Senior Manager

Job Title: Clinical Risk Specialist
Department: Group Clinical Risk (Cost Centre: Group Quality)
Reports To: Group Chief Value Officer

Job Description:

Job Purpose

The Clinical Risk Specialist is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing the organisation-wide clinical risk management framework to ensure patient safety, quality of care, and regulatory compliance.

This role aligns NHG Health’s risk management practices with the requirements of the Ministry of Health Singapore (MOH), Healthcare Services Act (HCSA) and international healthcare accreditation standards such as Joint Commission International (JCI) under the auspices of MOH Ensure Safer System programme.

The position provides coordination of clinical risk management across NHG Health, ensuring consistent risk governance, incident management, and safety improvement initiatives across all NHG Health institutions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Clinical Risk Management Framework

• Develop, implement, and maintain an organisation-wide clinical risk management framework aligned with MOH/HCSA regulations, national patient safety priorities, and JCI accreditation standards.
• Establish standardised policies, procedures, and guidelines for risk identification, assessment, and mitigation across all institutions in conjunction with NHG Health Enterprise Risk Management.
• Maintain and provide secretariat support for governance structures for clinical risk oversight including risk review committees and reporting mechanisms.
• Establish initiatives to inculcate a pro-active risk management culture in the cluster.

2. Regulatory and Accreditation Compliance

• Ensure organisational compliance with requirements set by the Ministry of Health Singapore, relevant healthcare legislation, and regulatory directives.
• Support the organisation’s readiness and compliance with Joint Commission International accreditation standards as part of the MOH Ensure Safer System programme, particularly those relating to:
• Quality and Patient Safety (QPS)
• Leadership (LD)
• Governance for Quality and Safety
• Coordinate clinical risk-related documentation, policies, and evidence required for accreditation surveys and regulatory audits.
• Monitor updates in national policies and MOH Ensure Safer System standards and integrate them into organisational practices.

3. Incident Management and Investigation

• Oversee the cluster-wide clinical incident reporting system and ensure timely reporting, documentation, and follow-up of adverse events and near misses
• Ensure that incidents that are reported to MOH are viewed and lessons learnt implemented as applicable to all institutions in NHG Health.
• Provide resource support to institutions as required in structured investigations such as:
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
• Systems-based aggregate incident analysis
• Ensure cluster-wide implementation and monitoring of corrective and preventive actions following incident investigations.

4. Risk Identification and Risk Register Management

• Coordinate enterprise-level identification and assessment of clinical risks across institutions.
• Maintain the cluster-wide clinical risk register, ensuring risks are appropriately assessed, prioritised, and monitored.
• Conduct risk assessments for:
• New clinical services
• New technologies or procedures
• Major operational changes
• Ensure risk mitigation strategies are implemented and monitored.

5. Risk Monitoring, Data Analysis and Reporting

• Analyse incident reports, risk trends, and patient safety indicators to identify systemic risks and emerging safety concerns.
• Prepare regular risk management and patient safety reports for:
• Senior leadership
• Clinical governance committees
• Board-level risk committees
• Provide recommendations for system-level improvements to enhance patient safety and reduce clinical risk exposure.

7. Training and Capability Development

• Develop and deliver training programmes on Clinical risk management in conjunction with NHG Health Institute for Healthcare Quality, NHG College.
• Provide guidance and consultation to hospital risk managers, clinical leaders, and quality teams on risk mitigation strategies.

8. Collaboration and Governance

• Work closely with:
• Clinical leadership
• Nursing leadership
• Hospital risk managers
• Quality improvement teams
• Legal and compliance departments
• Support clinical governance structures and participate in committees related to patient safety, risk, and quality improvement.
• Serve as the organisational subject matter expert in clinical risk management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Compliance with MOH regulatory requirements and reporting timelines.
• Successful maintenance of JCI accreditation/MOH Ensure Safer System standards related to patient safety and risk management.
• Timely completion and quality of incident investigations.
• Reduction in preventable adverse events and high-risk incidents.
• Implementation and effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies.
• Improvement in incident reporting culture and staff engagement in safety initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in nursing, Medicine, Pharmacy or Allied Health
• Postgraduate qualification in Healthcare Quality, Patient Safety, Risk Management, or Healthcare Administration is preferred.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of healthcare experience
• Minimum 2 years of experience in clinical risk management, patient safety, or healthcare quality, policy development including experience in conducting Root Cause Analysis and incident investigations
• Experience in supporting MOH regulatory compliance and/or JCI accreditation processes preferable.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong knowledge of clinical governance, patient safety, and healthcare risk management frameworks.
• Familiarity with MOH regulatory requirements and JCI accreditation standards.
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills.
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills for senior leadership and governance committees.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and facilitation skills with multidisciplinary clinical teams.
• Ability to drive organisational learning and system improvements