Associate Chief Allied Health Professional

Job responsibilities

The successful candidate will be research focused and will continue to build on the research culture within our ACP workforce.

They will lead and implement the Trust AHP strategy, aligning national strategy direction and policy within local strategy as well as having Divisional responsibilities within Quality and Standards and AHP Lead line management responsibilities for discrete AHP projects

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic responsibilities

• To develop, lead and implement a Trust AHP strategy, which aligns with the national AHP strategy and AHP Digital Framework, setting the strategic direction for AHPs across the Trust
• Lead the development of an AHP strategy and Implementation plan that links with other key service strategies within the Trust including Education, Research and Innovation, Digital and Quality
• To professionally and strategically drive the development of the AHP workforce within clinical academic careers to role redesign, extend, enhance or create new roles to meet wider workforce challenges.
• To ensure the future supply of the AHP workforce within the Trust by collaborating closely with HEI stakeholders and national and GM initiatives such as the GM Placement Allocation scheme and Health Education England.
• To drive and champion digital innovations, working closely with Digital Services, within the AHP workforce as part of the local and national AHP strategy, aligning with the AHP Digital framework, to improve patient care, service delivery and data capture around clinical outcomes.
• To drive and champion quality improvement projects as part of the local and national AHP strategy and corporate Trust objectives
• Lead and influence the professional delivery of safe, effective, and high quality AHP service care that meet Trust needs and professional standards across the breadth of AHP professions, including incorporating national guidance and Trust values and behaviours.
• Represent the AHP perspective, knowledge and skills at Trust wide meetings and at regional and national events ensuring the Trust is up to date with AHP developments and initiatives and the AHP workforce has information appropriately disseminated from the Board and senior management about developments within the Trust and GM

Professional Responsibility and Leadership

• To promote excellence in AHP service delivery through the highest standards of professional practice and clinical performance.
• To provide highly visible, inspiring professional and clinical leadership, and champion a professional and open culture which empowers staff to consistently deliver high quality care.
• Ensure the maintenance of professional standards of care within the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), and the standards of other relevant AHP professional regulatory bodies.
• Ensure that all policies and protocols involving AHPs practice conform to the highest standards of clinical practice and quality of care in keeping with CQC standards and the values and behaviours of The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
• Champion the need for continuous quality improvement and development of AHP clinical models and patient pathways across the Trust and wider health care system.
• To ensure that staff are given equal opportunity in job roles that arent profession specific within the Trust and are consistently treated fairly, feel valued and supported to enable them to achieve their fullest potential in a working environment that is safe and stimulating.
• To champion Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity, and embed these values and behaviours ensuring anti discriminatory behaviour underpins and overarches all aspects of AHP service delivery.
• To provide professional AHP leadership and promote the benefits of diverse knowledge, skills, and experience in the senior management team.
• To foster a culture within the AHP workforce that values continuing professional development, strives for excellence in the delivery of patient care, and promotes improved patient experiences.
• To promote the development and application of digital literacy, clinical academic careers, research, and audit in AHP practice
• To advise the Trust Board on professional AHP matters and provide expert knowledge on regional and national initiatives and new external funding opportunities.
• To be a role model and advocate for professional behaviours and standards of practice, in accordance with the HCPC and AHP Codes of Professional Practice.
• Ensure the adoption and implementation of regional and national NHS priorities and initiatives and facilitating the transformative potential of the AHP workforce.
• Implement AHP initiatives around talent management and succession planning, developing the workforce to meet the challenges of the 21st century and the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan [2019]
• To work collaboratively with Digital Services, ensuring the AHP workforce is included in digital initiatives across the Trust, and provide leadership across the AHP workforce to drive the development of digital competencies and digitally mature AHP services
• Network with other Chief AHPs, Chief Nurses, senior managers and relevant stakeholders both within the organisation and beyond to ensure inclusion of the Trust in all matters pertaining to AHPs and to increase profile and reputation

Education Training

• To promote the provision of professional development, education, and training for Allied Health Professional staff.
• Work with key stakeholders including HEIs and GM Cancer to develop AHP staff through clinical academic careers and deliver the Trust education, training, and research priorities.
• Ensure sufficient student capacity across AHP services to build a sustainable pipeline and ensure future workforce supply.
• Foster a culture that values continuing professional development and strives for excellence in the delivery of patient care within the Trust, ensuring the maintenance of professional standards of care and compliance with respective codes of Professional Practice.
• Work with Digital Services to improve digital competencies and literacy of AHP staff, facilitating the delivery of transformative virtual services and digitally enabled care in keeping with Trust objectives and the Digital Strategy.
• Promote the uptake and contribution to high-quality AHP education through promoting an innovative culture, enabling staff to take a questioning approach to practice, reviewing historic practice and supporting audit, research, and innovation.
• To build a culture of continuous improvement and develop and foster collaborative partnerships within research and innovation.
• Ensure all disciplines within AHPs have access to training and education resources that meet regulatory requirements, skill mix development, career progression and succession planning requirements

