Head of Support and Wellbeing Therapies

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

To be accountable and responsible for the provision of safe, responsive, excellent patient support and wellbeing interventions that recognise and reflect peoples rights to choice, independence and self-determination

To achieve this excellence through the Support and Wellbeing team incorporating Creative and Support Therapies (CaST) Complementary Therapy, Family Support (Counselling and Bereavement Support) and Befriending Volunteers to help them be the best they can be, working to current best practice and processes but always striving for excellence through continuous professional and personal development.

To lead the team, be a role model, be passionate, enthusiastic and a great communicator; to demonstrate efficient and effective service management that enables a creative approach to the application of best practice and regulatory compliance.

Lead the delivery of individualised interventions ensuring all support and wellbeing provision remains focused on enabling people to attain the goals they set themselves, plan ahead, celebrate achievement and make the most of life, hospice services and those within our wider community

Within available resources work creatively with the team to enhance the range of Support & Wellbeing provision for the communities of Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley and maximise capacity and timely support for people as they progress through the palliative phase of their condition.

To achieve these standards this role incorporates an average of 50% supernumerary time

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

Team Management and Leadership

Lead in the recruitment of all new staff and contribute to the recruitment of volunteers.

Lead on the structure of their departmental induction, 3 and 6-month probationary reviews and ensure that staff and those volunteers supporting the service clearly understand their role and responsibility.

Maintain the clinical competence of staff through effective supervision, monitoring and performance development reviews.

Promote on going learning, development and personal and professional growth.

Maintain morale within the team ensuring staff and volunteers are supported and valued for their contribution; foster a no blame culture and actively support personal development.

Act as mentor/preceptor whilst ensuring these abilities are maintained within the registered nursing staff.

Ensure new staff are aware of the services offered across all departments and engage with corporate events (such as Tea n Toast to contribute to and understand hospice strategy and their own role in achieving it).

Drive effective partnership and collaboration across the hospice and with external partners to maximise outcomes for patients and the opportunity for service improvement.

Working collaboratively with the Head of Corporate Support Services, ensure efficient and effective admin systems are maintained

Plan and manage your own time to allow at least 50% direct clinical practice

Ensure that students on spoke placement from the Inpatient Unit have access to high quality learning experiences relevant to their education programme.

Demonstrate and promote the hospice values (to care, listen, respect and work together) in all behaviour.

Patient Experience

Maintain a highly visible presence within the team and our community, being responsive to people accessing the services, those that matter to them, staff and volunteers

Establish robust systems for engaging pro-actively with people throughout the last 1000 days of life, working in collaboration with ELH services and key partners to maximise the potential of Support & Wellbeing services

Engage positively with the multidisciplinary team to enhance patient care and understanding of roles.

Ensure the team is responsive to individual need through regular review of planned interventions that take account of peoples physical, psychological and spiritual needs referring on/signposting to additional services as needs change.

Ensure that robust documentation is maintained including care and support planning, the evaluation of nursing care and the involvement of patients and those that matter to them wherever possible.

Critically evaluate practice providing guidance, challenge and support for team members whilst taking the patients experience and point of view into account.

Work alongside team members to demonstrate expected standards and clinical competence to deliver the best possible outcomes and experience for patients.

Actively encourage feedback from patients and visitors about all aspects of our care and environment to ensure that we are responding to patient need.

Ensure that staff know and follow the procedures for lone working and out of hours support

Governance and Quality

Attend and contribute to Governance and other specified meetings as required.

Monitor standards of care through audit and scope/drive initiatives to achieve improvements based on learning from events, feedback and best practice guidance

Undertake audit activity, formulating reports and action plans and guiding others in becoming proficient at audit and delivery of associated actions within timeframes set

Working collaboratively with the Clinical Services Director and Head of Governance and Quality, report through the governance framework

Contribute and/or lead on wider organisational initiatives to further develop the quality and safety of service provision in keeping with regulatory requirements and organisational strategy

Take responsibility for the delivery of CQC standards, audit/self-assessment, information governance requirements and risk management and produce/deliver on associated action plans to achieve any required actions/improvements

Timely reporting/investigation of incidents to maintain a safe environment, support learning and prevent further occurrence undertaking root cause analysis of serious incidents

Lead and/or participate in the investigation of complaints as appropriate/delegated ensuring a thorough, timely and accurate report is produced and identified and agreed actions implemented

PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Work always in keeping with own professional/hospice standards and best practice guidance

