Health Service Manager
While health service managers could work in the public or private sector, most are employed by the public National Health Service (NHS). The NHS is the largest employer in Europe, treating more than three million people a week in England alone. Health service managers play a key role in providing a high quality of service. They manage the staff, control the finances and oversee the provision of equipment, buildings and services.
There are many specialisms within health service management but, in the NHS, there are seven main areas:
· General managers organise the delivery of healthcare to everyone who needs it. This includes strategic management (setting goals and planning to meet these goals), service management (running a team within a hospital) and individual project management;
· Financial managers manage budgets and allocate resources, aiming to ensure that money is spent wisely. This includes wages and paying for goods and services;
· Clinical managers organise the delivery of clinical care and treatment. These managers may be heads of departments, leading their own professional teams;
· Information managers use information and communications technology to monitor performance and to set priorities;
· Estates and facilities managers manage buildings, support services and any other environments where healthcare is delivered;
· Practice managers run GPs' surgeries;
· Human resources (HR) or personnel managers provide career management and support for staff. They are responsible for recruitment, appraisal, development and training of staff.
Entry level
It is possible to join the NHS at clerical level and progress into management, undertaking in-house and external training schemes. For most junior positions, four or five GCSEs/S grades (A-C/1-3) or equivalent are required. Previous clerical or administrative experience can be useful.
As a graduate, you could apply for entry onto one of the NHS graduate management training schemes, although competition for places is fierce. All schemes combine training, postgraduate study and work placements. The minimum entry for graduate schemes is a degree in any subject (2.2 or higher) or a postgraduate qualification.
Both the general management training scheme in England and the NHS Scotland management training scheme are intensive two-year schemes, leading to a Masters degree in healthcare leadership and management. The financial management training scheme lasts just over three years and leads to a professional accountancy qualification as well as providing management development. The HR management training scheme lasts two years and leads to a postgraduate diploma in human resources and a qualification awarded by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Making the grade
Managers with two years' experience can apply to become members of the Institute of Healthcare Management, which provides a range of opportunities for continuing professional development.
Employees from within the health service, such as nurses, therapists, paramedics, healthcare scientists and others, have the opportunity to move into management positions after gaining relevant experience and qualifications.
Employers also welcome applications from people who have already built up experience in other areas, or who have relevant qualifications, for example in accountancy, personnel, purchasing or information and communications technology.
Personal qualities
You should have excellent communication and leadership skills, together with the ability to make tough decisions. You must be persuasive, a good motivator, and able to produce written reports and give presentations.
The ability to cope with change and regulations, with numbers and statistics, and with taking responsibility in a large organisation would all be essential. It is also important to have an interest in patient care and how it might best be delivered.
Looking ahead
There is a clear career structure in the NHS and promotion prospects are good.
Working in different areas of health service management or being willing to relocate to another part of the country could help your chances of promotion. With suitable managerial experience, you could progress to become a director and ultimately chief executive.
There are also opportunities for self-employment, in which you could offer your services on a consultancy basis, while working overseas is another possibility.
Opportunities are growing in the independent sector and there are some vacancies for healthcare managers in the Armed Forces and the prison service.
Alternative suggestions
You might also wish to consider accountant, civil service administrator, human resources/personnel manager, local government official or purchasing manager/administrator.
Take-home pay
The starting salary for NHS graduate schemes is around £19,500 a year (more in London), although in-service trainees may be paid up to £24,000. The average salary after completing a scheme is £26,000 to £31,000, with the prospect of future earnings of £70-90,000 as an executive director and £100,000 or more as a chief executive.
Effects
As a general guide, most managers in the NHS work 37 hours a week, Monday to Friday, although extra hours may be required at busy times. There may be an on-call rota to cover evenings and weekends.
You may work in a variety of environments. Some health service managers are based in an office, but others will work throughout hospitals and in the community. It is also possible that you may have to travel between sites, given that many large healthcare organisations have several locations within a town or region.
Sources of information
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development: www.cipd.co.uk
Institute of Healthcare Management: www.ihm.org.uk
Management Training in the NHS: www.futureleaders.nhs.uk
NHS Jobs: www.jobs.nhs.uk
NHS Careers: www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
NHS Scotland Management Training Scheme: www.managementtrainingscheme.nhsscotland.com
CRCI: JE
