Job summary
We are seeking a passionate, enthusiastic, and experienced Quality Improvement Practitioner to work as part of the North West Radiotherapy Operational Delivery Network (ODN).
To enable the North West Radiotherapy ODN to continue to make significant progress, we are looking for a skilled Quality Improvement Practitioner to join our team to support delivery of our work plan. The post holder will provide quality improvement and project management skills to lead on and support the planning, implementation, and delivery of key quality improvement projects in the North West with a focus on ProKnow and AI / auto-contouring. The Quality Improvement Practitioner post is an excellent opportunity for an individual who is passionate about improving cancer services with experience working in a project environment and/or quality/service improvement. The post holder will have a key role in supporting trusts, and building strong relationships with stakeholders to support implementation, reporting and evaluation.
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds who have the skills and motivation to join the team.
Main duties of the job
The Quality Improvement Practitioner will be an integral member of the Radiotherapy Operational Delivery Network providing leadership, advice, practical support and training for quality improvement, redesign and transformational change initiatives throughout the Network.
They will lead the delivery of transformational change across the North West Radiotherapy ODN.
They will work with multi-disciplinary teams to initiate, design, plan, control and execute specific projects across the Network.
They will champion and support the concept of continuous improvement and will adapt to the changing needs and requirements of the Network and it's members.
About us
The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
Job description
Job responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Dimensions
To support a coordinated and coherent approach to improvement and transformational change within the Radiotherapy ODN:
The NW Radiotherapy ODN is the largest ODN in England comprising three Radiotherapy providers and delivering over 180,000 fractions to 18,000 patients annually.
Knowledge Training and Experience
See Essential Requirements.
Skills
Communication and Relationships
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Excellent report writing skills.
- Competent in the production and delivery of presentations to large groups.
- Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information. There will be a requirement to seek agreement or co-operation with patients, clinicians, senior managers and a range of other staff.
- Ability to negotiate significant change and effectively motivate staff.
- Ability to coach and train staff with varying levels of improvement knowledge.
Analytical and Judgemental
- The ability to analyse, interpret and compare complex information from internal and external sources and interpreting this to inform decision making.
- Use data to simulate transformation outcomes.
- Exercising judgements and making recommendations on service developments priorities/improvement priorities and performance issues.
Planning and Organisation
- A completer finisher, the post holder will be required to work to tight deadlines and deliver agreed projects to the quality standard and timescales agreed.
- Adapt individual work plans (recognising the impact on initiatives) to support delivery of improvement training.
- Plan and organise a broad range of complex activities and formulates/adjusts plans.
- Requirement to make a contribution to the formulation of long term (three to five year) transformation plans, which involve uncertainty, and which may impact across the whole organisation.
- Designing and developing assurance systems for relevant work.
- Project manages aligned elements of the transformation programme, leading work stream developments.
- Horizon scanning, assessing external context nationally and locally to keep Trust at forefront of development.
Physical Dexterity
Key Result Areas
Patient / Client Care
- Accountable to the North West Radiotherapy Network Oversight Group for the transformation of clinical and non-clinical services, which has a direct impact on the delivery of services to patients and the achievement of ODN targets and objectives.
Policy and Service Development
- Support Network-wide policy for improvement strategy/priorities.
- Lead on the development and implementation of policies within their area of responsibility, which will also contribute to the development of Network policies and procedures.
Financial and Physical Resources
- Holds a delegated project budget.
- To ensure efficient use of financial resources Network wide.
Information Resources
- The post holder will be required to access and utilise internal and external information and data sources in order to interpret and present information.
- To ensure information systems draw on external sources and provide robust benchmarking information and therefore provide accurate feedback to the Trust.
Research and Development
- To initiate research into certain aspects of improvement and transformation, as directed.
- To develop best practice change management skills and to help these to be widely adopted and practised across the Trust.
- To keep abreast of national and regional transformation initiatives.
- To support the development and implementation of AI initiatives across the North West.
- To support the implementation of improvement initiatives outlined in the North West Radiotherapy ODN workplan.
Freedom to Act
- Work autonomously prioritising own workload.
- Encourage self and others to take responsibility for making decisive decisions to move things forward.
- Proactively engage with wider organisational context (beyond the NW Radiotherapy ODN) and identifies opportunities to take action and make improvements. Work to local and national policies and procedures.
Other Duties
- Maintain confidentiality and integrity at all times.
- Adhere to all Christie policies.
- Maintain a flexible approach to work in order to meet required targets.
- Undertake any other duties that may be required which are consistent with the grade and responsibility of the post-holder
Job description
Job responsibilities
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Dimensions
To support a coordinated and coherent approach to improvement and transformational change within the Radiotherapy ODN:
The NW Radiotherapy ODN is the largest ODN in England comprising three Radiotherapy providers and delivering over 180,000 fractions to 18,000 patients annually.
Knowledge Training and Experience
See Essential Requirements.
Skills
Communication and Relationships
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Excellent report writing skills.
- Competent in the production and delivery of presentations to large groups.
- Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information. There will be a requirement to seek agreement or co-operation with patients, clinicians, senior managers and a range of other staff.
- Ability to negotiate significant change and effectively motivate staff.
- Ability to coach and train staff with varying levels of improvement knowledge.
Analytical and Judgemental
- The ability to analyse, interpret and compare complex information from internal and external sources and interpreting this to inform decision making.
- Use data to simulate transformation outcomes.
- Exercising judgements and making recommendations on service developments priorities/improvement priorities and performance issues.
