Hospital Director – Independent Mental Health Service (CAMHS & Transitional Care)
Role Overview
The Hospital Director will provide strategic and operational leadership for an independent mental health service specialising in children and young people, including transitional care into adulthood. The role is accountable for delivering high-quality, safe, and effective care aligned with regulatory standards, while ensuring sustainable service performance.
This position requires a strong background in CAMHS and experience managing complex clinical environments.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Service Management
- Provide overall leadership and direction for the hospital, ensuring high standards of care and service delivery
- Lead and develop multidisciplinary teams, promoting a positive, inclusive, and high-performance culture
- Ensure services are responsive to the needs of children, adolescents, and young adults in transitional care
Clinical Governance & Quality
- Take overall responsibility for clinical governance, patient safety, and quality assurance
- Ensure compliance with CQC (or relevant regulatory bodies) standards and frameworks
- Lead on safeguarding, risk management, and incident review processes
- Promote evidence-based practice and continuous improvement
Operational Performance
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the hospital, ensuring effective bed management and service capacity
- Deliver against agreed KPIs including occupancy, outcomes, and quality metrics
- Manage resources effectively, including staffing, budgets, and infrastructure
CAMHS & Transitional Care Expertise
- Ensure services are aligned with CAMHS frameworks and best practice standards
- Support pathways that enable smooth transition from adolescent to adult services
- Work closely with commissioners, NHS partners, and local authorities
Stakeholder Engagement
- Build strong relationships with families, carers, commissioners, and external agencies
- Act as the key representative of the service in external forums and inspections
- Support business development and service growth initiatives
Compliance & Regulation
- Ensure full compliance with all regulatory, legal, and safeguarding requirements
- Prepare for and lead inspections (e.g., CQC), ensuring positive outcomes
- Maintain robust policies, procedures, and audit systems
Key Requirements
- Significant leadership experience within mental health services
- Strong background in CAMHS (essential)
- Experience managing inpatient or residential mental health services
- Proven track record of working with regulatory bodies (e.g., CQC)
- Understanding of safeguarding frameworks for children and young people
- Financial and operational management experience
- Relevant professional qualification (clinical or management background preferred)
Key Competencies
- Strong leadership and decision-making capability
- High emotional intelligence and resilience
- Ability to manage complex clinical and operational challenges
- Excellent stakeholder and relationship management skills
- Commitment to delivering outstanding care for young people