Job profile

Health Service Manager

Health Service Manager Job Profile

What is a Health Service Manager?

Health Service Managers plan and coordinate operations within their areas of responsibility. They can oversee an entire facility or a certain department within a facility.

The modern healthcare system is made up of complicated institutions that are controlled by their own set of regulations and need staff to possess highly specialised abilities.

Health Services Management specialists, often known as Medical Services Managers, are critical to the overall structure and performance of a healthcare facility. They mainly work in hospitals with teams of physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

They also often deal with insurance agents, patients, and medical personnel to ensure that care is administered appropriately and on time.

You may be ready to flourish as a Health Services Manager if you understand the present status of health care, are skilled at motivating and managing personnel, and can create new professional programs from the bottom up.

It takes time to get to the position of Health Services Manager. You will need to prepare ahead of time and devote time to receiving the necessary training and earning expertise in the healthcare profession. However, if you feel secure and prepared, a job as a health services manager may be incredibly rewarding.

Responsibilities

Health Services Managers, should be aware of any developments in the medical profession in terms of legislation, policies, procedures, and protocols. It is critical to follow industrial regulations. Furthermore, knowing how to use the most up-to-date technology and medical equipment is an essential part of the profession.

The following are some of the common functions and responsibilities of a Health Service Manager:

  • Running a clinic, office, or hospital department on a daily basis
  • Providing new or existing staff with training on new rules, policies, and standards
  • Screening, interviewing and employing new workers 
  • Ensuring that patients and their families receive great treatment in various units
  • Continued attendance at board meetings
  • Supervising the implementation of programs
  • Assuring that nursing units and departments are compliant and up to date on legal regulations and legislation 
  • Creating a long- and short-term vision for the institution
  • Assisting multiple teams with particular tasks 
  • Liaising with insurance agents 
  • Creating a strategy for several departments and anticipating unexpected issues

Health Services Managers may also be in charge of administrative activities, such as:

  • Creating budgets for numerous units and departments and ensuring that each one maintains within its budget
  • Keeping track of the number of patients that are being treated at the institution
  • Organising the schedules of employees such as registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, lab technologists, technicians, and other auxiliary personnel 
  • Inventorying materials, equipment, and tools
  • Managing patient finances, including fees and billing
  • Using creative problem-solving methods to tackle issues

Salary

Those interested in a career in Health Service Management will find it to be a fulfilling one in a variety of ways. Health care management has the power to improve the lives of innumerable people. In addition, they also earn a competitive annual wage.

According to the UK National Career Services, the average UK salary for Healthcare Service Managers ranges from £25,368 to £63,862.

The NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme 2022 intakes’ starting pay is £25,368. (plus the Higher Cost of Living Allowance where applicable).

Graduates also receive a fully-funded study package, as well as NHS pension rights. NHS workers may be eligible for a variety of extra advantages, such as interest-free season ticket loans and staff discounts on a variety of products, services, and recreational activities.

Working hours and work location 

The day-to-day operations and overall productivity of a healthcare institution are the focus of healthcare service management. 

Some of these institutions include:

  • Medical facilities
  • Hospitals
  • Hospital network systems
  • Physicians’ offices
  • Public health systems
  • Clinics
  • Outpatient care centres


As a Health Service Manager, you’ll normally work from 9am to 5pm, 37-39 hours per week. However, specific tasks and specialities may necessitate work in shifts.

As a manager, you may be on-call in the evenings or on weekends, and you can anticipate working extra hours at times.

Part-time or job-sharing possibilities are frequently available.

Qualifications

Undergraduate students should pursue a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management, professional health studies, business administration, public administration, public health, nursing, or a comparable field of study.

A standard bachelor’s degree takes four years to finish. Students enrolled in an undergraduate healthcare degree take courses in the following areas:

  • Healthcare ethics
  • Professional Healthcare Studies
  • Financial management
  • Research
  • Healthcare information systems
  • Healthcare data analytics
  • Legal issues, policies, rules, and regulations, as well as standards


Individuals should continue their education and gain a master’s degree in order to pursue a career in health services management. Those with a graduate degree can broaden their knowledge base while also improving their skill sets.

