Job summary The Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB) is seeking a Director of Population Health and Inequalities (DPH&I) to provide strategic leadership in improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities across our communities. Working closely with the Chief Medical Officer this is a senior role requiring collaboration across multiple sectors to develop and implement an integrated approach to population health. About the Role The DPH&I will play a key role in shaping and delivering the ICBs long-term strategy, ensuring it aligns with the priorities of all relevant partners. The role is central to achieving the four core purposes of Integrated Care Systems: Improving population health and healthcare outcomes. Tackling health inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes. Enhancing productivity and ensuring value for money. Supporting broader social and economic development. This postholder will bring a population health perspective to decision-making, advocating for greater emphasis on prevention, equitable healthcare access, and system-wide collaboration. They will also contribute to the strategic allocation of resources and oversee the management of relevant budgets within the ICB. Main duties of the job Key Responsibilities Provide expert population health insight to inform strategy and policy. Strengthen partnerships across health, local government, and voluntary sectors. Drive initiatives to reduce health inequalities and improve prevention efforts. Oversee the planning and allocation of resources to achieve system-wide objectives. Support financial management and ensure effective use of budgets. About You The successful candidate will be a strategic and collaborative leader with: Significant experience in population health, public health, or health inequalities. A track record of developing and implementing health strategies across complex systems. The ability to work across organisations, engaging and influencing senior stakeholders. Strong financial and resource management skills. Why Join Us? This is an opportunity to take a leading role in shaping the future of population health across Somerset. The role offers the chance to work at the system level, influencing policy and resource allocation to drive meaningful change in health outcomes. About us NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for implementing a health and care strategy developed by the Integrated Care Partnership. It consists of approximately 350 staff across 8 directorates, each with multiple teams. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including underrepresented groups, and are committed to equality of opportunity. We believe diverse organisations best reflect the communities they serve. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if sufficient applications are received before the advertised closing date. Visa sponsorship is not offered. Flexible working is available from day one, including an agile home/office-based approach. However, you will be required to work from our HQ in Yeovil for 23 days a week and traveling to other Somerset locations for meetings may be necessary. Please consider this before applying. Note for existing NHS Employees applying for Fixed Term vacancies at NHS Somerset If you are an existing NHS Employee and are applying for a Fixed Term role with NHS Somerset, the role will be offered on a secondment basis only. You should gain agreement from your current employer before applying to allow you to be released on secondment. Please ensure the reference section confirms your current HR Department details. Thank you for your interest Date posted 31 January 2025 Pay scheme Other Salary £241 a session Contract Permanent Working pattern Flexible working Reference number D9462-SOMICB006-25 Job locations NHS Somerset ICB Wynford House, Lufton Way Yeovil Somerset BA22 8HR Job description Job responsibilities PURPOSE OF THE ROLE: The Director of Population Health and Inequalities (DPH&I) will support the development and delivery of the long-term plan of the Integrated Care Board (ICB). They will ensure this reflects and integrates the strategies of all relevant partner organisations of the ICB to improve health and tackle inequalities. As a director, the DPH&I is jointly responsible for planning and allocating resources to meet the four core purposes of ICSs; to improve outcomes in population health and healthcare; tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access; enhance productivity and value for money and help the NHS support broader social and economic development. The DPH&I will provide a specialist population-level insight and perspective to the ICB to support and advocate for the increase in focus on prevention, improving health and tackling inequalities The DPH&I is responsible for their part in the management of the budget of the ICB. Key Accountabilities: The Director of Population Health and Inequalities will have an influential role and shared accountability for the development and delivery of the long-term strategy of the ICB, ensuring this reflects and integrates the strategies of all relevant partner organisations within the ICS. The Director of Population Health and Inequalities will be responsible for building partnerships and collaborating with providers, public health, local government, other partners, and local people to deliver better access, improvements in life outcomes and reductions in health inequality. The DPH&I will liaise closely with the Director of Public Health to ensure a joined up strategic approach to improving health and tackling inequalities in the Somerset population. The postholder will be responsible for directing and overseeing the appropriate use of the public health core offer within the ICB. With the CMO and CNO, the Director of Population Health and Inequalities will be accountable for securing multi-professional clinical and care leadership in the delivery of the ICBs objectives and form part of the wider network of clinical and care leaders in the region and nationally. This may include developing approaches which are non-traditional in nature, ambitious and wide reaching in areas which incorporate the core determinants of health that have an impact on improving clinical outcomes, better life outcomes and reducing health inequalities for the population of the ICS. The DPH&I will lead the development of a clear strategy to achieve a shift in focus across the system from sickness to prevention, enabling strong and sustainable improvements in health outcomes and developing awareness and approaches to tackling healthcare inequalities. The DPH&I will provide specialist input and advocate for the development of neighborhood working to include a strong focus on prevention, health improvement and tackling inequalities. The DPH&I will work with the Director of Strategy, Digital and Integration to ensure that the ICB digital strategy focusses on the development of integrated data to support the use of population health management