A unique and exciting opportunity has arisen at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust. We are embarking on a three-year partnership with the internationally renowned Virginia Mason Institute to support us on our Continuous Improvement journey.

The successful post holder will join our expanding Improvement Team and will work with our Executive Team and colleagues across the Trust to implement a culture of continuous improvement. You must have a passion for putting patients first and a strong desire to help our teams explore new ways of looking at, and solving, their problems.

If you want to work in a high profile transformation role, and be part of our exciting improvement journey as we strive to become an Outstanding organisation, we would love to hear from you.

(full/part time hours considered)

*Please note previous applicants need not apply*

Main duties of the job

Support members of the Improvement Team and the wider organisation in the identification of improvement opportunities through applying learning, horizon scanning, data analysis, benchmarking and discussion with stakeholders.

Lead on allocated improvement projects and events and in doing so, coordinate participation and input from relevant stakeholders.

Work with the Senior Improvement Specialists and Improvement Specialist to facilitate a range of workshops that explore and implement new ways of working, including taking the role of workshop lead team lead and improvement project lead where appropriate.

Work with stakeholders to produce recommendations for change and engage stakeholders in the redesign and improvement of services

Work closely with Process Owners to support them with the implementation of the Improvement activities to achieve the agreed metrics.

Develop and maintain effective improvement project plans and associated documentation

Work with other members of the Improvement Team to develop and implement effective improvement project governance.

Support Senior Improvement Specialists and Improvement Specialist to scope and deliver complex value streams.

Support patients to participate in improvement work, ensuring that their views are heard.

Identify and manage risks, escalating when necessary.

About us

Our purpose is simple - Putting Patients First. We are looking for exceptional colleagues who can help us achieve this.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is nearly 6,800 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us to achieve our Vision - working in partnership to provide the best healthcare for our communities, leading and supporting our teams to move 4ward. Our 4ward behaviours, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Our objectives are simple:

• Best services for local people
• Best experience of care and best outcomes for our patients
• Best use of resources
• Best people

Better never stops, and our Clinical Services Strategy provides a clear future vision for our Trust, our hospitals, our services and our role in the wider health and care system.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

Job description

Job responsibilities

2: Job Purpose:

To work across the Trust to support the Senior Improvement Specialists and Improvement Specialist to facilitate sustainable improvement and organisational change and take responsibility for leading on improvement projects and tasks using the 4Ward Improvement System under their supervision.

To assist stakeholders to fully understand the improvement process, tools and techniques associated with the 4Ward Improvement System so that improvement becomes sustainable.

Support the tracking and reporting of benefits of improvement projects, working closely with the relevant support departments (e.g. Finance, Business Intelligence etc.) to ensure accurate reporting.

To assist the Senior Improvement Specialists and Improvement Specialist to co-ordinate improvement workshops for complex value stream work.

To support coordination and delivery of a range of training programmes on aspects of improvement methodology and advanced lean tools, delivering training in conjunction with Improvement colleagues.

To coach others in improvement techniques.

To be a key member of the Improvement Team who will develop expertise to take some improvement work forward themselves and to support other team members in doing so.

Roles and Responsibilities of the post holder:

i)IMPROVEMENT METHODOLOGY & PROJECTS

Support members of the Improvement Team and the wider organisation in the identification of improvement opportunities through applying learning, horizon scanning, data analysis, benchmarking and discussion with stakeholders.

Lead on allocated improvement projects and events and in doing so, coordinate participation and input from relevant stakeholders.

Work with the Senior Improvement Specialists and Improvement Specialist to facilitate a range of workshops that explore and implement new ways of working, including taking the role of workshop lead team lead and improvement project lead where appropriate.

Work with stakeholders to produce recommendations for change and engage stakeholders in the redesign and improvement of services

Work closely with Process Owners to support them with the implementation of the Improvement activities to achieve the agreed metrics.

• Develop and maintain effective improvement project plans and associated documentation.

• Work with other members of the Improvement Team to develop and implement effective improvement project governance.
• Support Senior Improvement Specialists and Improvement Specialist to scope and deliver complex value streams.

