Annual Salary
£31,365 to £104,927
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
Swap to Social care or Therapy or go back to all job sectors
Swap to Social care or Therapy or go back to all job sectors
Health service managers run local healthcare services like hospitals, GP practices and community health services.
Average UK salary in 2019 was £30,378
(source Office for National Statistics)
You could work: evenings / weekends; on a rota
There will be
5% more Health service manager jobs in 2026.
In your local area
As part of your day-to-day duties, you could:
You could work at a health centre, in an NHS or private hospital or at a GP practice.
You can get into this job through:
A common way into this job is through a degree in a health or management-related subject.
You'll usually need:
You can get into this job through a chartered manager degree apprenticeship.
You can get into health service management by working your way up from an administrative or clinical role within the NHS.
You're likely to need 4 to 5 GCSE grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and possibly A levels or equivalent for an administrator role.
With experience, you can move up to supervisory or management level. You can find useful courses to help you do this through the Institute of Administrative Management.
The MSc in Healthcare Leadership is suitable for doctors, pharmacists, allied health professionals, nurses, midwives and non-clinical staff who want to advance into a senior management position.
The most direct route into health service management is through the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme. To apply, you'll need a degree, or an equivalent qualification, in healthcare or management.
You can apply directly if you already have management experience from the private, public or voluntary sector.
There are some management roles, like those in finance, purchasing or human resources, where you may not need previous experience of the NHS.
You could apply to become a member of the Institute of Healthcare Management. This would give you access to professional development opportunities and professional recognition.
You can find out more about becoming a health service manager from Health Careers.
You'll increase your chances for career progression if you complete a higher level management qualification, like a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) or a diploma in management studies (DMS).
You could also apply for jobs at director or chief executive level.
You'll need: