Head of Therapy & AHP Professional Lead

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

Therapy & AHP Professional Lead for the Community Division reporting to the Divisional Director of Nursing & AHPs.

Act in the absence of the Divisional Director of Nursing & AHPs, reporting to the Deputy Divisional Director of Nursing & AHP, as required.

Initiate investigations to improve patient outcomes and facilitate care in the Community.

Initiate and monitor clinical treatment plans for patients.

Lead and shape advanced and specialist practice, ensuring responsiveness to changes required in modelling.

Work with the Chief AHP on all relevant projects & professional AHP issues.

Ensure appropriate work plans are in place across the Therapy/AHP professions.

Embed robust supervision across the Therapy/AHP professions.

Key Results From the Job Holder

The post holder will ensure that services are designed to meet the evolving needs of the population in line with current government initiatives, Trust and local targets and lead clinical transformation.

To support the Divisional Governance Team and risk agenda and participate in risk management and risk assessment, working closely with other members of the clinical team as required.

To ensure that the services deliver successful outcome for patients.

The post holder will provide professional leadership to practitioners at all levels within the Community Division. They will ensure that care is delivered to a high standard. They will contribute to the ongoing development of the Trusts AHP Strategy and ensure that its objectives are achieved within the Division and will be proactive in modernising roles in accordance with the needs of the patient.

The post holder will support the Divisional Director of Nursing & AHPs in developing the Divisions strategic direction and policy framework, ensuring that the Division contributes significantly to the achievement of corporate objectives and that effective Governance arrangements are implemented and maintained.

The successful candidate will be motivated, driven, and will work alongside medical and non- medical practitioners leading on the development of excellence in autonomous practice and working with all specialties, to produce professional scopes of practice and competency frameworks and set the foundation for the future workforce.

The post holder will be a key member of the divisional team working in partnership with management and clinical colleagues to develop strategy, undertake research and audit and facilitate collaborative service development.

The post holder will work as an independent, expert resource and be a highly visible advisor and teacher regarding the management of older people across the healthcare economy.

The post holder will sustain productive partnerships with universities and other training organisations and develop training packages having identified learning needs at individual, divisional and Trust level to ensure a culture of change through evidence-based learning.

The post holder will monitor and improve standards of care through supervision of practice, clinical audit and teaching and supporting professional colleagues and the provision of skilled professional leadership.

Monitor trends in incidents and complaints and promote service improvements which are responsive to patient feedback.

Contribute to the development of business cases.

To work with the Chief AHP to deliver the Trusts AHP priorities i.e. implementation of job planning, development of AHP Strategy, etc.

Planning and Organisational Duties

To be a clinical expert in the field of Elderly Care, demonstrating advanced, expert knowledge and skills in interventions with patients and carers.

Undertake expanded and advanced skills appropriate to the role including clinical history taking and physical examinations resulting in accurate diagnosis and initiation of appropriate treatment plans.

Interpret and analyse complex clinical and non-clinical facts which may be conflicting to provide expert advice and second opinions to medical colleagues, other health professionals and patients. This includes the formation of accurate prognosis, recommendations of best course of intervention and/or with-drawl of treatment.

Promote timely treatment plans by undertaking specific clinical interventions in line with best practice guidelines.

Evaluate the effectiveness of own and others treatment plans.

Communicate with medical colleagues and the multidisciplinary team regarding the clinical condition of the patient and changes in clinical presentation.

Clinical presence; undertake case presentations, contributing to the decision- making process and treatment plan.

Work in collaboration with the wider multidisciplinary team in order to maximise the best outcome for patients.

Offer appropriate health advice to empower patients to make informed decisions.

Monitor and evaluate clinical outcomes of patient centred care, involving the patient and their significant others wherever possible.

Communicate in a sensitive and empathetic manner.

Ensure the availability of appropriate patient information which is responsive to communicate barriers.

Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records, ensuring documentation is clear, concise and legible in accordance with professional standards for records and record keeping.

Maintain a professional portfolio to demonstrate competency in line with the Trust competency framework.

Arrange and chair meetings within the Division and on a Trust wide basis as required.

Conduct investigations into incidents and adverse events using root cause analysis techniques.

Identify and address opportunities for shared learning resulting from incidents and complaints.

Communications and Key Working Relationships

Represent the Director of Nursing & AHPs, Chief AHP and the Division at meetings as required and contribute to promoting effective communication.

Represent the Division and the Trust at meetings with partner agencies as required.

Responsibility for Finance

To order and authorise goods in accordance with the Trusts financial framework / Standing Financial Instructions.

