Clinical Lead - Pre-Operative Assessment

Clinical Lead – Pre-Operative Assessment (POA) Canterbury, Kent 37.5 Hours | Permanent Up to £44k per annum (dependent on experience, training and qualifications) A leading independent healthcare provider with a nationwide network of hospitals and clinics is seeking an experienced Clinical Lead – Pre-Operative Assessment (POA) to join its hospital site in Canterbury. This organisation is one of the UK’s largest private healthcare providers, delivering complex surgical services across multiple specialties. This opportunity offers the chance to take on a pivotal leadership role within a well-established surgical service. The Role The Clinical Lead – POA will provide senior clinical and operational leadership to the Pre-Operative Assessment service, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and patient-centred care. This is a hands-on leadership position requiring a visible clinical presence within the department, alongside full responsibility for service quality, patient safety, operational flow, and team performance. The successful candidate will play a key role in patient optimisation, clinical risk management, and suitability-to-proceed decision-making, ensuring patients are appropriately prepared for surgery and that avoidable cancellations or deteriorations are minimised. Key Responsibilities Provide senior clinical leadership for the Pre-Operative Assessment service Maintain high standards of patient safety, including management of complex co-morbidities and VTE risk Lead clinical decision-making regarding optimisation, escalation, and surgical suitability Ensure pre-operative assessments are accurate, comprehensive, and compliant with national standards and regulatory requirements Oversee day-to-day operational management of the POA department, ensuring capacity aligns with surgical demand Drive sustainable service improvements and pathway optimisation Lead, support and develop the POA nursing and clinical team, promoting accountability and continuous improvement Act as the clinical liaison between POA and anaesthetists, surgeons, consultants, theatres and senior leadership Ensure full compliance with CQC standards and clinical governance frameworks Candidate Requirements Registered Nurse or Allied Health Professional with current professional registration (e.g. NMC or equivalent) Significant post-registration experience within Pre-Operative Assessment or peri-operative services Previous experience in a senior or clinical leadership role Strong understanding of peri-operative pathways, clinical risk stratification and patient optimisation Knowledge of clinical governance, audit processes and regulatory compliance (CQC) Confident decision-maker with the ability to manage clinical risk and escalate appropriately Ability to lead within a fast-paced acute environment Desirable: Postgraduate qualification in peri-operative practice, advanced clinical practice, or leadership Non-Medical Prescribing qualification Experience in service redesign, pathway improvement or quality improvement initiatives Background within independent healthcare or large acute hospital settings Salary & Benefits Competitive salary up to £44000 per annum 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (increasing with service) Private pension scheme Private healthcare cover Life assurance Enhanced family-friendly policies Employee discount and benefits platform Wellbeing support resources Structured training and professional development opportunities To apply, contact Jamie Carroll on 07458142790 or email j.carroll@linqrecruitment.co.uk