in operations and performance. This role is integral to the smooth running of day-to-day services, providing a vital link between administrative teams, clinical staff, and senior management to deliver high-quality patient care and achieve departmental goals. Working for our organisation Guy's and St Thomas' is comprised of four Clinical Groups (CGs) and Integrated and Specialist Medicine is one of the largest of the groups with a budget of over £500m and approximately 6200 WTE staff. Integrated and Specialist Medicine consists of 9 Directorates and provides care and treatment to patients who require emergency and inpatient care, community services including district nursing and specialist care, dental services, specialist inpatient / outpatient areas , imaging and pharmacy. The integrated approach of the clinical group facilitates and promotes the shared learning of best practice, innovative and creative ways of working to enhance the patient experience and ensure the delivery of outstanding care The services provided by the directorate include neighbourhood nursing, specialist rehabilitation and reablement (bed and home based), specialist palliative care and end of life care, vulnerable adults and prevention services, the @Home service, customer services and site administration services. Services are delivered in various locations including health centres, community bed-based units, patients’ homes and a range of other community locations. Our inpatient hospital services serve the Guy’s and St Thomas’ sites. Our services work closely with all inpatient teams at Guy’s, St Thomas’, and King’s College hospitals, and collaborate closely with social services, mental health services and the voluntary sector. Detailed job description and main responsibilities The responsibilities outlined below represent the core duties and responsibilities of the Assistant Service Manager role. This description is not exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to undertake additional tasks commensurate with the role’s level to ensure the effective operation of the service. Operational Management · Support the Service Manager in managing administrative staff and processes within the service. This will require working autonomously to understand and drive operating targets, budget controls, and relevant HR management. · Ensure effective processes and procedures are in place to monitor and track service performance against agreed targets. · Address day-to-day management challenges, including reorganising and reallocating work to accommodate changes in workload and staffing levels. · Act on behalf of the Service Manager to resolve routine management issues, ensuring continuity in service operations. · Supervise data analysis activities, providing senior management with accurate and timely reports on key performance indicators. · Plan and manage the administrative / secretarial functions of the department, ensuring alignment with clinical timetables and service operating hours. Policy Development and System Management · Develop and implement policies and procedures within the service to enhance efficiency and compliance. · Oversee office systems, control mechanisms, and risk management arrangements to ensure the effective delivery of services. · Support senior management in designing and conducting audits to enhance service quality and compliance. · Investigate and address complaints, as delegated by the Service Manager, following Trust policy, including handling sensitive interpersonal situations. · Proactively identify gaps in service delivery and propose innovative solutions to improve and modernise operations. · Participate in service management meetings and departmental working groups to contribute to strategic planning and future development. Financial Management · Approve expenditures within delegated authority, ensuring all financial activities comply with Trust policies. · Oversee administrative performance to ensure financial and operational targets are met. · Manage a delegated non-pay budget, ensuring expenditure remains within agreed limits while keeping clinicians informed of financial matters. This would include signatory responsibility for ordering, up to the amount of £500. Staff Management · Provide managerial leadership for all administrative and secretarial staff within the service or as agreed. · Set objectives, conduct performance reviews, and identify training and development opportunities to support staff growth. · Manage annual leave, sickness, disciplinary issues, and performance concerns in line with Trust policies to ensure effective service delivery. · Lead recruitment and induction processes for administrative and clerical staff, adhering to Trust guidelines. · Anticipate staffing challenges and implement solutions to minimise disruptions to the service. · Address conflicts involving patients, staff, suppliers, or external service providers to maintain harmony within the service. · Monitor and ensure adherence to internal and external governance requirements and best practices within the service. · Ensure all staff manage patient material appropriately, adhering to legislation, and maintain efficient filing and booking systems. PA/ Secretarial Responsibilities · Monitor correspondence to maintain high-quality standards across secretarial outputs. · Arrange, plan, and produce accurate and comprehensive meeting minutes. · Prepare presentations, compile spreadsheets, and provide other administrative support for the senior management team. · Deliver high-quality secretarial support to clinicians and clinical teams when required. Communication · Liaise with multidisciplinary teams, using persuasion, tact, and reassurance to communicate effectively across all levels of staff. · Build and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders to ensure seamless service operation. · Inspire, influence, and involve team members to achieve performance targets. · Handle telephone calls and inquiries related to the service with sensitivity and efficiency, ensuring prompt and effective resolution of issues. · Manage sensitive patient information with discretion, adhering strictly to Trust policies and data protection regulations. Person specification Qualifications/Education Essential criteria Educated to HNC/Equivalent Diploma C/4 Grade GCSEs Maths & English Track record of continuous professional development Desirable criteria Bachelor's Degree Management and/or Healthcare Leadership Qualification Work Experience Essential criteria Significant experience of staff supervision/management including recruitment, appraisals and disciplinary procedures Has significantly contributed to monitoring key performance indicators, addressing underperformance and meeting operational objectives Experience delivering administrative and clerical services to health teams Evidence positively influencing organisational culture and introducing and supporting change processes Evidence establishing, maintaining and consolidating effective working relationships with clinicians and multi-disciplinary teams Robust IT skills and experience of using Microsoft Office and clinical systems, e.g. EPIC, Excel, Word Desirable criteria Experience delivering services across sites Experience working with community services Evidenced Skills Essential criteria Leadership, managerial and interpersonal skills Strong verbal and written communication skills Proactivity and ability to work independently Ability to respond to changing demands and work under pressure Data analysis and financial management skills Desirable criteria Financial management and analysis skills Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership. Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy. As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends. Flexible working We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual’s personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process. Your e-mail address is important to us - We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis. Please apply for this post by clicking "Apply Online Now." Applicant requirements The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions. Further details / informal visits contact Name Marine Delgrange Job title Service Manager Email address [email protected] Telephone number 07926073790