Job summary
Associate Chief Allied Health Professional
Department Quality and Nursing
Band 8D £91,342 - £105,337 Per annum, pro rata
Hours 22.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
#TeamMKUH are extremely proud to be recruiting our first Associate Chief Allied Health Professional (AHP). As an experienced AHP, you will work strategically to raise the profile of AHPs to support the development and delivery of the AHP strategic plan aligned to the Trust's priorities.
You will play a key role in identifying the AHP workforce's transformative potential, supporting innovation, new ways of working to meet current and future needs of the people of Milton Keynes. A key priority will be liberating the potential and demonstrating the value of AHP's.
Additionally, you will work collaboratively with professional leaders and operational services within varying disciplines including Learning Disabilities, community health and specialist services to ensure trust decisions are inclusive of AHPs' views.
The Associate Chief AHP will maintain an external focus to ensure that MKUH contribute to the national development of AHP services, whilst ensuring the internal strategy is achieved and that it continues to align with broader drivers.
In order to maximise on existing capabilities, grow our future talent pipeline and help the organisation on its journey to outstanding, we are looking for one key, talented, compassionate individual to lead, inspire and develop our AHPs.
Main duties of the job
'We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute'
To provide overall leadership to AHPs within the organisation, with clinical accountability for the Allied Health Professional (AHP) service provided to patients, ensuring effective AHP input into the development of the Trust's and Integrated Care System (ICS) strategy, policies, and business plans.
Reports directly to the Chief Nurse, as an experienced Allied Health Professional representing Allied Health Professionals and providing strategic direction across the Group acting as a; visible leader, role model, a point of contact and/or providing advice and expertise on professional issues relating to AHPs.
Demonstrate the compassionate leadership we aspire to and the values of the organisation and the wider integrated care system.
Provide professional leadership to the head of therapies and dietetics and head of imaging services.
Be responsible for establishing and maintaining strong and effective partnerships and stakeholder relationships across local, regional, and national networks.
Work in a highly collaborative way, resulting in significant organisational efficiencies and the bringing together of professions at all levels including links with regional and national professional bodies, influencing national policy, responding to national professional issues, implementing and firmly embedding new professionaldevelopment initiatives relevant to individual professions and the collective staff group as a whole.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical and Professional Leadership
To collaborate with members of the Divisions to ensure processes are in place to optimise the best use of the AHP resource, including monitoring productivity measures such as the model hospital/GIRFT. To lead on a Trust wide approach to developing clinically effective AHP led advanced clinical practice models and support the Trust wide workforce development of Advanced Clinical Practice.
Leadership and Management
To act as a key member of the Chief Nursing Officers senior leadership team in being accountable, implementing and maintaining clinical quality, governance and risk management, including evidence of compliance with the Care Quality Commission regulations. Take responsibility for ensuring that all aspects of quality governance within the AHP teams are managed in conjunction with the broader governance systems and in dealing with formal complaints and the coroners office be able to interpret and understand clinical information and facts that are highly complex or require interpreting.
Financial Management
Contribute to budget setting and financial improvement programs that drive efficiencies while maintaining quality and safety. Assist in meeting statutory financial obligations and annual business plan targets.
Education
Ensure that appraisal compliance includes personal development plans. In collaboration with education providers, the associate chief nurse for workforce and the training and development team, oversee the clinical placements for a range of undergraduate programmes and Higher Education Institutions and monitor the use of the non-medical placement tariff.
Professional
Maintain awareness of up to date professional and clinical practice issues and ensure that National policy is reflected in practice. Be a source of professional advice in all areas of responsibility to senior managers and other staff to ensure that they are appropriately informed and supported.
Corporate Trust Wide Roles
Participate in Trust tactical on call rota (pro rata). Participate in Trust initiatives to develop and improve clinical practice and patient care, providing expert advice on current service provision and future developments.
Other
Lead in the development of Trust wide policies/procedures. The post holder would need to maintain their professional registration therefore should take a professional portfolio approach to maintaining their registration.
Service Delivery and Development
To represent the Chief Nursing Officer internally and externally where requested. This may include taking the chair of meetings, the preparation/summary of papers and deputising during periods of planned leave. To lead, participate and work with Trust Workforce Groups to design and deliver the most effective and efficient structures, roles and processes to meet the organisational and patient.
Governance
Take responsibility for ensuring that all aspects of quality governance within the AHP teams are managed in conjunction with the broader corporate governance systems. Responsible for ensuring appropriate systems are in place to evidence ongoing compliance with local and national policies as required for CQC standards.
Research and Effectiveness
Develop approaches for the utilisation of best practice and research evidence, which supports AHPs and improves patient experience. Ensure that AHP policies, protocols and procedures are up to date and based upon the best available evidence.
Please refer to Job Description for further details
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical and Professional Leadership
To collaborate with members of the Divisions to ensure processes are in place to optimise the best use of the AHP resource, including monitoring productivity measures such as the model hospital/GIRFT. To lead on a Trust wide approach to developing clinically effective AHP led advanced clinical practice models and support the Trust wide workforce development of Advanced Clinical Practice.
Leadership and Management
To act as a key member of the Chief Nursing Officers senior leadership team in being accountable, implementing and maintaining clinical quality, governance and risk management, including evidence of compliance with the Care Quality Commission regulations. Take responsibility for ensuring that all aspects of quality governance within the AHP teams are managed in conjunction with the broader governance systems and in dealing with formal complaints and the coroners office be able to interpret and understand clinical information and facts that are highly complex or require interpreting.
