Capacity and Flow Manager – Acute & Urgent Care

About the role

The Capacity and Flow Manager will lead the operational management of patient flow and capacity across NHS Lanarkshire’s acute and urgent care services. Working closely with emergency, elective and critical‑care teams, the post holder ensures that patients are admitted, discharged and transferred in a timely, safe, and efficient manner.

Key responsibilities

• Ensure emergency admissions are assessed and allocated to a bed within four hours.
• Allocate beds for elective admissions following day‑surgery or inpatient procedures.
• Drive discharge processes to meet KPI targets, aiming for 40% of expected discharges.
• Coordinate safe and timely transfers to partner health boards, community hospitals and nursing homes.
• Provide day‑to‑day operational support to the Service Manager for capacity and flow.
• Manage patient flow coordinators and call‑handling services.
• Advise senior clinical staff and act as a professional resource for the unit.

Required profile

• Proven experience in managing patient flow or capacity within an acute healthcare setting.
• Ability to work collaboratively with clinical teams, senior decision‑makers and external partners.
• Strong organisational and decision‑making skills with authority to implement flow processes.
• Eligibility for a 12‑month fixed‑term appointment and, if already employed by NHS Lanarkshire, a signed secondment agreement.

Required skills