approaches through segmentation and focusing of resources. The DPH&I will be accountable for their own practice, conduct and Continued Professional Development in line with their professional registration. Setting strategy and delivering long-term transformation: The postholder will be responsible for influencing and contributing to the ICB plans and wider system strategies of the ICS, with the aim of driving innovation in clinical outcomes, reducing healthcare inequalities and achieving better life outcomes across the ICS. This will include creating and influencing leadership relationships and wide scale system change to ensure that the ICB acts as an enabler to harness system development opportunities to improve the populations health. As a professional and clinical system leader, the postholder will provide leadership across organisational and professional boundaries and pathways to facilitate transformational change for the ICS population. The DPH&I will ensure that the ICB influences and seeks input from wider ICS system leaders including provider collaboratives, public health, local government, voluntary and community sector, other partners and local people to make real transformational differences for the population through local, regional and national forums. The DPH&I will support the production and delivery of a five-year ICB plan with the key aim to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities, working with the CEO, CMO, Director of Public Health and other board members, partners across the ICS and the local community. Leading for social justice and health equality: Reducing health inequalities is a core objective of the ICB and the DPH&I will foster a culture in which equality, diversity, inclusion and allyship are actively promoted across the ICS. The postholder will promote research and innovation to support the development and delivery of the Somerset ICB population health management strategy and share learning to inform approaches to population health management and health improvement across the country through engagement with regional and national colleagues. The postholder will drive innovative, clinically evidenced change on behalf of the ICB, focusing on ensuring that inequalities across the system are addressed and you will promote and enhance strategic approaches to further developing personalised care locally so that the ICB achieves the best possible health and care for its communities. The role will influence and work collaboratively as part of a wider system to create opportunities to make sustainable long-term improvements to population health with key partners. The role will take the lead role in the design, development and implementation of population health priorities and commissioning intentions requiring strategic change with a specific focus on population health and health inequalities system. Research and Development: The DPH&I will work with the CMO and system partners, providing population health executive and scientific leadership in the development of an ICS research and development strategy. Building trusted relationships with partners and communities: Success in this role is dependent on having strong relationships with local patient communities, their representatives, ICS partners and specifically clinical and care professional leaders across health and social care at all levels of the system. Negotiating with and influencing board level system leaders across health and care as well as with wider ICS partners will be a key responsibility of this role to ensure that progressive transformational change can be achieved which meets the population needs of the ICB. The DPH&I will develop close and collaborative relationships with the Somerset Director of Public Health and the local Public Health Team. The postholder will also work collaboratively with the Regional Director of Public Health in NHSE and the regional Office of Health and Disparities Team as well as using regional and national population health networks across other ICBs to ensure learning and good practice is shared and value is maximized. The DPH&I will develop close collaboration and alignment between local, regional and national organisations and networks including Professional bodies, Academic Health Science Networks, Clinical Networks and Senates. Driving high quality, sustainable outcomes: As a clinical system leader, acting as a catalyst and advocate, you will be responsible for ensuring that there is a collective accountability for health outcomes across the ICB, specifically focusing on those groups who experience inequalities in health. The postholder will act as a system leader to promote and lead clinical quality data driven improvements which have a direct impact on the population health needs of the ICB. The postholder will support wider executive colleagues in influencing strategic change and collaborative initiatives which have a direct impact on population health outcomes including key matters such as future workforce supply, quality and safety initiatives and system wide joint working at a strategic board level with system partners. The postholder will work with other ICB executive colleagues to oversee the quality of all health services delivered in the ICS, in particular those relating to improving health and tackling inequalities. The role will promote patient and public involvement in service design and decision-making and champion the delivery of personalised care in all clinical practice. The role will promote continuous quality improvement through learning, improvement methodologies, research, innovation, and data driven improvement initiatives both at a strategic and operational level. You will ensure there is clinical input, including robust and considered challenge relating to improving health and tackling inequalities, into ICB decision-making at all levels. Providing robust governance and assurance: The role will support a strong culture of public accountability, probity, and governance, ensuring that appropriate and compliant structures, systems, and process are adhered to in order to minimise risk and promote the freedom to speak up. Working with system partners you will be the ICB lead for Population Health Transformation and Inequalities. Creating a compassionate and inclusive culture: You will be visible as a collaborative leader and a role model, engaging health, and care professionals across the whole system in the development and delivery of the ICB plan. Job description Job responsibilities PURPOSE OF THE ROLE: The Director of Population Health and Inequalities (DPH&I) will support the development and delivery of the long-term plan of the Integrated Care Board (ICB). They will ensure this reflects and integrates the strategies of all relevant partner organisations of the ICB to improve health and tackle inequalities. As a director, the DPH&I is jointly responsible for planning and allocating resources to meet the four core purposes of ICSs; to improve outcomes in population health and