Planning and Organisation
- A completer finisher, the post holder will be required to work to tight deadlines and deliver agreed projects to the quality standard and timescales agreed.
- Adapt individual work plans (recognising the impact on initiatives) to support delivery of improvement training.
- Plan and organise a broad range of complex activities and formulates/adjusts plans.
- Requirement to make a contribution to the formulation of long term (three to five year) transformation plans, which involve uncertainty, and which may impact across the whole organisation.
- Designing and developing assurance systems for relevant work.
- Project manages aligned elements of the transformation programme, leading work stream developments.
- Horizon scanning, assessing external context nationally and locally to keep Trust at forefront of development.
Physical Dexterity
Key Result Areas
Patient / Client Care
- Accountable to the North West Radiotherapy Network Oversight Group for the transformation of clinical and non-clinical services, which has a direct impact on the delivery of services to patients and the achievement of ODN targets and objectives.
Policy and Service Development
- Support Network-wide policy for improvement strategy/priorities.
- Lead on the development and implementation of policies within their area of responsibility, which will also contribute to the development of Network policies and procedures.
Financial and Physical Resources
- Holds a delegated project budget.
- To ensure efficient use of financial resources Network wide.
Information Resources
- The post holder will be required to access and utilise internal and external information and data sources in order to interpret and present information.
- To ensure information systems draw on external sources and provide robust benchmarking information and therefore provide accurate feedback to the Trust.
Research and Development
- To initiate research into certain aspects of improvement and transformation, as directed.
- To develop best practice change management skills and to help these to be widely adopted and practised across the Trust.
- To keep abreast of national and regional transformation initiatives.
- To support the development and implementation of AI initiatives across the North West.
- To support the implementation of improvement initiatives outlined in the North West Radiotherapy ODN workplan.
Freedom to Act
- Work autonomously prioritising own workload.
- Encourage self and others to take responsibility for making decisive decisions to move things forward.
- Proactively engage with wider organisational context (beyond the NW Radiotherapy ODN) and identifies opportunities to take action and make improvements. Work to local and national policies and procedures.
Other Duties
- Maintain confidentiality and integrity at all times.
- Adhere to all Christie policies.
- Maintain a flexible approach to work in order to meet required targets.
- Undertake any other duties that may be required which are consistent with the grade and responsibility of the post-holder
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level education supplemented by relevant post graduate study through to Masters Level or equivalent experience.
Desirable
- Project Management Qualification
- Quality Improvement Qualification
- Teaching experience and/or qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of influencing staff at all levels to ensure improvement objectives are owned by all stakeholders
- Experience of working or co-designing improvements with patients or service users
- Specialist change management and operational management knowledge underpinned by theory and experience
- Project management skills and knowledge to work independently in this field
- Developed understanding of health service issues
Desirable
- Experience of conducting successful quality improvement initiatives reviews and action plans
Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Highly skilled negotiator
- Ability to influence change with senior managers and clinicians within the organisation.
- Ability to manage conflict, e.g., where staff are resistant to change, new concepts and different ways of working
- Ability to apply complex theoretical techniques to practical situations
- Ability to coach others to deliver improvement initiatives/projects
- Ability to learn quickly and adapt to the changing environment
- Sound IT skills with good working knowledge of Excel, Word and PowerPoint Excellent data analytical skills and ability to present complex information using a variety of techniques
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and demonstrable experience of using improvement methodologies
- Knowledge of operational, financial and personnel management and an in depth understanding of the issues which enable effective functioning
Desirable
- Good knowledge & understanding of the NHS financial regimes, information systems, data sources and benchmarking techniques
- Good understanding of care pathways through complex NHS systems
Values
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
Other
Essential
- Ability to think creatively with excellent problem-solving skills
- Organised and logical approach to work and high-level attention to detail, able present complex information in a clear and logical manner
- Commitment to improving services for staff and patient's
- Excellent communicator with strong negotiation and facilitation skills and the ability to influence and effect change at both a clinical and managerial level
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level education supplemented by relevant post graduate study through to Masters Level or equivalent experience.
Desirable
- Project Management Qualification
- Quality Improvement Qualification
- Teaching experience and/or qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of influencing staff at all levels to ensure improvement objectives are owned by all stakeholders
- Experience of working or co-designing improvements with patients or service users
- Specialist change management and operational management knowledge underpinned by theory and experience
- Project management skills and knowledge to work independently in this field
- Developed understanding of health service issues
Desirable
- Experience of conducting successful quality improvement initiatives reviews and action plans
Skills
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Highly skilled negotiator
- Ability to influence change with senior managers and clinicians within the organisation.
- Ability to manage conflict, e.g., where staff are resistant to change, new concepts and different ways of working
- Ability to apply complex theoretical techniques to practical situations
- Ability to coach others to deliver improvement initiatives/projects
- Ability to learn quickly and adapt to the changing environment
- Sound IT skills with good working knowledge of Excel, Word and PowerPoint Excellent data analytical skills and ability to present complex information using a variety of techniques
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and demonstrable experience of using improvement methodologies
- Knowledge of operational, financial and personnel management and an in depth understanding of the issues which enable effective functioning
Desirable
- Good knowledge & understanding of the NHS financial regimes, information systems, data sources and benchmarking techniques
- Good understanding of care pathways through complex NHS systems
Values
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours
Other
Essential
- Ability to think creatively with excellent problem-solving skills
- Organised and logical approach to work and high-level attention to detail, able present complex information in a clear and logical manner
- Commitment to improving services for staff and patient's
- Excellent communicator with strong negotiation and facilitation skills and the ability to influence and effect change at both a clinical and managerial level
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).
