Gavin Boyle explains how the chief operating officer of Derbyshire Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust will help reshape the county’s health and social care system

This Q&A is sponsored by Derby Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, which is recruiting for a new chief operating officer. Find out more about the role and apply here 

Why should people apply for this role? What makes the role an attractive opportunity?

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a high performing foundation trust with a great reputation. We’re rated good by the Care Quality Commission and we’re continuing our journey to take us from good to outstanding.

We’re continuing our journey to take us from good to outstanding

Our board and leadership team are highly motivated and dynamic, so you’ll fit straight in. Together we’re ambitious and optimistic for the future as we look at how things can be done differently.

We are looking for the right person, someone who will do so much more than maintain the status quo. The successful applicant will be progressive and innovative, with a genuine ambition to be part of our strong and stable team that’s transforming the way in which we deliver care.

This is an exciting time as we look to reshape the Derbyshire health and social care system, as well as develop a long term strategic relationship with our neighbouring trust. Our COO will have a major part to play in seeing both come to fruition.

What makes this trust a place people will want to be a part of?

We’re proud of our highly motivated workforce and first class state of the art hospital facilities here in Derby. The Royal Derby is one of the biggest single site acute hospitals in England and we’re lucky to work in a new build hospital which first opened in 2010. It means we’ve got excellent facilities across a wide range of services and specialties.

And that’s not all, we run a community hospital in the city and we successfully work in partnership to deliver high quality services from other acute sites and community hospitals.

We’re in the top 20 per cent of trusts nationally for staff who recommend their organisation as a place to work or receive treatment

We’ve got a great track record as our list of national award successes amply demonstrates; the list is long, but what really makes us special is our people. We place high quality, compassionate care at the centre of everything we do here in Derby and it was particularly pleasing to have this recognised nationally when we won the 2013 HSJ Award for compassionate patient care.

It’s a great place to work, and our staff say so too. We’re in the top 20 per cent of trusts nationally for staff who recommend their organisation as a place to work or receive treatment.

As Derbyshire’s only teaching hospital we’re pioneering new roles across all professions. We’re leading from the front in so many ways; one example is our energetic and committed clinical leadership which sets us apart from most trusts, and which is resulting in high standards of leadership and quality care for the million patients we see and treat each year.

How will the role advance the candidate’s career?

If you’re excited by the prospect of joining the team that will set the pace in transforming how we care for patients, not only in Derby but across the wider region, then this is the perfect role for you. Over the next five years the way we provide care will change significantly as we develop new models of care and you will be at the heart of this.

Your role will be key to our success, and you will influence future service redesign and improvement within our trust and beyond. This is the perfect opportunity to make a name for yourself by playing a crucial part in our leadership team, as we look ahead with optimism over the next five years.

Find out more about the role here