Days Matter Performance Improvement Lead - 8ANHS

Job summary

The Days Matter Improvement Lead is a 12-month fixed-term/secondment opportunity responsible for leading and delivering a targeted programme of cancer pathway improvement at United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. Working as part of the Cancer Centre team, the post holder will provide senior leadership and programme management expertise to identify, design, implement and evaluate improvement initiatives aimed at reducing delays across cancer pathways and improving compliance with national Cancer Waiting Time standards, including the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), 31-Day and 62-Day standards.

The post holder will work collaboratively with clinical, operational and executive teams to analyse performance, identify pathway bottlenecks and lead service redesign using recognised improvement methodologies. Through effective stakeholder engagement, performance management and transformation approaches, the role will support sustainable improvements in patient experience, clinical outcomes and operational performance.

The role requires the ability to work autonomously, influence senior leaders and manage complex programmes across organisational boundaries. The post holder will establish effective governance arrangements, monitor delivery against agreed objectives and provide assurance through high-quality reporting and evaluation. This role will drive measurable improvements in cancer pathways and support delivery of national, regional and local cancer priorities.

Main duties of the job

Lead delivery of the Days Matter Improvement Programme, supporting cancer pathway performance and compliance with national Cancer Waiting Time standards, including the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), 31-Day and 62-Day standards. Analyse cancer pathways to identify bottlenecks, variation, capacity constraints and opportunities for improvement. Develop, implement and monitor improvement plans to deliver measurable outcomes and benefits.

Work with clinicians, operational teams and senior leaders to design and implement pathway redesign and service improvement initiatives. Apply recognised improvement methodologies, including Lean, Model for Improvement, process mapping and demand and capacity analysis, to improve patient flow and reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment.

Establish and maintain programme governance arrangements, including plans, risk registers, action trackers and performance reporting. Analyse performance data, prepare reports and present findings to Trust, system and regional stakeholders. Facilitate workshops and meetings to support delivery of agreed objectives.

Provide expert advice and support to clinical and operational teams, promoting best practice and evidence-based approaches. Monitor progress against milestones, ensure risks and issues are identified and escalated appropriately, and contribute to programme evaluation and sustainability planning to embed improvements beyond the life of the programme.

Job description

The Days Matter Improvement Lead will provide senior leadership and programme management expertise to support the delivery of cancer pathway improvement and sustainable performance against national Cancer Waiting Time standards. The post holder will lead the identification, design, implementation and evaluation of improvement initiatives aimed at reducing delays across cancer pathways and improving compliance with the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS), 31-Day and 62-Day standards.

Working closely with clinical, operational and executive colleagues, the post holder will undertake detailed pathway analysis to identify bottlenecks, unwarranted variation and opportunities for service improvement. They will lead the development and delivery of improvement plans, applying recognised quality improvement and service redesign methodologies to support measurable and sustainable change.

The post holder will establish and maintain effective programme governance arrangements, including programme plans, risk registers, action plans and performance reporting processes. They will analyse complex performance information, monitor progress against agreed objectives and provide assurance through high-quality reports and presentations to Trust and system-wide governance groups.

The role requires significant stakeholder engagement and the ability to influence senior leaders across organisational boundaries. The post holder will facilitate multidisciplinary workshops, support implementation of best practice, and promote collaboration to drive improvement in patient outcomes and experience.

The post holder will also support evaluation of programme outcomes, benefits realisation and sustainability planning, ensuring that improvements are embedded within operational services and maintained beyond the life of the 12-month programme.

About us

Lincoln Hospital is a thriving university city and with the opening of the medical school, it provides all major specialties and a 24-hour major accident and emergency service.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust has been granted teaching hospital status, after demonstrating evidence to significant teaching commitment. From now on it will be known as United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Pilgrim Hospital is situated in beautiful countryside and serves the communities in the South Lincolnshire area. It provides all major specialties and a 24-hour major accident and emergency service.

Grantham and District Hospital serves the communities of Grantham and the local area. It provides ambulatory paediatric and accident and emergency services.

Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) have come together in a Group arrangement, with the goal of improving the care provided to patients across the county.

This will not constitute a formal merger of the two organisations, but will bring the Trusts together under a single Board and Executive Leadership Team, with the goal of improving the care that is provided to patients both in the community and in hospitals across Lincolnshire. Both Trusts will retain their separate statutory names and legal obligations.

The Group will be known as Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group (LCHG).