National Professional Advisor – Surgery (Part-time 1 day per wk)

Job summary

Every role at CQC helps us make sure people get safe, high‑quality care. If you’re looking for a new role in the Hospitals Inspectorate that gives a real sense of purpose, then you’ve found it.

As a National Professional Advisor, you’ll bring senior surgical expertise that guides national oversight of hospital care and shapes our future direction in regulating surgical services.

Job description

As a National Professional Advisor in the Hospital Inspectorate, you will be asked to:

• Advise on complex regulatory cases where surgical insight is required to support fair decision making.
• Help shape new inspection models for surgical services, making sure they reflect real‑world pressures and current clinical practice.

The role

You’ll be key in helping us deliver our work. In this role, you’ll:

• Provide specialist clinical insight: Offer senior‑level surgical advice to inspection teams, directors and the Chief Inspector of Hospitals to support strong, consistent and credible regulatory decisions.
• Shape national practice: Review new clinical guidance, emerging surgical standards and policy changes, and help CQC design future inspection and regulatory models that reflect the pressures of surgical practice.
• Strengthen external credibility: Build trusted relationships with senior surgical stakeholders and professional bodies, helping CQC stay connected to frontline expertise and maintain confidence in our regulation of surgical services.

Person specification

We will be looking for specific skills, knowledge and experience in your application form:

• Experience leading or advising at a regional, national or equivalent level in a surgical field, including guiding clinical groups, shaping improvements or supporting high‑level decision making.
• Ability to give clear, expert advice on complex clinical matters, including explaining surgical risks, interpreting emerging guidance and supporting inspection or regulatory decisions.
• Experience working with senior professional stakeholders, such as national surgical bodies or specialist forums, using empathy and inclusive leadership to influence and support change.

Join us and help CQC shape the future of health and care.

Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including:

• Annual leave starting at 27 days per year, rising to 32.5 days with service, plus bank holidays (usually 8 days per year).
• Training and development opportunities.
• Wellbeing initiatives, such as gym discounts and meditation.
• NHS pension scheme, with around 14% employer contribution.
• Discount schemes (including eligibility for a Blue Light card, at a cost of £4.99 and valid for 2 years), reward vouchers, car leasing and more!

Please see our benefits page for the full list.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Apply via the CQC Website - Interview Dates TBC

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Nicola Wise, Director of Hospitals: Nicola.Wise@cqc.org.uk or Dr Prem Premachandran, National Professional Advisor for Urgent and Emergency Care.
• Email : recruitment@cqc.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cqc.org.uk

Further information

www.cqc.org.uk