North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet our minimum selection criteria at each stage of the selection process. We will not tolerate discrimination on any of the following: gender, marital status, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, religion, age, disability, working pattern, caring responsibilities trade union activity or political beliefs-or any other grounds.
The Trust is currently under-represented in terms of staff from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. We encourage applications from all backgrounds to improve the diversity of our workforce and to better reflect the communities we serve to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place; every time.
The Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy early if a large number of applications are received.
Due to the volume of applications received for our advertisements, we will only contact those candidates shortlisted for interview via email; we aim to do this within 4 weeks of the closing date. If you do not receive the email, it will be that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion. When applying for this position, it is essential that you read the job description and person specification fully. Please use the supporting information space to demonstrate your ability to undertake this role, drawing on your skills, knowledge and experience.
We also offer a range of excellent benefits including a pension scheme, up to 33 days Annual leave (exclusive of bank holidays), training and development opportunities, access to NHS discounts, Car Lease Scheme, Cycle to Work Scheme, NHS Mortgages and Childcare Vouchers.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a MERIT Manager to join the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) on an initial 12-month fixed-term contract, based across the Greater Manchester (GM) and Cheshire & Merseyside (CAM) areas.
This role is pivotal in ensuring the effective leadership, governance, and operational readiness of the Medical Emergency Response Incident Team (MERIT). The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing the operational, training and education, and strategic functions of MERIT, ensuring seamless integration with NWAS major, critical, and complex incident response structures. This role provides an opportunity to work closely with a dedicated team of MERIT doctors, enhancing the service’s ability to deliver expert medico-legal advice to the Ambulance Service Health Command cadre.
Main duties of the job
The MERIT Manager will be responsible for:
1. Leadership and Coordination: Managing the Strategic Medical Advisor, Tactical Medical Advisor, and Operational Medical Advisor functions to ensure the highest levels of clinical governance and operational effectiveness.
2. Operational Readiness: Ensuring MERIT resources are optimally deployed in line with NWAS and national Emergency Preparedness, Resilience, and Response (EPRR) requirements.
3. Training & Development: Overseeing the training, mentorship, and professional development of MERIT staff, ensuring alignment with national best practice and emerging clinical advancements.
4. Strategic Partnerships: Working closely with internal and external stakeholders, including NHS ECU, trauma networks, specialist response teams, and other emergency services to enhance the effectiveness and integration of MERIT within wider multi-agency frameworks.
5. Research and Development: Leading on quality improvement, research, and innovation within pre-hospital critical care, ensuring MERIT remains at the forefront of evidence-based practice.
6. Governance & Assurance: Ensuring all MERIT activities comply with NHS governance frameworks, legal obligations, and best practice guidelines, with a focus on continuous improvement and patient safety.
Working for our organisation
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides 24 hour, 365 days a year accident and emergency services to those in need of emergency medical treatment and transport.
Our highly skilled staff provide life-saving care to patients in the community and take people to hospital or a place of care if needed.
We also provide non-emergency patient transport services for those patients who require non-emergency transport to and from hospital and who are unable to travel unaided because of their medical condition or clinical need.
Alongside the other emergency services, we also work to ensure the safety of the public and treatment of patients in the event of a major incident.
We also deliver the NHS 111 service in the North West. NHS 111 replaced NHS Direct in 2013. This service was introduced to make it easier for people to access local NHS healthcare services in England. It provides non-emergency medical help fast, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please ensure you read the attached Job Description & Person Specification for a full breakdown of responsibilities and requirements.
Person specification
Qualifications
* State Registered Paramedic
* Degree or equivalent experience
* Hold a teaching qualification that is recognised for the delivery of the ambulance awards. PTLLS / DTLLS Cert Ed, IHCD, NVQ
* Experience of HART, CBRN, MTA Training
Skills
* Ability to maintain confidentiality and deal with situations in a sensitive manner
* Able to communicate across wide demographic boundaries in an appropriate manner
* Strong management, motivational and leadership skills
* Respects and applies patient confidentiality at all times
* Able to operate all equipment safely and in accordance with Trust policy, procedures and protocols
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills
* Problem solving skills with ability to act on decisions
* Influencing and negotiation skills
* Ability to conduct investigations into accidents or untoward incidents
* Ability to work under pressure, and balance multiple priorities to meet deadlines
* Excellent clinical knowledge base
* Knowledge of Microsoft office programmes
Knowledge
* Experience of managing a team
* 3 years operational paramedic experience
* Proven experience in training environment
* Evidence of partnership and multi agency working
* HE or FE environment teaching experience
* Experience of managing people
Personal Attributes
* Flexible and highly motivated
* Project a professional image
* Ability to work with a team to deliver effective and efficient training services
* Ability to remain calm and resilient under pressure and support others in this respect
* Must be flexible, persuasive influential and assertive.
* Project a professional image.
* Ability to work with members of other organisations both internal and external to the NHS
Other
* Low level of absence due to sickness in the last two years.
* No outstanding disciplinary sanctions
* Have a satisfactory DBS enhanced disclosure check.
* Occupational Health clearance.
* Flexibility required surrounding shifts and time away from home, including the requirement to attend residential training courses to achieve required standards.
* The ability to undertake out of hours on-call duties as part of a rota.
* Flexibility in working hours, to help meet student needs
Any offer of employment may be withdrawn if you knowingly withhold information, provide false or misleading information.
Should you be successful at interview stage successful candidates will receive a conditional offer of employment, this will be subject to the NHS Employment Checks Standards.
Right to work - You will be required to provide a valid right to work in the UK document. North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust are currently able to provide sponsorship for roles that identified under the Health and Care visa, further information on this can be found here Health and Care Worker visa: Your job - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Reference checks - This will cover a minimum of a three year period and will include a request for the number of days and occasions of sickness absence covering a minimum two year period. In line with equality legislation, the earliest point at which we will ask health related questions is when an offer of employment has been made. Absences related to disability may be excluded from these considerations; consideration would be given as to what would be a reasonable attendance level, based on the information available. Absences related to pregnancy, maternity and/or gender reassignment will be excluded from these considerations. Detailed information on the NHS Employment Checks Standards is available on the NHS Employers website; search ‘employment checks’.
DBS Checks - If the post is subject to DBS disclosure, a charge will be made for this disclosure.
Occupational Health - You will require satisfactory medical clearance.
Whilst not a condition of employment, all staff are encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.
From 1 st September 2018, Section 2 of the Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions will automatically apply to the calculation of unsocial hours for all appointments that commence in post from this date (except secondments).
If you do not have regular access to your email please contact a member of the HR Hub Team on 03451122018.
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