Research

• Work with strategic partners to grow the capacity and capability of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) to become research aware, research ready and research active.
• To increase the visibility of the AHP professions within the organisation by supporting the development of clinical academic careers for these staff.
• To be an advocate for the value of research, health care science more broadly and evidence-based practice and the role of AHPs in the application of these disciplines for the benefit of patients.
• To demonstrate expert knowledge and experience within a research specialist area to post-doctoral level with a body of research experience in order to lead post-doctoral AHP clinical academics and supervisory experience of PhD students.
• Support staff in writing for publication and provide educational opportunities for AHPs to raise the profile of research in practice.
• Raise the profile of AHP research by developing activities such as conferences and seminars
• Develop, implement and lead a research training framework for AHPs to develop research skills
• Lead on building the capacity and capability of AHP research in partnership with other professions
• Work collaboratively and innovatively within the organisational research infrastructure to ensure opportunities for research funding and support are made visible to staff and increase the success rate of AHP research funding and scholarships
• To work with the key stakeholders to develop and build career pathways within the Christie for our AHPs and to design and implement initiatives that support and sustain this possibility
• Work with the key stakeholders and lead and promote the continued development of research awareness, research competence and scholastic activity such as writing for publishing, critical appraisal of published evidence, presenting at conferences and developing critical thinking skills in the application of research to practice.
• Work alongside clinical research service/governance leads within the divisions to ensure available support for AHPs to navigate ethics and research management and governance approval systems and processes.
• Establish and maintain a database of AHP research activity in the Trust and to publish summary reports.
• Increase the research output and visibility of research AHPs
• Provide mentorship/clinical supervision/coaching to AHP colleagues to enable their professional development.
• Support involvement in AHP audit, quality improvement initiatives and research activity in the Trust and the dissemination of good practice locally, nationally and internationally
• Ensure evidence-practice is implemented and reviewed, monitoring departmental and divisional compliance taking appropriate action where required

Please refer to the attached job description for further duties and responsibilities.

Qualifications

Essential

• Master's Degree education or equivalent appropriate level qualification.
• Management/leadership qualification or equivalent experience.
• AHP Professional qualification and current registration.
• Project Management qualification or experience.
• Evidence of continuous personal / professional training
• GCP Training

Desirable

• Doctorate in related health care subject

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of successful clinical/professional leadership within the NHS.
• Evidence of working with stakeholders at ICS/Regional level to influence the wider health and care agenda within their personal AHP role or on behalf of AHP's.
• Project, programme and change management experience.
• Experience of developing, implementing and evaluating strategy, policy and professional standards/guidance to deliver effective AHP services
• Evidence of operating independently to manage diverse services and developing Trust wide strategies and policies for effective delivery.
• Experience of delivering and leading research.

Desirable

• Publications in peer reviewed journals
• Experience working at clinical consultant or advanced level in practice
• Experience of influencing at a national level

Skills

Essential

• Able to visualise and share a compelling future for AHP's at the Trust and to communicate this effectively
• Experience of translating vision into planning strategies and measurable outcomes
• Evidence of delivering inclusive innovative solutions and creative thinking
• Evidence of understanding the wider political architecture of ICS/IBS and regional and national bodies
• Ability to work autonomously, representing AHP views across the Trust through different structures, and at regional and national level.
• Proven analytical skills, strategically and operationally, to be applied in highly complex situations.
• Evidence of a strong patient focus and a drive to improve patient care and experience
• Strong influencing and negotiating skills
• Strategy development and planning with ability to partnership work and demonstrate strategic thinking against a broad range of organisational activities
• Provide visible motivational clinical leadership, easily able to secure credibility within organisation and lead by example
• Excellent interpersonal skills, management, and leadership skills, demonstrating an ability to build relationships and influence at a senior level and with a wide range of stakeholders: ability to manage conflicts and sensitive situations
• Highly developed ability to motivate and engage to deliver a values-based approach to integrated care, partnership working, best patient experience and outcomes of care

Desirable

• Experience in Chairing multi professional Trust wide committees
• Experience in presenting papers to Board or at high level meetings
• Board level experience

Knowledge

Essential

• In-depth understanding of HCPC and professional regulation as it applies to the AHP professions
• Extensive knowledge of the Allied Health Professions beyond the post holder's own profession
• Extensive knowledge of NHS England/HEE Allied Health Professions agenda
• Knowledge of the educational framework and funding mechanisms for both undergraduate and postgraduate
• Understanding of the national and regional initiatives and drivers for the provision and delivery of quality and safe AHP service delivery including Digital Services
• Knowledge of importance of clinical audit, clinical outcomes, research, and development and evidence based practice to exemplary service standards
• Understanding of how to work effectively as a member of the senior leadership team and board
• Knowledge of clinical & corporate governance.
• Understanding of quality improvement methodology

Desirable

• Understanding of clinical academic pathways and how they may impact of NHS career development

Values

Essential

• Strong personal values that align with the Trust Values and Behaviours and the ability to model these as a corporate leader
• Commitment and passion to the promotion of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the workplace
• A passion and commitment to continually seek to improve standards of patient care through excellent standards of AHP service delivery
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of internal and external stakeholders
• Confident and resilient with the ability to prioritise and work effectively under pressure Demonstrate flexibility in working hours.
• Able to cope with demanding and unpredictable work pattern

Other

Essential

• Computer literate
• Good keyboard skills

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).