Promote and maintain appropriate and respectful professional relationships with colleagues and other staff working in collaboration with key personnel including, but not limited to, Clinical Services Director, Head of Quality and Governance and Heads of Department to maximise outcomes for patients

Exercise good personal time management, punctuality, appearance and consistent reliable attendance

Ensure that personal actions and conduct apply with hospice policies and procedures

Act as an ambassador for the East Lancashire Hospice always promoting our vision which is to help everyone who comes into contact with the hospice to make the most of life. We do this by committing to our values: to care, listen, respect and work together to support people to live well until they die and support those affected by death

GENERAL RESPONSIBLITIES

Monitor service activity, outcomes, clinical record keeping, and advice given, working in collaboration with the Clinical Services Director in relation to action required.

Deliver education to team members and wider hospice departments in topic areas relevant to own role, area of practice and expertise, ensuring learning objectives are achieved

Ensure compliance with mandatory training requirements for self and team members

Effectively manage sickness absence in accordance with hospice policies and procedures

Monitor individual/team performance escalating where necessary for advice and support

Ensure all staff have an annual PDR to assess performance and identify personal and professional development needs/opportunities that will enhance service delivery and the wellbeing and motivation of team members

Utilise a range of IT systems and office applications in support of professional practice and organisational requirements including for example patient clinical record system, incident reporting and mandatory training

Ensure a safe environment by ensuring the reporting of hazards and incidents, completion of relevant risk assessments, investigation of incidents and implementation of risk reduction measures

Ensure effective use of all resources within allocated budget

STATUTORY DUTIES

Ensure the security of information accessed in the course of your duties ensuring compliance with the Data Protection Act, Caldicott principles and information governance best practice guidance

Report any hazards or incidents in accordance with the Health Safety and Risk Management Policy and procedures

Comply with the East Lancashire Hospice no smoking policy in all hospice premises and grounds

Be responsible for maintaining own vaccinations including Hepatitis B immunity (as applicable)

Ensure that infection control measures are followed in relation to your role

Work at all times to safeguard the rights of individuals promoting their wellbeing and protecting those at risk from harm, acting on any concerns related to safeguarding children and adults at risk in line with policy and local guidance

Knowledge

Essential

• K1 Regulatory standards including for example NMC/CQC
• K2 Safeguarding
• K3 Risk Management

Desirable

• K4 Budget management
• K5 Advance Care Planning
• K6 Spiritual care principles

Personal Attributes

Essential

• PA1 Excellent interpersonal /communication abilities
• PA2 Self-driven with ability to motivate and empower others
• PA3 Able to be accountable for own department/area of
• practice
• PA4 Patient/customer focus in keeping with hospice values
• PA5 Ability to remain calm and work effectively in challenging situations
• PA6 Flexible to meet the changing needs of patients and / or the Service
• PA7 Professional attitude to work and the charitable status of the organisation, willing to work at all times to protect the reputation of clinical care provision and the hospice

Skills

Essential

• S1 Excellent organisational skills with the ability to assess,
• plan, organise, prioritise and co-ordinate care/therapeutic
• interventions, own workload and that of others
• S2 Ability to work autonomously using own initiative,
• seeking medical and or other support to ensure patient
• needs are met
• S3 Team leadership/management skills
• S4 Problem solving/decision making/Influencing skills
• S6 Computer literacy/use of clinical systems
• S7 Ability to network/build productive relationships
• S9 Able to deal with difficult and sensitive issues in a
• supportive and professional manner
• S10 Car driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes

Desirable

• S5 Group facilitation and knowledge of group dynamic
• S8 Development and delivery of formal and informal
• education/training

Qualifications

Essential

• Q1 Qualification in a related field for eg as a health / allied
• health professional for example RGN, OT, Physio, Health
• Visitor with active registration
• Q2 Leadership/management or equivalent experience
• Q3 Evidence of continuous personal/professional
• development

Desirable

• Q4 Advanced communication skills
• Q5 Mentorship

Experience

Essential

• E1 Substantial experience in a therapeutic environment
• relevant to the role
• E2 Previous experience of team/service leadership &
• Management
• E3 Proven interest and experience in palliative / end of life
• care or the care of individuals with life limiting
• illness/palliative and end of life care
• E4 Multidisciplinary team (MDT) working with ability to
• establish effective professional relationships

Desirable

• E5 Application of regulations/quality standards in practice
• E6 Service improvement/development/quality initiatives
• E7 Incident investigation
• E8 Formal or informal teaching, education and development

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).