Senior Freedom of Information Advisor

Employer University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Worthing Hospital Town Worthing Salary £32,073 - £39,043 Per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 23/08/2026 23:59

At UHSussex we’re proud to be at the heart of the NHS. As one of the UK’s largest acute trusts, we’re a leading example of the excellence, the ambition and the values that have embodied the NHS for over 70 years.

Our hard-working, talented and dedicated people work together towards a common goal – to deliver Excellent Care Everywhere for our patients, our people and our communities. Whatever your role here at UHSussex you will play a part in driving us forwards and in improving the lives of patients across Sussex.

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us deliver Excellent Care Everywhere. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in.

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level
3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We value compassion, inclusion and respect as our core values . We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our wellbeing programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research , we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

University Hospitals Sussex is the subject of an important Independent Maternity Review (IMR), commissioned by the Department of Health on behalf of the Secretary of State. This is due to commence in October 2026 and is expected to last at least 3 years. We expect requests for information to increase while the review is ongoing. The Freedom of Information (FOI) Team is therefore looking for a highly-motivated and experienced FOI professional to undertake the role of Senior FOI Advisor.

You will be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the FOI process in line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Section 45 FOI Code of Practice and Trust policy and procedures; ensuring that requests for information are logged, referred and answered within the statutory time period relevant to the Act. Through the FOI process you will draft and issue releases on behalf of the Trust in response to requests for information from the media, government, public, commercial entities and patients.

The FOI Office is part of the Company Secretary's Team within Corporate Governance. This is a full time, fixed-term role for 3 years.

You will be able to work independently and as part of a small team - there are five of us in total. We mostly work from home but occasionally you
may be required to work from any of the Trust's hospital sites if necessary for meetings or training. We aim to provide a supportive and efficient
service to a broad range of internal and external stakeholders. You will be able to interact with tact and diplomacy with staff at all levels to gain
agreement and cooperation regarding the processing of FOI requests. You will be able to demonstrate sensitivity and discretion when dealing
with matters that are confidential in nature. Previous experience of working in a NHS/hospital environment would be advantageous.

A main duty of the role will involve preparing information releases suitable for the public domain, so you should have excellent written
communication skills. You should have some experience of analysing,…