Support patients to participate in improvement work, ensuring that their views are heard.

Identify and manage risks, escalating when necessary.

ii) IMPROVEMENT FACILITATION, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND COACHING

Develop technical skills commensurate with the 4Ward Improvement System and achieve associated accreditation in order to be recognised as an expert within the organisation.

Support the delivery of change through facilitation, training, engagement of stakeholders that ensures that improvements are sustainable and based on good practice.

Plan, coordinate and deliver training sessions under the guidance the Senior Improvement Specialists and Improvement Specialist to build capacity and capability for the single improvement methodology.

• Support Senior Improvement Specialists and Improvement Specialist:

Coordinate and deliver and facilitate a range of 4Ward Improvement System training programmes

Lead improvement events that are directly aligned to the strategic objectives of the organisation

Promote the benefits of the 4Ward Improvement System across the organisation.

Coach staff through their traditional working practices and promote the new leadership behaviours.

Work collaboratively with clinical and non-clinical stakeholders to support them to identify, develop and realise improvement opportunities.

iii)IMPROVEMENT OFFICE

Be a key and supportive member of the Improvement Team.

Gather, analyse and present complex data to support decision making to improve services. This may include performance data, surveys, benchmarking information, budget information, service user/staff feedback etc.

Implement methods of measurement for targets, milestones and timescales for improvement projects that enable an evidence based approach to improvement.

Prepare reports and case studies to demonstrate the outcomes of improvement projects and events and enable sharing of such learning.

Plan and organise a range of activities, some of which will be ongoing, including work planning, task allocation and coordination associated with improvement projects within and beyond the Improvement Team

Demonstrate a flexible approach to testing new ideas, tools and techniques to support new and innovative approaches to improvement so that our improvement practice is leading-edge.

Support research activity that ensures that the Trust uses evidence-based practice to support their improvement work.

Maintain improvement Team documentation, forms and templates, including QIAs.

Provide accurate and timely information for progress/highlight reports and other reports to Board and its sub-committees.

Take responsibility for developing and tracking the monthly reporting cycle.

Support the development of communication and engagement messages and materials.

Track and report the costs and benefits of projects for which the post holder is responsible.

Maintain an accessible, central repository of improvement project documentation.

Take responsibility for physical resources in relation to equipment required for improvement events (e.g. IT equipment, stationery, projector etc).

iv) OTHER

Ensure that the Trusts 4ward Behaviours underpin all improvement activities and consistently demonstrate these on a daily basis.

Deputise for Improvement Specialist as required as appropriate.

Maintain and progress own personal and professional development

Attend in service training including mandatory training and other appropriate courses.

Person Specification

Other Job Requirements

Essential

• Ability to regularly travel independently across our three hospitals sites Ability to work outside of normal working hours on occasions to support / coach / train
• Ability to be home and site based dependent on service needs.

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

• Presentation skills (virtual and classroom)
• Teaching skills
• Facilitation skills
• Microsoft Office skills
• Data analysis and data presentation skills
• Negotiation skills
• Understanding of NHS acute trusts and the national and local context in which they operate
• Knowledge of improvement tools and techniques and of their application
• Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, including report writing skills
• Ability to work individually with minimal supervision and to take personal responsibility
• Organisational skills with the ability to meet deadlines.

Desirable

• Developing learning material
• Coaching skills.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate an equivalent level of specialist knowledge, training and experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to the role.

Desirable

• Training in improvement methods or techniques.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of leading, undertaking or participating in improvement work Experience of engagement with a range of stakeholders at all levels Experience of working collaboratively, with colleagues at a range of levels throughout the organisation
• Experience of data analysis, sometimes with complex data
• Experience of presenting and/or educating others
• Experience of managing difficult conversations
• Experience of facilitating / chairing small groups / team meetings.

Desirable

• Experience of working in an improvement team in an acute hospital trust Experience of supporting patient involvement in improvement initiatives or projects
• Ex
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