The Vacancy

CHEC is one of the UK's leading providers of community healthcare services, delivering high-quality NHS and private patient care closer to home. As we continue to grow, we are seeking an ambitious and commercially focused Head of Referrals and Engagement to lead our national patient referral strategy and ensure patients can access the care they need, when they need it.

This is a brand new role role responsible for driving referral growth across our NHS and private services, building strategic relationships across primary care, and leading a talented team focused on improving patient access and outcomes nationwide.

About the Role

As Head of Referrals and Engagement, you will own and optimise CHEC's national patient referral performance, ensuring referral volumes align with NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) contracts, organisational capacity, and our ambitious growth plans.

You will lead a team of Community Partners, implement data-driven referral strategies, and build influential relationships with key stakeholders across primary care, including Primary Care Networks, GP practices, Local Optical Committees, Single Point of Access providers, and other healthcare partners.

Working closely with colleagues, you will play a pivotal role in shaping how CHEC engages with referral partners and delivers exceptional patient access and experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement CHEC's national primary care referral strategy.
• Drive referral performance across NHS and private services, ensuring delivery against growth targets and contractual commitments.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing team of Community Partners.
• Build strategic relationships with senior decision-makers and influencers across primary care and NHS organisations.
• Establish robust performance reporting, forecasting and referral management frameworks.
• Chair cross-functional referral review meetings to optimise patient flow and service utilisation.
• Identify opportunities to improve referral pathways and remove barriers to patient access.
• Lead turnaround plans for underperforming sites and territories.
• Represent CHEC at key NHS, healthcare and industry events.

About You

We're looking for an experienced healthcare commercial leader who combines strategic thinking with operational excellence and a passion for improving patient outcomes.

Essential Experience

• Significant experience in NHS primary care engagement, referral management, community healthcare business development or related healthcare commercial roles.
• Strong understanding of primary care structures, including PCNs, GP practices, LOCs, commissioning processes and referral pathways.
• Proven experience leading and developing field-based or geographically dispersed teams.
• Demonstrable success in building senior stakeholder relationships and influencing key decision-makers.
• Strong commercial and analytical skills, with experience using data to drive performance and decision-making.
• Excellent communication, presentation and relationship-building skills.
• Degree-level education or equivalent professional experience.

Desirable

• Experience within Ophthalmology, Gastroenterology, Dermatology or ENT services.
• Existing network across primary care and referral partner organisations.
• Experience using CRM systems and commercial reporting tools (such as HubSpot).
• Experience producing executive or board-level performance reports.

Why Join CHEC?

• 25 days holidays plus bank holidays
• Buy and sell annual leave scheme
• Annual company bonus scheme
• Refer a friend scheme
• Company pension
• Company sick pay scheme
• Life assurance scheme
• MediCash
• Bluelight Card- 100’s of discount and cashback options
• Performance review with a training and development plan
• Employee discounts portal
• Gym membership discounts
• Cycle to work scheme
• Tech scheme

About CHEC

Since 2012, CHEC has been working with the NHS to increase patient choice and provide better access to exceptional, timely, locally-based ophthalmology and gastroenterology care – free at the point of care.

CHEC has a nationwide portfolio of community hospitals and clinics – operating in a unique hub-and-spoke model. We are proud to have a role alongside colleagues in the NHS, offering patients the choice of access to essential procedures and help achieve the best possible clinical outcomes. We continue to expand our community-based offering of vital healthcare to patients across England, including ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) and Dermatology services.

CHEC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees to share this commitment, this includes being aware of and adhering to all CHEC Safeguarding policies. Recruitment checks are undertaken in accordance with the NHS Employment Check Standards and successful applicants may be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

As An Employer

Good relationships are built on trust, integrity, and honesty, the values that underpin CHEC’s commitment to the delivery of patient focused services. We strongly believe in a strong and open relationship with our employees.

As an employer, CHEC offers a great place to work and an enthusiastic team to work within. Amongst the benefits of becoming a CHEC team member are: Generous salary and promotion policy, Corporate learning, CHEC provide cross-functional experience, Good work life balance, Positive culture, Employee relationships.

Access to Work

Get support if you have a disability or health condition: https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

At CHEC, we are committed to ensuring everyone has equal access and opportunity throughout the recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments or have any general queries regarding this position, please contact a member of our team at careers@chec.uk or call 01772 286168.