Financial Management
Contribute to budget setting and financial improvement programs that drive efficiencies while maintaining quality and safety. Assist in meeting statutory financial obligations and annual business plan targets.
Education
Ensure that appraisal compliance includes personal development plans. In collaboration with education providers, the associate chief nurse for workforce and the training and development team, oversee the clinical placements for a range of undergraduate programmes and Higher Education Institutions and monitor the use of the non-medical placement tariff.
Professional
Maintain awareness of up to date professional and clinical practice issues and ensure that National policy is reflected in practice. Be a source of professional advice in all areas of responsibility to senior managers and other staff to ensure that they are appropriately informed and supported.
Corporate Trust Wide Roles
Participate in Trust tactical on call rota (pro rata). Participate in Trust initiatives to develop and improve clinical practice and patient care, providing expert advice on current service provision and future developments.
Other
Lead in the development of Trust wide policies/procedures. The post holder would need to maintain their professional registration therefore should take a professional portfolio approach to maintaining their registration.
Service Delivery and Development
To represent the Chief Nursing Officer internally and externally where requested. This may include taking the chair of meetings, the preparation/summary of papers and deputising during periods of planned leave. To lead, participate and work with Trust Workforce Groups to design and deliver the most effective and efficient structures, roles and processes to meet the organisational and patient.
Governance
Take responsibility for ensuring that all aspects of quality governance within the AHP teams are managed in conjunction with the broader corporate governance systems. Responsible for ensuring appropriate systems are in place to evidence ongoing compliance with local and national policies as required for CQC standards.
Research and Effectiveness
Develop approaches for the utilisation of best practice and research evidence, which supports AHPs and improves patient experience. Ensure that AHP policies, protocols and procedures are up to date and based upon the best available evidence.
Please refer to Job Description for further details
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Active registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Educated to a minimum of MSc. level with evidence of post MSc. training to doctorate level or equivalent experience.
- Management or leadership qualification or demonstratable experience of working within leadership roles
Desirable
- Project management qualification or training
Experience
Essential
- Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, able to interpret and compare highly complex facts, situations and strategies, developing a range of options
- Strong management and leadership skills with a proven record of introducing organisation wide change
- Experience of working in a senior role in a similar healthcare environment, within commissioner or provider organisation
- Experience of developing business cases/business planning
- Well-developed senior experience in workforce and education
- Experience of leading a team and delivering excellence through others
- Advanced engagement skills, able to influence and negotiate with colleagues on all levels (Internally and externally)
- Proven staff management experience with the ability to motivate, lead and challenge
- Experience of budget management
Skills
Essential
- Strategic thinker with ability to work as part of a team and able to work on own initiative
- Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to manage complex clinical and operational situations that involve staff from all levels within an organisation
- Tenacity to pursue goals energetically and succeed despite resistance
- Developed interpersonal and influencing skills
- Strong professional leadership qualities, assertive and self-confident individual
- Evidence of published research
- Ability to perform effectively under pressure while delivering high quality outcomes within agreed timescales
- Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment
- Ability to concentrate for long periods of time when in meetings or analysing infection control issues/trends
- Ability to deal with frequent interruptions due to emerging service issues
- Standard keyboard skills and Microsoft Office experience
Personal and people development
Essential
- Effective personal organisation skills
- The ability to fulfil a senior management on call obligation
- Preparedness to participate in 360 degree appraisal and effective / supportive / empowering performance review.
Communication
Essential
- Able to communicate complex issues
- Highly developed communication skills, including advanced report writing skills, presentations and verbal communication
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence others.
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Management of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and Health and safety of Patients, Staff and Visitors in the clinical environment
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Active registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
- Educated to a minimum of MSc. level with evidence of post MSc. training to doctorate level or equivalent experience.
- Management or leadership qualification or demonstratable experience of working within leadership roles
Desirable
- Project management qualification or training
Experience
Essential
- Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, able to interpret and compare highly complex facts, situations and strategies, developing a range of options
- Strong management and leadership skills with a proven record of introducing organisation wide change
- Experience of working in a senior role in a similar healthcare environment, within commissioner or provider organisation
- Experience of developing business cases/business planning
- Well-developed senior experience in workforce and education
- Experience of leading a team and delivering excellence through others
- Advanced engagement skills, able to influence and negotiate with colleagues on all levels (Internally and externally)
- Proven staff management experience with the ability to motivate, lead and challenge
- Experience of budget management
Skills
Essential
- Strategic thinker with ability to work as part of a team and able to work on own initiative
- Excellent presentational, communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to manage complex clinical and operational situations that involve staff from all levels within an organisation
- Tenacity to pursue goals energetically and succeed despite resistance
- Developed interpersonal and influencing skills
- Strong professional leadership qualities, assertive and self-confident individual
- Evidence of published research
- Ability to perform effectively under pressure while delivering high quality outcomes within agreed timescales
- Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment
- Ability to concentrate for long periods of time when in meetings or analysing infection control issues/trends
- Ability to deal with frequent interruptions due to emerging service issues
- Standard keyboard skills and Microsoft Office experience
Personal and people development
Essential
- Effective personal organisation skills
- The ability to fulfil a senior management on call obligation
- Preparedness to participate in 360 degree appraisal and effective / supportive / empowering performance review.
Communication
Essential
- Able to communicate complex issues
- Highly developed communication skills, including advanced report writing skills, presentations and verbal communication
- Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to influence others.
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
- Management of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and Health and safety of Patients, Staff and Visitors in the clinical environment
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
