Management
The health and care sector provides an enormous range of services to some 53 million people in England. Without skilled and dedicated managers to lead and run it, we would not be able to do what we’re here for – treating and caring for patients.
Health service managers, many of whom have a clinical background, are responsible for commissioning and delivering local healthcare, through the management of hospital, GP and community health services.
If you like the idea of a career in management, the sector offers unrivalled opportunity and variety. Leaders are also needed in all parts of the system, including community health providers, mental health trusts, the NHS 111 service and clinical commissioning groups. You could be a manager running a GP surgery or ambulance station, or a chief executive controlling a large hospital with a budget of millions of pounds.
Working as part of a team
Advances in medical technology, tough spending targets, managing change, and rising public expectations combine to make this a very responsible and challenging job. Health service managers work with clinical and non-clinical staff every day and you will also be a member of a management team.
Your work will bring you into contact with a range of external organisations, such as the local council, charities, social enterprises, voluntary bodies and contractors supplying services to the NHS. In some roles, you will deal with national organisations such as government departments.
Leadership
We need managers to lead individual health organisations, to manage and look after the buildings that they work in, to provide the support services that they need, to negotiate contracts, to recruit and develop staff and to deliver IT systems that move information between healthcare professionals.
Managers make it possible to ensure that catering and cleaning operations run smoothly in hospitals. They implement better access to GPs, oversee health promotion initiatives in the community and improve the quality of life for patients in care homes.
In addition, our managers communicate effectively with patients and the public, seeking their views and providing information to them about services and treatment.
Areas of management
You could work:
- As a clinical manager
- In estates and facilities
- In finance
- As a general manager
- In human resources
- In operational management
- As a practice manager
Find out more
As well as the information on this page, this section of the website also provides
You can also download our Careers in management booklet