GP Associate Dean - Somerset

Job summary

The Patch Associate GP Dean will work with the Primary Care Dean and Heads of School for General Practice to support the delivery of safe, compassionate care through high-quality GP specialty training. The postholder will have local responsibility for the co-ordination, provision and management of postgraduate general practice training within the Somerset GP training programme, with some responsibilities extending across the South West where appropriate. The role is for 2 sessions (8 hours) per week and will include oversight of placements and recruitment, development of placement capacity, expansion and ITPs within the patch. It will also involve contributing to strategy, managing local education budgets, providing leadership within the School of Primary Care and line managing Training Programme Directors. The postholder will work closely with Educational and Clinical Supervisors to support high-quality supervision and education for trainees. In addition, the role includes supporting the wider primary care workforce in Somerset through multi-professional education, recruitment and retention initiatives, and contributing to relevant system-level activity.

Main duties of the job

As an Associate Dean, you will be part of the extended senior GP educator team, contributing to the development and support of GP trainers in the region and supporting the delivery of both central and local ARCP panels. You will work closely with the Heads of School, other Associate Deans, Training Programme Directors, patch administrators and managers, Directors of Medical Education and the Primary Care Dean. The role will involve leading and overseeing projects and workstreams that support doctors in training and educators, including induction, one-to-one and small-group support, as well as acting as an escalation point for educators and doctors in training.

About us

NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.

Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.

If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR).This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.

We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.

Job responsibilities

This role is offered as a job share you will closely with the other Associate Dean to cover all elements of the Associate dean role which between the 2 postholders will total 4 sessions

You can find further details about the job, organisational structure, recruitment profile, expected outcomes and benefits information in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.

Person specification

Behaviours and Values

Essential

• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
• Commitment and enthusiasm for facilitating general practice and primary care education
• Strong sense of vision, leadership and ability to innovate

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Politically astute with an ability to sensitively manage complexity and uncertainty
• Strong interpersonal, communication written and presentation skills
• Ability to critically appraise and problem solve whilst maintaining objectivity
• Ability to quickly establish personal and professional credibility with colleagues and other key stakeholders
• Ability to support others (pastoral skills) and to help others develop and progress

Desirable

• Proven negotiation and influencing skills
• Proven organisational and time management skills

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Demonstrable track record of delivery in service and education
• Considerable experience of working with learners and doctors in training in an educational context
• Experience of clinical and educational leadership and innovation, including across multi-professional teams
• Understanding of developments involving the relevant Colleges/Faculties, professional bodies, related NHS organisations and regulatory bodies
• Experience of providing support to doctors with performance quality issues

Desirable

• Awareness of funding streams for healthcare education
• Understanding of current health, social care and education policy
• Good working knowledge of the NHS including its structures and processes

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Medical practitioner registered with the GMC with a current license to practice
• Evidence of professional development as an educator/leader

Desirable

• Higher educational qualification such as a postgraduate certificate or Masters in medical education or other relevant managemnt or leadership qualification