Chief Medical Officer

at  Welsh Government

JOB SUMMARY

The Welsh Government is determined to improve health and reduce health inequalities and committed to driving up the quality of healthcare services on a sustainable basis. There is also a strong commitment to ensuring health and care policy and delivery is informed by robust scientific evidence, data, and advice.
The Chief Medical Officer post (which incorporates the Medical Director NHS Wales role) will be at the heart of this work and the post holder will work directly at the highest levels of Government, with Cabinet Secretaries and across the UK through the network of Chief Medical Officer. The postholder will be the Welsh Government’s principal medical adviser and the professional head for the medical profession in NHS Wales and Welsh Government. The CMO provides public health and clinical advice to Health Cabinet Secretary and across government to make a positive impact on population health, quality and safety, research and evidence, and the development of confident, forward looking medical and public health professions across Wales. Successful progress in these areas will require effective clinical and professional leadership.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Provide independent professional advice and guidance to the Welsh Government’s Cabinet, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and supporting Cabinet Secretaries and their officials on matters relating to health strategy and improving public health outcomes, all domains of public health, healthcare quality, science, evidence and research relating to health and care and other relevant matters.
Work with other UK Chief Medical Officers, government departments and key partners, to share good practice, engage in the delivery of policy and planned initiatives and to develop the profile of Wales. This will involve, where necessary directing key partners.
Accountable for delivery to the Director General and working closely with other key individuals in the HSC&EY Group, provide highly visible and impactful clinical leadership for the NHS in Wales, supporting clinical engagement in the service to develop service improvement and transformation across clinical pathways, with a particular focus on ensuring prevention activity features prominently in the work of the NHS in Wales and the wider public health system.
Play a prominent role in supporting the Welsh Government’s response to public health emergencies. Alongside Cabinet Secretaries, the CMO is responsible for keeping the public informed on health issues of high public concern and explaining the Government’s response. The role will also involve working with the HSC&EY Group, Public Health Wales and NHS Wales to convert scientific and technical advice from groups and committees into a policy response.
Provide professional leadership at the national level and within Welsh Government for the medical profession, including Medical Directors of NHS organisations. Also act as the interface between the government and medical researchers and clinical professionals.
Develop medical workforce policy, in partnership with the Workforce and OD Team, including regulation, education and training, and performance and support implementation.
Act as Responsible Officer for all doctors delivering medical services for, or on behalf of, the Welsh Government. Act as higher-level RO for all doctors in Wales. Ensure that quality and professional standards are set for, and achieved by, all doctors and health care professionals employed by, or on behalf of, the Welsh Government.
Foster strong relationships with key national and local organisations including General Medical Council, Royal Medical Colleges, professional bodies, public health organisations and professional staff associations.
Play an active role in public and stakeholder engagement and communication processes relating to public health including public health emergencies.
Publish a CMO annual report each year for the Government, on the health of the population containing recommendations on priorities to improve health.
Be an active member of the Health, Social Care and Early Years Group’s Executive Director Team, providing corporate leadership to the Group and to the NHS in Wales.
Provide leadership to the Chief Medical Officer’s Directorate, incorporating science, research and evidence functions relating to health and care.

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Senior leadership