The Office of the Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland plays a vital role in strengthening the safety and quality of healthcare across the nation. Independent of government and the NHS, the Office amplifies the voices of patients and families, identifying systemic risks and driving evidence-based improvements that make healthcare safer for all. Through rigorous, impartial investigations and constructive engagement with health bodies, regulators, and patient groups, the Office seeks to uncover and address the underlying causes of harm—ensuring that learning from adverse events leads to enduring improvements in policy, practice, and culture across Scotland’s health system.
The Executive Director of Patient Safety Investigations will provide senior strategic leadership and oversight of all investigative, reporting, and operational functions of the Office of the Patient Safety Commissioner (PSC). Reporting directly to the Commissioner, the post-holder will act as a principal advisor, ensuring the organisation’s investigative work, reports, and recommendations are rigorous, credible, and drive systemic learning and improvement in patient safety across Scotland’s health and social care system. The role carries corporate-level responsibility for strategy, resources, people leadership, and organisational readiness for change. It combines significant investigative authority with executive management responsibilities, ensuring the PSC’s Office delivers high-quality outputs to the Scottish Parliament, patients, families, and stakeholders.
To be successful in this role, you will have experience in a leadership capacity with responsibility for the following:
Ideally you will have a background and knowledge in health policy, healthcare management, clinical medicine and nursing, or patient safety to be able to navigate complex health and social care systems, including governance, regulation, and patient safety frameworks.
Recruitment for the Patient Safety Commissioner’s is being managed by the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman’s office. If you are interested in in this vacancy, please visit Patient Safety Commissioner - Executive Director of Patient Safety Investigations | SPSO for the full job outline and application pack.
For further information, please contact 0131 297 4876 or you can email recruitment@spso.gov.scot
Closing date: 10:00 on 12 November 2025
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of applications by 21 November 2025.
Interview and assessment: During the week of 1 to 5 December 2025
Equal Opportunities Statement:
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment and in the service provided to complainants. No job applicant, staff member or person receiving a service from us will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of sex, gender, marital status, or racial grounds or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or of other personal attributes including beliefs or opinions, such as religious beliefs or political opinions.
We are totally opposed to discrimination. We are committed to conducting the business in a way that is fair to all sections of the community. This may mean taking positive steps to ensure equal opportunities for staff involved in staff selection, staff management and service delivery.