Cardiac Surgery Chief PerfusionistNHS

Job summary

Cardiac Surgery at Nottingham University is one of the two tertiary centres in the East Midlands for the management of patients requiring cardiac surgery treatment including trauma. We have five substantive consultants, and we perform more than 600 procedures a year. Our services include minimally invasive procedures and complex mitral and aortic programs.

The Chief Perfusionist (CP) is responsible for providing professional leadership and the operational management of the Perfusion Department, ensuring the efficient and effective use of resources and the development and maintenance of the highest standards of patient care and service delivery. CP is responsible for the development and the well-being of all members of the perfusion team.

The CP must also be an experienced autonomous practitioner who will be responsible for cardiopulmonary bypass procedures in adults undergoing a range of cardiac procedures, and have commitment to the on-call rota. All accountabilities here are in addition to what would be expected of a Senior Clinical Perfusionist.

The post holder will divide their time between clinical and managerial responsibilities as required; ensuring service delivery targets are met.

Main duties of the job

In addition to the below summary, you need to familiarise yourself with the full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert.

Provide senior clinical, professional, and operational leadership for the Perfusion Service, acting as the Trust's lead expert. Lead strategic planning, workforce development, budget management, and service transformation to ensure safe, effective, and efficient delivery.

Maintain highly specialist clinical practice, offering expert advice on complex cases and leading the development of policies, protocols, and advanced practice. Oversee governance, quality, and risk, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and Trust requirements.

Ensure effective day-to-day service delivery, capacity planning, and optimisation of patient pathways and resources. Lead education, training, and staff development, promoting research, innovation, and a high-quality learning environment.

Support organisational resilience, contribute to Trust-wide initiatives, and uphold professional registration and standards while acting as a role model for clinical excellence and leadership.

Job description

In addition to the below summary, you need to familiarise yourself with the full Job Description and Person Specification documents attached to this advert. Strategic Leadership & Management Provide senior clinical and leadership for the Perfusion Service, acting as the Trusts lead expert and key advisor on perfusion-related matters.

Set the strategic direction for the service, aligning with Directorate and Trust-wide objectives, and contributing to long-term planning and transformation programmes.

Hold overall accountability for the safe, effective, and efficient delivery of perfusion services across the organisation.

Lead workforce strategy, including establishment planning, recruitment, retention, and talent development to ensure a sustainable, high-performing service.

Oversee and drive a high-performance culture through robust appraisal systems, performance management, and leadership development.

Manage the allocated budget, with full responsibility for financial planning, cost improvement programmes (CIPs), and delivery of financial targets.

Identify and lead service improvement, innovation, and transformation initiatives in response to changing clinical, operational, and financial demands.

Ensure the embedding of Trust values, equality, diversity, and inclusion principles across the service.

Clinical Leadership

Maintain expert-level clinical practice in perfusion, operating at a highly specialist level and participating in the on-call rota as required.

Provide professional leadership and expert guidance on complex clinical cases, ensuring the highest standards of patient care and safety.

Lead the development and implementation of advanced clinical practice, policies, and protocols in line with national standards and emerging evidence.

Ensure continuous improvement in clinical outcomes through benchmarking, audit, and adoption of best practice.

Maintain advanced knowledge of cardiopulmonary bypass, associated physiology, and pharmacology, ensuring this expertise informs service delivery and staff development.

Governance, Quality & Risk

Take overall responsibility for clinical governance within the Perfusion Service, ensuring compliance with all regulatory, statutory, and Trust requirements.

Lead on risk management, including ownership of the departmental risk register, ensuring risks are identified, escalated, and mitigated appropriately.

Oversee audit programmes, quality assurance, and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and clinical effectiveness.

Ensure robust systems are in place for infection prevention, health and safety, and regulatory compliance.

Prepare and present governance, quality, and performance reports at senior committees and boards as required.

Operational & Service Delivery

Ensure the effective day-to-day operational delivery of the perfusion service, including capacity planning and responsiveness to service demand.

Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams and senior stakeholders to optimise patient pathways and theatre efficiency.

Lead service planning and redesign to meet evolving clinical and organisational priorities.

Ensure effective resource utilisation, including workforce, equipment, and consumables, delivering value for money.

Education, Training & Workforce Development

Create and sustain a high-quality learning environment for perfusion staff, wider theatre teams, and trainees.

Lead education and training strategy for the service, ensuring alignment with professional standards and future workforce needs.

Promote continuous professional development, research, and innovation within the team.

Identify and address current and future training needs, ensuring staff are equipped to deliver advanced and evolving practice.

Organisational Responsibilities

Ensure robust business continuity, resilience, and emergency planning arrangements for the service.

Contribute to Directorate and Trust-wide reporting, performance management, and strategic initiatives.

Ensure full compliance with mandatory training and organisational policies across the team.

Professional Responsibilities

Maintain professional registration with the College of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Adhere to the standards and code of conduct set by the Society of Clinical Perfusion Scientists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Act as a professional role model, upholding the highest standards of clinical practice, leadership, and integrity.

About us

With over 19,000 staff, we are one of the biggest employers in the city with a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of our local population. We play a leading role in research, education and innovation.

Come and join our wonderful team at NUH. We are big believers in diversity and welcome new ideas to help develop our team in order to deliver world class healthcare to the vast patient populations we serve. With endless personal development opportunities available, at NUH we will endeavour to turn your job into a career!

We particularly welcome applications from people who identify as Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic, or Disabled, as we are striving to be better represented at NUH.