A master’s degree in one of the following fields is sought by many graduate students, as it improves the chances for landing the desired job in Health Service Management:


An individual can participate in a certification program that focuses on both management and health care and includes courses in the following areas:

  • Health economics
  • Health information systems
  • Medical terminology
  • Health services management
  • Hospital organisation, accounting, and budgeting
  • Healthcare law and ethics
  • Human resources administration and strategic planning

Skills

An individual can become eligible for a career as a Health Services Manager by earning a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and any further certificates.
Future professionals may build and improve vital talents through pursuing education and earning skills, such as:

must have skills:
  • Written communication: Health Service Managers are frequently in charge of patients’ written health records. Through emails, reports, and letters, they must also communicate with board members, investors, community health specialists, social workers, and other hospital management.
  • Verbal communication: On a daily basis, Health Service Managers must communicate verbally with physicians, nurses, patients, and patients’ relatives.
  • Leadership: In addition to overseeing a facility’s day-to-day operations, healthcare executives should be able to convey a long-term strategy and vision to their patients, employees, and organisations.
  • Critical thinking: A Health Service Manager faces a number of difficult situations on a daily basis; analytical thinking may help them address these challenges effectively and efficiently while maintaining sensitivity and awareness.
  • Technology– A Health Service Manager should be able to handle the appropriate technology and tools, especially if they are in charge of health information management and electronic health records.
  • Attention to detail: A Health Service Manager should be able to focus on minute details and short-term goals while defining new guidelines, making a timetable, or managing a budget.
  • Passion: In addition to the abilities listed above, Health Service Managers should have a strong desire to serve patients and give back to their communities.

Work experience

First and foremost, Health Services Managers are in charge of supervising the individuals who work for a care provider. These leaders should be ready to set work schedules, lead hiring and disciplinary activities, and conceive new project ideas for their colleagues to work on. Health Service Managers, like anybody in a position of responsibility in a corporate office, should be able to communicate effectively and inspire and encourage others.

The Health Service Manager’s role has a clerical component in addition to team leadership. These experts may be in charge of overseeing accounting, establishing corporate budgets, and preparing reports. The nature of these obligations may vary depending on the organisation; some will employ more individuals and allow for more delegation of bookkeeping functions.

While the people management and secretarial abilities required to succeed as a part of a health care leadership team are comparable to those required in other sectors, policy direction responsibilities for Health Service Managers rely on medical knowledge. In an industry as unique and heavily regulated as health care, managers can only create new initiatives and commercial plans if they understand reimbursement processes.

Health-care executives are ultimately in charge of their firms’ databases. This necessitates the acquisition of yet another set of skills, as information must be kept private and confidential. Not only must these databases be well protected from outside breaches, but they must also have robust internal measures to guarantee that only authorised individuals have access to the data.

Understanding how to keep a fast-paced, high-tech organisation on track in terms of personnel and budget control, with a specific emphasis dedicated to medical sector developments, is essential for health care leadership. If you appreciate the consequent power, as well as the compensation and job security benefits that come with the position, the problems that come with this mix of responsibilities are worth taking on.

Career prospects

What Can You Do With a Health Studies Degree?
Health Service Managers have a variety of job descriptions that vary based on the role and the medical facility.
Some Health Service Managers act as the only managers at a facility, supervising the administrators and managers of all the many units and departments within the facility.

The following are some examples of particular Health Service Manager job roles:

  • Clinical Manager – Clinical managers can operate in a variety of settings, including outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centres, long-term care institutions, and physicians’ offices. They are in charge of both the clinical and administrative elements of their facility. 
  • Hospital Administrator – Hospital administrators oversee the day-to-day operations of a hospital, clinic, or other healthcare facilities.
  • Nursing Home Administrator – Health Service Managers working in nursing homes or residential care institutions
  • Medical Records Manager – Medical records managers play a significant role in the administration of healthcare services. They are in charge of a facility’s medical and electronic health records. They often work in hospitals, outpatient clinics, nursing homes, and doctor’s offices.
  • Health Information Manager – The demand for health information managers is increasing as technology advances. Health information managers work at hospitals, doctors’ offices, rehabilitation centres, private practices, long-term care institutions, and outpatient clinics. Because of the nature of their job, some work in legal firms or technology and research groups.
 

Health Service Managers advance by taking on higher-paying jobs with more responsibilities. Some health information managers, for example, can work their way up to being in charge of the whole hospital’s information systems. Other managers may rise through the ranks of the company to become senior executives.

Related Courses

Here are some MSc recommendations: 

This three-year full-time course at the University of the West of Scotland London is an excellent method to advance in the healthcare or social work fields.

This course, presented at their central London location, aims to educate students on the principles of health policy, with an emphasis on the interplay between social and health care.

Other related courses

FAQ Summary

Health Services Managers, should be aware of any developments in the medical profession in terms of legislation, policies, procedures, and protocols. It is critical to follow industrial regulations. Furthermore, knowing how to use the most up-to-date technology and medical equipment is an essential part of the profession.

According to the UK National Career Services, the average UK salary for Healthcare Service Managers ranges from £25,368 to £63,862.

Undergraduate students should pursue a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management, professional health studies, business administration, public administration, public health, nursing, or a comparable field of study.

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