Group Associate Director-Physical Health

Are you a visionary senior nursing leader passionate about transforming physical healthcare for people with complex mental health, learning disability, autism and neurodiversity needs? This is a unique opportunity to shape physical healthcare strategy at a national level, driving improvements that will positively impact thousands of service users across Elysium Healthcare.

As Group Associate Director-Physical Health, you will provide organisation-wide strategic, professional and governance leadership for physical healthcare across all Elysium service lines. Working at a corporate level, you will set the vision, standards, policies and assurance frameworks that underpin the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality physical healthcare for people with mental health conditions, learning disabilities, autism, neurodisability, eating disorders and other complex needs.

In this influential leadership role, you will lead the development of evidence-based pathways, competency frameworks and improvement programmes designed to enhance physical health outcomes across the organisation. Your work will focus on reducing medication-related physical health risks, increasing access to national screening programmes, improving long-term condition management, strengthening early identification and intervention, and reducing avoidable emergency admissions and hospital transfers.

Working in close partnership with the Chief Nurse, Group Medical Director, Group AHP Lead, Group Social Work Lead and Executive colleagues, you will ensure that physical healthcare is embedded within all care models and remains a core component of exceptional service delivery. You will provide professional leadership and expert guidance across the organisation, helping services continuously improve quality, safety and clinical outcomes.

Key accountabilities:

• Lead the organisation‑wide Physical Healthcare Strategy, ensuring alignment with national standards and Elysium priorities.
• Set and maintain corporate standards, pathways, policies and competency frameworks for physical healthcare across all services.
• Provide expert professional advice to the Chief Nurse, Executive Team and governance groups on physical health risks, performance and priorities.
• Maintain clinical credibility and provide expert guidance for high‑risk, complex or deteriorating physical health cases, offering strategic oversight and professional escalation.
• Oversee corporate quality assurance, including physical health monitoring, long‑term condition management, screen‑and‑intervene pathways, IPC and resuscitation standards.
• Lead mortality and morbidity (M&M) review oversight, ensuring robust analysis, organisational learning and targeted improvements.
• Drive physical health workforce capability, leading training frameworks, competency development and specialist skills programmes.
• Lead organisation‑wide improvement and innovation, including pathway redesign, digital solutions and evidence‑based practice.
• Build and strengthen external partnerships with acute, primary, community and specialist services to support high‑quality and coordinated physical healthcare.
• Provide high‑quality corporate assurance, producing thematic analyses, risk reports and strategic recommendations for the Executive Team and Board, while championing a culture of safety, learning and professional excellence.

To be success full in this role, you will have:

Knowledge and Skills

• Registered Nurse (NMC) or AHP (HCPC) with extensive senior physical healthcare experience
• Master’s degree in healthcare, leadership, advanced practice or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Specialist training in physical health, long‑term condition management, IPC, and/or resuscitation.
• Leadership qualification (ILM 7, NHS Leadership Academy) (D).
• Evidence of advanced CPD in physical healthcare.
• Expert knowledge of physical health needs in mental health, LD, autism, neuro and ED settings.
• Strong understanding of NICE guidance, national sc
  
• reening programmes, IPC, resuscitation and long‑term condition management.
• Highly developed strategic, analytical and leadership skills.
• Ability to produce and interpret complex data, clinical audits and corporate assurance outputs.
• Skilled in policy development, professional governance and regulatory compliance.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and influencing skills across all levels.

Experience

• Significant senior leadership experience in physical healthcare within specialist or complex healthcare environments.
• Experience leading organisation‑wide improvement programmes, governance frameworks or clinical transformation.
• Demonstrated success in policy writing, pathway development and large-scale implementation.
• Experience providing expert clinical advice at senior/board level.
• Experience of partnership working across multiple sectors (acute, primary care, community, ICS).

Other Requirements

• Ability to travel across multiple regions and services.

At Elysium Healthcare, we believe in taking care of the people who care for others, you’ll enjoy a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and future:

• Competitive annual salary 
• £5,000 car allowance
• The equivalent of 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays) – plus your birthday off and the option to buy additional annual leave, in our annual selection window.
• Career development and training to help you achieve your professional goals
• Access to our Rewards & Benefits platform Ely-Vate; Your one-stop destination for everyday savings, exclusive benefits, and wellbeing hub!
• Wellbeing support and activities to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Access to Blue Light Card, which provides a range of exclusive offers and discounts
• Life Assurance, for added peace of mind
• Stream – instant access to earned wages when you need it, plus access to save, directly from your wages, alongside financial wellbeing support.
• 24/7 GP service and second medical opinion, to ensure you are the best you can be
• Enhanced Maternity Package, so you can truly enjoy this special time
• Pension contribution, to help secure your future

About us:

Elysium Health care has over 8,000 employees and a unique approach to the delivery of care. With a network of over 80 services across England and Wales covering Mental Health, Neurological, Learning Disabilities & Autism, Children & Education, there is opportunity for you to grow and move. 

Elysium Healthcare is part of Ramsay Health Care with a global network that extends across 10 countries and employs over 86,000 people globally. 

Elysium Healthcare follows safer recruitment of staff for all appointments and is a Disability Confident employer, committed to inclusive and accessible recruitment. It is a requirement that all staff understand it is each person’s individual responsibility to promote and safeguard the welfare of service users. All candidates will be subject to a DBS disclosure