Clinical Lead - POA

Clinical Lead - POA

Chaucer Hospital
37.5 Hours & Permanent
Salary: Up to £43,250.00 per year (depending on level of experience, training and qualification)

Chaucer Hospital in Canterbury is part of Circle Health Group, Britain's leading provider of independent healthcare with a nationwide network of hospitals & clinics, performing more complex surgery than any other private healthcare provider in the country. 

We have an opportunity for a Clinical Lead – POA to join their team of staff in the Pre-Assessment department.

This is a full-time role for 37.5 hours a week. The role holder will be required to cover a flexible shift pattern.

Duties of this role include:

• Provide senior clinical leadership for the Pre-Operative Assessment (POA) service, ensuring safe, effective, and patient-centred care.
• Maintain a visible clinical presence, working clinically within POA where required to support service delivery and role-model best practice.
• Ensure comprehensive, timely, and accurate pre-operative assessment of patients in line with national and organisational standards.
• Lead on clinical decision-making related to patient optimisation, escalation, and suitability for surgery.
• Ensure the POA service operates in full compliance with CQC standards, professional regulations, and Circle Health Group policies.
• Lead the day-to-day operational delivery of the POA service, ensuring capacity, flow, and efficiency meet surgical demand.
• Lead, manage, and support the POA nursing and clinical team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Act as the clinical lead interface between POA and key stakeholders including anaesthetists, surgeons, consultants, and senior hospital leaders.

Applicants should meet the following criteria:

• Registered Nurse or Allied Health Professional with current professional registration (e.g. NMC).
• Significant post-registration experience within Pre-Operative Assessment or peri-operative services.
• Demonstrable experience in a senior or clinical leadership role.
• Strong knowledge of peri-operative pathways, risk stratification, and patient optimisation.
• Proven understanding of clinical governance, audit, and regulatory compliance (CQC).
• Excellent leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced clinical environment.
• Postgraduate qualification in peri-operative practice, advanced clinical practice, or leadership.
• Non-Medical Prescribing qualification.
• Experience of service redesign, pathway optimisation, or quality improvement projects.
• Experience working within independent healthcare or large acute settings.

Salary & Benefits

Circle Health Group is committed to offering competitive starting salaries and access to a wide range of employee benefits, including:

• 25 days holiday per year + bank holidays, increasing to 30 days with service
• Private Pension Scheme
• Private Healthcare Scheme for treatment at our hospitals, covering pre-existing medical conditions
• Friends & Family Hospital Discounts
• Family Friendly policies, including enhanced Maternity, Paternity & Adoption pay
• Non-contributory life insurance
• Staff engagement hub with access to discounts and extensive rewards and voluntary benefits
• Access to resources, tools and services to support your wellbeing
• Employee recognition programmes
• Industry leading training and development opportunities

…and much more!

Circle Health Group is committed to creating a diverse workforce offering inclusive opportunities for all our colleagues. Our definition of diversity goes beyond the established characteristics protected by the Equality Act, as we strive to attract candidates with diverse experiences, backgrounds, identities or expressions, skills, work styles…and more.

We’re passionate about creating an environment where our people can thrive, grow and develop professionally and personally. Our principles and values guide our colleagues to be selfless, compassionate, committed, collaborative, brave, agile, tenacious and creative and are at the core of our purpose and culture.

To find out more about the Circle Health Group Philosophy: https://careers.circlehealthgroup.co.uk/why-circle/our-philosophy