District Planned Care Lead

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora-Waitaha Canterbury is seeking expressions of interest for the role of District Planned Care Lead

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the strategic and operational performance of planned care across Waitaha Canterbury, ensuring our communities receive equitable, timely and sustainable access to elective surgery, outpatient services and the diagnostic pathways that support them.

About the opportunity

The District Planned Care Lead plays a critical leadership role in shaping and delivering our planned care programme. Working collaboratively across the organisation, you will influence service delivery, optimise capacity and drive improvements that support national health targets while improving patient outcomes.

Although this role does not hold direct operational responsibility for clinical service budgets or workforce management, it has significant influence across the system. Success will come through building strong partnerships with General Managers, Clinical Directors, Service Managers and regional leaders to achieve shared planned care outcomes.

You will provide strategic oversight across surgical, medical, radiology and anaesthesia services, ensuring planned care is coordinated, efficient and equitable.

Key areas of focus

As District Planned Care Lead

you will:

• Lead the strategic planning and delivery of planned care across Waitaha Canterbury.
• Drive achievement of national planned care targets, ESPI performance and reductions in long waiting patients.
• Partner with clinical and operational leaders to develop service plans that maximise planned care capacity.
• Lead capacity planning initiatives, including development of the Master Theatre Schedule.
• Champion equitable access to planned care for our communities.
• Support implementation of national initiatives including Treat in Turn principles and use of the Planned Care Acuity Tool.
• Optimise utilisation of theatre, outpatient and diagnostic capacity.
• Lead outsourcing and outplacing programmes to maximise patient access and value.
• Monitor planned care performance, waiting list quality and reporting to support informed decision making.
• Work closely with Acute Flow and regional planned care leaders to balance acute demand with elective delivery.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen planned care performance across the district.

What we're looking for

We're seeking an experienced health leader who is passionate about improving access and patient outcomes through collaboration, innovation and system thinking.

You will bring:

• Experience working within the health sector, ideally in planned care, service improvement or operational leadership.
• A relevant tertiary qualification with postgraduate study preferred.
• Strong analytical capability and confidence interpreting complex performance data.
• Experience leading service improvement and performance initiatives.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement skills with the ability to influence across multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong understanding of capacity planning, performance management and continuous improvement.
• A collaborative leadership style with the ability to bring people together around shared goals.
• A commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and improving equity for Māori.

This is an opportunity to make a tangible difference to how planned care is delivered across Waitaha Canterbury. You'll influence strategic decision making, improve patient access, reduce waiting times and help create a more sustainable health system for our communities.

Success in this role requires someone who can think strategically while maintaining a strong operational focus, build trusted relationships across clinical and operational teams, and confidently lead change in a complex environment.

Applications must be submitted via our Careers Portal.

Please include your current CV and a cover letter outlining your interest in the role and how your experience aligns with the key requirements.

Applications close Sunday 2nd August at midnight. 

Any Questions please contact Lily Simons.

Position description Apply now

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