NOCA is inviting expressions of interest for the role of Clinical Lead for the National Audit of Hospital Mortality (NAHM).

The National Audit of Hospital Mortality (NAHM) is a national clinical audit that uses routinely collected hospital data to support the monitoring and improvement of patient care outcomes across Ireland’s acute hospitals. The programme provides clinicians, hospital managers, and policy makers with risk-adjusted mortality data to support quality improvement, identify variation in care, and promote learning across the health service.

Purpose of the role

The Clinical Lead will provide clinical leadership for the ongoing development, implementation, and oversight of NAHM, working in partnership with NOCA, the audit manager, and key national stakeholders. The role is central to ensuring the audit continues to meet its objectives and delivers meaningful impact across the health system.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing clinical leadership for the development, implementation, and ongoing management of NAHM

• Shaping the audit scope, objectives, data collection approach, and reporting outputs with a focus on quality improvement

• Engaging with clinicians, hospital management, and national stakeholders to promote participation and support for the audit

• Overseeing interpretation and use of risk-adjusted mortality data, including identification of areas for learning and improvement

• Supporting hospitals and health service providers in understanding and responding to audit findings, including statistical outliers

• Working closely with the audit manager on operational delivery and reporting

• Contributing to national governance structures, including reporting to the NAHM Governance Committee and NOCA Board

• Presenting national findings to key stakeholders including the HSE and Department of Health

• Promoting the use of audit data to drive continuous quality improvement and system learning across the health service

• Representing NAHM at national and international meetings, conferences, and events

• Supporting stakeholder engagement, including patient and public involvement where appropriate

• Ensuring the audit continues to align with national policy, governance standards, and international best practice

Role requirements

The Clinical Lead should be a senior clinician with a strong understanding of the Irish healthcare system, clinical governance, and quality improvement, with the ability to engage across clinical, operational, and policy levels.

Full details on eligibility, responsibilities, and commitment requirements are provided in the position outline below.