Health service managers are responsible for making sure the hospital, or health organisation that employs them, runs efficiently and effectively. This includes making best use of the facilities, finance and employees available, to ensure the best possible service is provided to patients and other users.

Managers may specialise in certain areas of work such as personnel, finance, information technology and marketing; or the role may be more general and involve managing a particular section or department.

Duties can include:

• supervising and being responsible for the work of other staff
• being responsible for long-term planning
• dealing with day-to-day operational matters
• using statistical information to monitor performance and inform long term planning
• setting and maintaining budgets
• working out and implementing business plans
• assessing and evaluating the strategic direction of the trust
• implementing the policies of the board and ensuring government guidelines are followed
• working with clinical staff and other professionals
• managing contracts.

Hours and Environment

The official working week for health service managers is 37 hours, however, the job is quite pressurised and they often work more than this.

In a hospital with a 24-hour service, managers may be required to work a shift system. Senior managers may be on-call on a rota basis for any out-of-hours emergencies that occur.

Flexible hours and job share arrangements are sometimes possible and are being encouraged. Part-time work is not common at management level.

Managers are mainly office-based. Some travel may be required, for example, to attend meetings, training courses and conferences.

Skills and Interests

To be a health service manager, you should:

• be able to cope with constant change
• be innovative and able to solve problems creatively
• have good analytical skills
• have financial management and numerical skills for budget administration and cost analysis
• have a high level of written and spoken communication skills
• be able to motivate and manage staff
• have negotiating skills
• be able to explain complex issues in simple terms to a wide range of audiences
• show respect for confidential information
• be able to deal with stress.

Entry

There are a number of routes into health service management.

With four or five GCSEs grade A-C, and increasingly two or three A levels, it is possible to enter the NHS at an administrative level. With experience there is the potential to work your way up and undertake relevant in-service training courses, such as those offered by the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM).

If you have a degree, minimum 2:2, in any subject you can apply for a place on one of the NHS graduate trainee schemes; see Training section for details. 

The entry requirements for a degree course usually include five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) plus two A levels/three H grades. An Access to Higher Education qualification may also be accepted for entry to certain courses. Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.

If you are a graduate with some management experience you can apply directly for a junior management position, where vacancies exist.

Many health service managers are already employed within the NHS in a clinical role, or profession allied to health. It is possible to move into management by undertaking an in-service training programme leading to the Certificate in Managing Health and Social care; see Training section for details.

Some health trusts employ experienced managers from outside the NHS to fulfil senior management positions within the organisation. The NHS Gateway to Leadership Programme has been established to support this recruitment; see Training section.

Training

There are three NHS graduate trainee schemes.

• The General Management Training Scheme - a two-year programme combining work-based supervisory experience and management theory. This scheme includes a three-month orientation to the NHS, two nine-month work placements, three months working with other health care organisations, in the UK or abroad, plus an industrial placement or research project. Trainees often work towards qualifications such as a Masters in Healthcare Leadership and Management.
• The Financial Management Scheme – this route takes three years and leads to a professional accountancy qualification, such as CIMA or CIPFA.
• The Human Resources Management Scheme- this scheme takes two years and leads to a postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources and graduate membership of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).

Similar schemes, for both general and financial management, are run in Wales (Leadership Development Scheme) and Northern Ireland (Health and Social Services Management Scheme). Scotland currently runs such a scheme in the Lothian area only.

In-service management training is available to existing NHS employees at various levels. The Certificate in Managing Health & Social Care is a flexible in-service programme of management training. Contact the IHM for details; see Further Information.

Managers from other industries with four years or more operational management experience and a degree (2:2 or above) may be able to join the18-month fast-track 'Gateway to Leadership' programme and have the opportunity to progress to a senior management position on completion.

Health service managers with two years' experience can also apply to become members of the IHM, and as a result access a range of opportunities for continuing professional development.

Opportunities

Opportunities are available for health service managers within the NHS and private hospitals.

Managers may be employed by a hospital trust which provides services directly to patients or in a health authority that plans strategic directions in health care. There are also some opportunities in larger GP practices and in Primary Care Trusts, which commission local services.

It is expected that job opportunities may decrease in the future, due to mergers between hospitals and flatter management structures within NHS organisations.

On completion of the Finance Management Scheme or the General Management Scheme, progression to senior management positions is likely.

It may be possible to obtain employment abroad.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

Trainees on one of the graduate schemes will usually earn around £20,000 a year.
Directors can earn up to £70,000.
Chief executives can earn around £100,000 a year.

Further information

Tel: 08000 150 850
Email: learning@nhscareers.nhs.uk 18-21 Morley Street
London
SE1 7QZ
Tel: 020 7620 1030 PO Box 376
Bristol
BS99 3EY
Tel: 0845 606 0655