healthcare; tackle inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access; enhance productivity and value for money and help the NHS support broader social and economic development. The DPH&I will provide a specialist population-level insight and perspective to the ICB to support and advocate for the increase in focus on prevention, improving health and tackling inequalities The DPH&I is responsible for their part in the management of the budget of the ICB. Key Accountabilities: The Director of Population Health and Inequalities will have an influential role and shared accountability for the development and delivery of the long-term strategy of the ICB, ensuring this reflects and integrates the strategies of all relevant partner organisations within the ICS. The Director of Population Health and Inequalities will be responsible for building partnerships and collaborating with providers, public health, local government, other partners, and local people to deliver better access, improvements in life outcomes and reductions in health inequality. The DPH&I will liaise closely with the Director of Public Health to ensure a joined up strategic approach to improving health and tackling inequalities in the Somerset population. The postholder will be responsible for directing and overseeing the appropriate use of the public health core offer within the ICB. With the CMO and CNO, the Director of Population Health and Inequalities will be accountable for securing multi-professional clinical and care leadership in the delivery of the ICBs objectives and form part of the wider network of clinical and care leaders in the region and nationally. This may include developing approaches which are non-traditional in nature, ambitious and wide reaching in areas which incorporate the core determinants of health that have an impact on improving clinical outcomes, better life outcomes and reducing health inequalities for the population of the ICS. The DPH&I will lead the development of a clear strategy to achieve a shift in focus across the system from sickness to prevention, enabling strong and sustainable improvements in health outcomes and developing awareness and approaches to tackling healthcare inequalities. The DPH&I will provide specialist input and advocate for the development of neighborhood working to include a strong focus on prevention, health improvement and tackling inequalities. The DPH&I will work with the Director of Strategy, Digital and Integration to ensure that the ICB digital strategy focusses on the development of integrated data to support the use of population health management approaches through segmentation and focusing of resources. The DPH&I will be accountable for their own practice, conduct and Continued Professional Development in line with their professional registration. Setting strategy and delivering long-term transformation: The postholder will be responsible for influencing and contributing to the ICB plans and wider system strategies of the ICS, with the aim of driving innovation in clinical outcomes, reducing healthcare inequalities and achieving better life outcomes across the ICS. This will include creating and influencing leadership relationships and wide scale system change to ensure that the ICB acts as an enabler to harness system development opportunities to improve the populations health. As a professional and clinical system leader, the postholder will provide leadership across organisational and professional boundaries and pathways to facilitate transformational change for the ICS population. The DPH&I will ensure that the ICB influences and seeks input from wider ICS system leaders including provider collaboratives, public health, local government, voluntary and community sector, other partners and local people to make real transformational differences for the population through local, regional and national forums. The DPH&I will support the production and delivery of a five-year ICB plan with the key aim to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities, working with the CEO, CMO, Director of Public Health and other board members, partners across the ICS and the local community. Leading for social justice and health equality: Reducing health inequalities is a core objective of the ICB and the DPH&I will foster a culture in which equality, diversity, inclusion and allyship are actively promoted across the ICS. The postholder will promote research and innovation to support the development and delivery of the Somerset ICB population health management strategy and share learning to inform approaches to population health management and health improvement across the country through engagement with regional and national colleagues. The postholder will drive innovative, clinically evidenced change on behalf of the ICB, focusing on ensuring that inequalities across the system are addressed and you will promote and enhance strategic approaches to further developing personalised care locally so that the ICB achieves the best possible health and care for its communities. The role will influence and work collaboratively as part of a wider system to create opportunities to make sustainable long-term improvements to population health with key partners. The role will take the lead role in the design, development and implementation of population health priorities and commissioning intentions requiring strategic change with a specific focus on population health and health inequalities system. Research and Development: The DPH&I will work with the CMO and system partners, providing population health executive and scientific leadership in the development of an ICS research and development strategy. Building trusted relationships with partners and communities: Success in this role is dependent on having strong relationships with local patient communities, their representatives, ICS partners and specifically clinical and care professional leaders across health and social care at all levels of the system. Negotiating with and influencing board level system leaders across health and care as well as with wider ICS partners will be a key responsibility of this role to ensure that progressive transformational change can be achieved which meets the population needs of the ICB. The DPH&I will develop close and collaborative relationships with the Somerset Director of Public Health and the local Public Health Team. The postholder will also work collaboratively with the Regional Director of Public Health in NHSE and the regional Office of Health and Disparities Team as well as using regional and national population health networks across other ICBs to ensure learning and good practice is shared and value is maximized. The DPH&I will develop close collaboration and alignment between local, regional and national organisations and networks including Professional bodies, Academic Health Science Networks, Clinical Networks and Senates. Driving high quality, sustainable outcomes: As a clinical system leader, acting as a catalyst