Associate Director of Therapies

Job description

Job responsibilities

Champion therapy and AHP priorities, supporting performance monitoring and reporting arrangements to demonstrate progress within the Division.

Provide professional leadership to senior staff groups, setting objectives for the Head of Therapies and other senior colleagues as required.

Develop / refresh the 35-year AHP strategy that identifies key service development and transformation priorities across all clinical specialties, ensuring integration with other CHFT divisions and external partners.

Advise the Trust Executive and Divisional Board on strategic developments affecting AHP and therapy services.

Ensure the role, development, and contribution of therapists/AHPs are aligned with the delivery of divisional and Trust-wide objectives.

Lead and contribute to the development of business cases and contract negotiations that support and sustain services in line with the Trusts strategic direction.

Lead workforce planning and modelling for therapy services to ensure an optimal workforce that delivers high-quality care and value for money.

Promote efficient workforce development, particularly in addressing skill shortages and optimising skill mix.

Coordinate the Trusts involvement in national and regional AHP initiatives and ensure CHFT are consistent with their strategy and benchmarking.

Represent the Trust as the senior AHP professional in internal and external multi-professional and managerial forums.

Ensure that AHPs have a single point of visibility and act as the accountable professional lead across the Trust, serving as a role model, mentor, and coach.

Provide assurance to the Director of Operations that therapy service performance is regularly monitored through agreed KPIs, with remedial actions taken where required.

Support the Head of Therapies to ensure that all staff have a designated professional lead and access to appropriate training, professional reviews, appraisals, and wellbeing support.

Ensure that all local and national targets related to therapy services are delivered within a safe and high-quality framework.

Lead therapy contributions to major Trust-wide initiatives.

Develop, ratify, implement, and evaluate therapy-related strategies, policies, and guidance to ensure service delivery is aligned with national best practice.

Participate in on-call commitments as required by the Trust, providing emergency cover outside of normal working hours when necessary.

Support the division in preparing for assessments and inspections from external bodies such as the CQC, OFSTED, and the NHS Litigation Authority.

Oversee the clinical governance and quality agenda for therapies, working closely with the Head of Therapies to support its development.

Lead the AHP education and training strategy to ensure the workforce is prepared for future service needs.

Drive the development of funding bids to support the strategic advancement of services and therapy roles.

Lead and enhance the research profile of AHPs, supporting research activity across therapy specialisms through presentations, publications, study days, and national conferences.

Person Specification

QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING

Essential

• Degree or higher education qualification in relevant field or, exceptionally, relevant work experience.
• Masters or other post-graduate qualification or relevant on-job experience.
• Registered with a statutory professional body i.e. HCPC with significant post qualification experience
• Leadership/management qualification or equivalent experience.
• Project management qualification or equivalent experience.

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

Essential

• Professional credibility as a senior Allied Healthcare Professional
• Evidence of operating confidently and effectively at senior level within and outside the Trust to be a credible representative for the Trust and to be able to work with the Executive and Board.
• Evidence of broad knowledge of the current NHS context with specific in-depth knowledge of the national agenda for AHPs
• Evidence of effectively managing resources and delivering efficiency improvements.
• Evidence of personal contribution as a strong team player, facilitating effective teamworking to deliver outcomes
• Critical ability to provide professional leadership with a proven record of transformational leadership and change management and staff engagement in complex environments.
• Excellent effective communication skills (verbal and written) with a range of professional, clinical and non-clinical staff and public.
• Able to employ a range of leadership styles to influence and negotiate effectively internally and externally.
• Ability to work autonomously representing AHP views across the Trust through different structures and at regional/national level.
• Specialist and extensive expertise and knowledge across a diverse range of professions under the title Allied Health Professions within the Trust.

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)

Essential

• Evidence of effective multi-professional and partnership working across a health and care economy.
• Able to establish and maintain credible relationships with a range of staff across Trust wide clinical and corporate directorates as well as external partners and stakeholders.
• Able to present information to the highest standard to a range of stakeholders (local, regional and national) using accessible information formats that meet audience requirements
• Prepared to travel locally, regionally and nationally to represent AHPs/Trust at appropriate events.
• Able to be flexible and responsive to meet timescales and service demands.
• Extensive understanding of NHS and social care agenda.
• Confident use of technology e.g. EPIC or equivalent EPR, internet, intranet, Microsoft Office, MS Teams.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bowling Mill

Bowling Mill, Crib Lane

Halifax

HX3 5AQ

Employer's website

https://www.cht.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)