Job summary
Are you an experienced, motivated and visionary AHP leader ready to shape the future of allied health at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust?
We are seeking an exceptional Chief Allied Health Professional (AHP) to provide strategic, professional and transformational leadership across our Trust. This is a senior, high-impact role reporting directly to the Chief Nurse, leading an established and diverse AHP workforce and influencing the direction of care across our acute services.
Please note this role is currently only being advertised to staff members who are currently working within the Kent and Medway ICS.
Main duties of the job
- Provide strategic, professional and visible leadership to all Allied Health Professionals across MTW
- Lead the development and delivery of the Trust-wide AHP strategy aligned to the NHS Long Term Plan and MTW's clinical priorities.
- Ensure robust professional governance, high standards of care and a consistent approach to service quality, patient safety and learning.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement, empowering AHPs to drive innovation, transformation and research.
- Develop and oversee Trust-wide AHP policies and workforce development plans
- Act as a key advisor to the Chief Nurse, representing AHPs in corporate decision-making, service redesign and strategic programmes.
- Work collaboratively with system partners, universities, regional and national AHP networks to shape future workforce and service models.
- Champion equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring AHPs feel valued, supported and professionally developed.
- Lead the development and implementation of systems and processes that ensure patient quality, experience and safety initiatives are central to AHP practice
About us
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.
We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.
Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day-care beds, diagnostic services (X-ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.
Looking for flexible working?We are a flexible working-friendly organisation. Whether it's adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.
Click here to hear what our staff say.
Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:
- At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time staff).
- Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
- Blue Light card eligibility
- And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below
Job description
Job responsibilities
Weve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children). If a role involves regulated activity and requires a DBS check with a barred list check, you cannot apply if you are on the barred list.
All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Weve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children). If a role involves regulated activity and requires a DBS check with a barred list check, you cannot apply if you are on the barred list.
All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Degree / relevant AHP professional qualification (e.g. Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Speech and Language Therapy, Dramatherapy etc) Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- Management qualification at Masters level or equivalent experience.
- Leadership qualification or equivalent experience.
- Qualification or demonstrable equivalent experience in Quality Improvement methodologies (QI).
- Doctorate or equivalent level of experience within AHP field.
- Qualification or demonstrable equivalent experience in Quality Improvement methodologies (QI).
Skills
Essential
- Highly developed AHP clinical skills in relevant clinical area.
- Extensive knowledge of the healthcare system, including national, regional and local policy drivers.
- Robust understanding of the role of AHPs in delivering safe services.
- Proven ability to communicate complex and sensitive information to different audiences.
Desirable
- Experience of integration of research with NHS service
- Experience of using QI methodologies to improve quality and productivity in care delivery.
- Highly developed understanding of place-based care and population health principles.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Degree / relevant AHP professional qualification (e.g. Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Speech and Language Therapy, Dramatherapy etc) Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- Management qualification at Masters level or equivalent experience.
- Leadership qualification or equivalent experience.
- Qualification or demonstrable equivalent experience in Quality Improvement methodologies (QI).
- Doctorate or equivalent level of experience within AHP field.
- Qualification or demonstrable equivalent experience in Quality Improvement methodologies (QI).
Skills
Essential
- Highly developed AHP clinical skills in relevant clinical area.
- Extensive knowledge of the healthcare system, including national, regional and local policy drivers.
- Robust understanding of the role of AHPs in delivering safe services.
- Proven ability to communicate complex and sensitive information to different audiences.
Desirable
- Experience of integration of research with NHS service
- Experience of using QI methodologies to improve quality and productivity in care delivery.
- Highly developed understanding of place-based care and population health principles.
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.
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).
Additional information
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.
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).