and advocate, you will be responsible for ensuring that there is a collective accountability for health outcomes across the ICB, specifically focusing on those groups who experience inequalities in health. The postholder will act as a system leader to promote and lead clinical quality data driven improvements which have a direct impact on the population health needs of the ICB. The postholder will support wider executive colleagues in influencing strategic change and collaborative initiatives which have a direct impact on population health outcomes including key matters such as future workforce supply, quality and safety initiatives and system wide joint working at a strategic board level with system partners. The postholder will work with other ICB executive colleagues to oversee the quality of all health services delivered in the ICS, in particular those relating to improving health and tackling inequalities. The role will promote patient and public involvement in service design and decision-making and champion the delivery of personalised care in all clinical practice. The role will promote continuous quality improvement through learning, improvement methodologies, research, innovation, and data driven improvement initiatives both at a strategic and operational level. You will ensure there is clinical input, including robust and considered challenge relating to improving health and tackling inequalities, into ICB decision-making at all levels. Providing robust governance and assurance: The role will support a strong culture of public accountability, probity, and governance, ensuring that appropriate and compliant structures, systems, and process are adhered to in order to minimise risk and promote the freedom to speak up. Working with system partners you will be the ICB lead for Population Health Transformation and Inequalities. Creating a compassionate and inclusive culture: You will be visible as a collaborative leader and a role model, engaging health, and care professionals across the whole system in the development and delivery of the ICB plan. Person Specification Experience Essential Proven board level experience of leading and delivering complex change and strategy development programmes in a politically sensitive and complex environment In-depth knowledge of methods of developing quality improvement, and evidence based public health practise Dynamic personality with strong external communication skills in a politically sensitive and public environment Extensive experience of delivering presentations to large groups of stakeholders in often pressured and politically sensitive environments Ability to influence senior colleagues including CEOs, Clinicians and Directors Proven and significant leadership experience Demonstrated experience in a healthcare environment Significant management experience at senior level in the NHS or other public sector body Delivery of successful change management programmes across organisational boundaries Personal Statement / Motivation for Applying Essential Please use this section to explain how you meet the additional criteria in the Personal Specification including your reasons and motivation for applying. Qualifications Essential If included in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in a specialty other than public health medicine/dental public health, candidates must have equivalent training and/ or appropriate experience of public health practice Educated to Masters level in public health In line with the National Health Service appointment of consultants regulations 1996, inclusion in the GMC full and specialist register with a licence to practise/GDC specialist list (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) or inclusion in the UK public health register (UKPHR) for public health specialists (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) Previous experience of working as a Consultant in Public Health or at an equivalent level If an applicant is UK trained in public health, they must also be holder of a certificate of completion of training, or be within six months of award of by date of interview. If an applicant is non-UK trained, they will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK (see shortlisting notes below for additional guidance) Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements i.e. be up to date (in accordance with the Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body) Person Specification Experience Essential Proven board level experience of leading and delivering complex change and strategy development programmes in a politically sensitive and complex environment In-depth knowledge of methods of developing quality improvement, and evidence based public health practise Dynamic personality with strong external communication skills in a politically sensitive and public environment Extensive experience of delivering presentations to large groups of stakeholders in often pressured and politically sensitive environments Ability to influence senior colleagues including CEOs, Clinicians and Directors Proven and significant leadership experience Demonstrated experience in a healthcare environment Significant management experience at senior level in the NHS or other public sector body Delivery of successful change management programmes across organisational boundaries Personal Statement / Motivation for Applying Essential Please use this section to explain how you meet the additional criteria in the Personal Specification including your reasons and motivation for applying. Qualifications Essential If included in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in a specialty other than public health medicine/dental public health, candidates must have equivalent training and/ or appropriate experience of public health practice Educated to Masters level in public health In line with the National Health Service appointment of consultants regulations 1996, inclusion in the GMC full and specialist register with a licence to practise/GDC specialist list (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) or inclusion in the UK public health register (UKPHR) for public health specialists (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) Previous experience of working as a Consultant in Public Health or at an equivalent level If an applicant is UK trained in public health, they must also be holder of a certificate of completion of training, or be within six months of award of by date of interview. If an applicant is non-UK trained, they will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK (see shortlisting notes below for additional guidance) Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements i.e. be up to date (in accordance with the Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body) Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board Address NHS Somerset ICB Wynford House, Lufton Way Yeovil Somerset BA22 8HR Employer's website https://nhssomerset.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)