Director of Care

Job responsibilities

1To be the Registered Manager of Wessex Childrens Hospice Trust, fulfilling the requirements of the Care Quality Commission for registration, enabling the children, young people and families to receive appropriate care and support that is safe and quality assured in a family centred environment.

2To provide professional leadership and direction to all members of the multi-disciplinary Care Team.

3Together with the Senior Management Team, develop and implement the strategic and operational plans for the Trust, participating in budgetary and financial planning as required, as well as managing the Care Team budget.

4To be responsible for the strategic development of the care service; actively enhancing and developing all areas of the service whilst ensuring optimum utilisation of resources.

5To fully participate in promotional activities on behalf of the Trust, developing networks with other childrens hospices, primary, secondary and tertiary services, charitable groups, integrated care boards etc. promoting the services offered at Naomi House and Jacksplace.

6 To provide clinical advice to the Board of Trustees and provide operational reports on the running of Naomi House and Jacksplace on a regular basis.

Key Tasks

Clinical

To be responsible for ensuring high quality, evidence based care is delivered, ensuring all statutory regulations and standards set by the Care Quality Commission are met, providing a professional family centred service to children, young people and families.

To provide care team input to the Clinical Committee (under the Chairmanship of the Clinical Trustee), providing professional advice on best practice.

To actively contribute to the Heathcare Governance committee and ensure clinical

standards are explicit and followed by all staff and subject to audit as required.

To maintain an up to date risk register and ensure high scoring risks have clear mitigation plans to reduce or minimise clinical and organisational risks.

Responsible for the safeguarding agenda, ensuring it is understood by all staff. National guidance, including the working together guidelines (2015) and Safeguarding of Adults, Care Act (2014) are followed at all times.

To liaise with both internal and external stakeholders/partners with regards to patient care.

To be accountable for the development and on-going review of all care policies, procedures and guidelines ensuring that the Care Team follow an up-to-date evidence based approach to Care, and that quality standards are disseminated and implemented by the Care Team.

To be responsible for all aspects of administration of the Care process, keeping adequate records, and respond to requests for management information both internally from the Board of Trustees, Chief Executive and Senior Management Team, and externally from clinical auditors, commissioners and Care Quality Commission.

To maintain positive and regular communication with children, young adults and their families, ensuring there is an effective feedback mechanism for optimising service provision, and an effective policy for dealing with any complaints promptly.

Managerial

As a member of the Senior Management Team, attend meetings and provide managerial reports to the Senior Management Team, and the Board of Trustees as required.

To be responsible for workforce planning and development ensuring there are adequate numbers and required skill mix of staff within the Care Team, with the capability, motivation and regulatory standards to ensure that a quality service will be delivered (either directly via employees or indirectly via contractors / suppliers).

To be responsible for ensuring the effective education and development of staff.

To promote an understanding in all staff of working for a charitable organisation.

To be responsible for ensuring an adequate staff support system (supervision) is in place and working effectively.

To be responsible for monitoring and controlling expenditure from the Care budget, working closely with the Finance team.

To ensure that there is a mechanism in place which enables effective communication within the Care Team, and other areas of the Trust, ensuring that everyone is aware of developments and day to day operational issues.

To manage external contracts relevant to Care provision.

To optimise the use of volunteer support within the Care Team, working closely with the Volunteer Services Manager.

To ensure compliance with fire, health & safety policies and other applicable legislation.

To communicate and work with Integrated Care Boards as potential commissioning bodies for the delivery of care, developing agreements and contracts as appropriate.

To undertake or commission relevant research as relevant to care provision.

To be the Trust Caldicott Guardian.

Personal

To be responsible for own personal professional development; keeping abreast of current issues in provision of palliative care and best practice, networking with other providers and external agencies and participating in working parties as agreed.

To work closely with other members of the Senior Management Team, with regards to the running of Wessex Childrens Hospice Trust, supporting the income generation efforts of the Trust including speaking at public events.

To participate in clinical duties as required, being available for emergency support and advice, as per the on-call rota. Ensure that the Chief Executive is informed of any untoward incident or any unidentified risk which may compromise the service.

To adhere to the NMC Code of Professional Conduct.

To be a role model at all times.

Qualifications

Essential

• REGISTERED NURSE with valid up to date registration with NMC.
• Education to degree or Masters level.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development.
• Leadership qualification/training.
• Experience of effective collaborative working with professionals from other agencies and disciplines.
• Evidence of budgetary management, recruitment, complaints and incident management.
• Experience of clinical audit.
• Experience and good understanding of clinical supervision and reflective practice.
• Evidence of change management, leadership and innovation.
• Experience of line management of clinical staff including appraisals and sickness/absence, and performance management.
• Ability to gather information quickly, make decisions and communicate appropriately.
• Ability to manage own time and workload effectively.
• Ability to support and supervise junior staff.
• Provide functional and clinical leadership.
• Knowledge of relevant guidance/NMC/local policies to support clinical practice. Clear understanding of professional accountability.
• Understanding of the impact on the child or young person of living with a disability and on families caring for a child with complex needs.
• Good understanding of safeguarding children and vulnerable adults policies and procedures.
• A working understanding of Clinical Governance and Care Quality Commission standards.
• Ability to cope with stressful situations and support staff in this.
• Personal grief/loss resolved sufficiently to perform and cope in an environment that has likely exposure to bereavement concerns.
• Willingness to work flexibly and adapt to changing service needs.
• Able to leadwork independently, and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Drive for improved outcomes for children and young people and families.
• Enthusiasm, professionalism, positivity and good work ethic.
• Ability to cover on call including weekends and Bank Holidays.
• An understanding of the principles of equal opportunities as it relates to staff and children/young people, and able to demonstrate personal commitment to challenging discrimination and promoting equalities
• Able to demonstrate behaviours which meet Trust values - ASPIRE:
• Agile
• Supportive
• Proud
• Inclusive
• Responsive
• Encouraging

Desirable

• RSCN/RN Child or Dual Registration.
• Palliative care course.
• Mentoring qualification.
• Relevant experience of caring for children or young people with highly complex care needs and disability.
• Experience of holistic assessment and individualised planning of care.
• Experience of working with children or young people with palliative care needs.
• Competent clinical skills based on current best evidence, to include: medicine management; IV therapy; symptom management; respiratory support including invasive and non-invasive ventilation; nutritional care/enteral feeding; neurological care/seizure management.
• Knowledge and experience of various physical and mental health conditions associated with, children or young people with life limited diagnosis and palliative care.

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).