Support the Divisional Director of Nursing & AHP and Chief AHP in identifying any potential efficiency savings or anticipated pressures.

Support the Division in obtaining the resources to fund developments.

Lead the identification and delivery of cost improvements, service developments and income generation opportunities within the Division.

Contribute to achieving a balanced budget within the Division.

Support the Division in obtaining the resources to fund developments .

Ensure that best value and use of resources is maintained at all times.

Responsibility for Human Resources

To ensure that open and inclusive working relationships are developed with front line staff being fully involved in unit decision making.

To provide a supportive and developmental environment in which staff are motivated to realise their full potential as identified through Performance Development Review and the implementation of the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF).

Undertake workforce planning in order to identify future requirements in line with service change.

Use workload information to identify staffing and skill mix requirements.

Act as an advisor as required non disciplinary panels in cases of alleged gross misconduct, providing professional advice in cases of potential dismissal.

Provide mentorship, coaching, supervision and shadowing opportunities to individuals in order to support their development.

Identify opportunities to develop the role of the AHP in order to positively impact on patient experience and maximise the potential of individuals and teams.

Chair and sit on interview panels as required.

Undertake disciplinary and grievance investigations and present the management case.

To ensure that the philosophy and best practice for Improving Working Lives are adopted, openly discussed and implemented.

Responsibility for Teaching

To have key responsibility for teaching and provide learning opportunities for individuals working within the division as well as the wider health economy. This may occur within the Trust or with outside organisations.

Contribute to the development of in-house education and training programmes.

Lead the AHP training needs analysis for the Division.

Support staff in identifying and meeting their own training needs.

To use the Trust appraisal system to identify and guide CPD development for the individual, the team and the organisation.

Provide learning opportunities for the MDT via mentorship and supervision.

To contribute to the development of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes locally and nationally in order to facilitate the advancement of a structured evidence-based career progression within elderly care.

To provide education nationally and internationally by lecturing and through journal publications.

Inform and contribute to the Trusts Research and Development strategy and lead in the development and preparation of relevant research proposals.

To promote a research environment within the department and offer support and guidance to research teams, MSc projects and external agencies.

To use a wide variety of adult learning techniques to optimise clinical development.

To design and co-ordinate and educational needs analysis for the service.

To work closely with Academic Departments at local Universities to ensure theory and practice are closely integrated.

To make recommendations that will ensure effective succession planning strategies are considered and implemented.

Work Circumstances & on-call

Will be required to participate in the Divisional on-call rota.

Qualifications

Essential

• HCPC Registered AHP.
• Professional knowledge acquired through first level degree supplemented by specialist training and experience.
• Master's degree in a relevant clinical subject or equivalent experience.

Desirable

• HCPC Registration as Physio, OT, SLT, Podiatrist, Dietician.
• Membership of an appropriate professional group.
• Management/Leadership/Teaching qualification.
• Project Management/business management qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of working within the NHS including at a senior level.
• Significant AHP leadership experience.
• Leading AHP supervision.
• Experience of leading innovation and quality.
• Experience of senior MDT leadership.
• Experience in managing organisational change.
• Experience of practice development.
• Teaching experience.

Desirable

• Senior AHP experience in Community Services.

Skills

Essential

• Ability to convey highly complex concepts in easily understood language to a wide audience (both verbally and via written communication).
• Ability to analyse, interpret and disseminate complex information, reports & statistics.
• Creative and visionary approach to problem solving.
• Highly developed persuasive, motivational and negotiating skills.
• Ability to work with and influence different teams within very complex and sometimes conflicting clinical and operational situations.
• Experience of managing complex risk.
• IT skills including the use of databases, spreadsheets and word processing.
• Clinically credible within own profession.

Knowledge

Essential

• Evidence of continuous and current clinical, professional, leadership and academic development .
• Familiar with all aspects of the NHS agenda and national directives and strategies.
• Knowledge of change management theory and practical application.
• Understanding of current Nursing/AHP issues, strategy and standards.
• Evidence of leading policy and practice change.
• Ability to undertake clinical audit, research and publication.

Additional

Essential

• Adaptable and approachable.
• Ability to manage time and work to tight deadlines.
• Ability to prioritise own workload and that of others
• Ability to travel independently across the Division.
• Highly developed problem solving skills.
• Demonstrates a result oriented, can do attitude.
• Champion for excellence in care.
• Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to their role i.e. With confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation.

Desirable

• Record of publications in peer review journals.
• Flexibility of working hours/ability to work at the desired times required by the role.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).