The Professional Lead Occupational Therapy role is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Occupational Therapist to take the strategic lead role in taking our Occupational Therapy services forward in University Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about Occupational Therapy delivering excellent patient care within the acute hospital setting. Demonstrating excellent leadership skills and the ability to develop a culture of quality improvement.

You will work as part of the senior management team within the Therapies Directorate along side the Professional Leads for Physiotherapy, Nutrition and Dietetics and Speech and Language Therapy. Working strategic lead for your profession you will require excellent communication skills, forging working relationships with other divisions and within the local health economy in Sussex.

Main duties of the job

The Professional Lead for Occupational Therapy, reports to the Divisional Director of Allied Health Professions. The post holder is responsible for operational management and professional leadership for Occupational Therapy within the division. The post holder will, guide, coach, mentor and line manage Therapy & Dietetic site leads ensuring day to day delivery of services. An expectation to oversee and give delegated responsibility for Occupational Therapy budgets to ensure they are in financial balance and support the generation of efficiency savings and business cases. Leadership to ensure systems and process are established to support the quality and safety of patient care is essential.

The post holder will be the professional lead for Occupational Therapy supporting the AHP Lead in ensuring the delivery of strategic goals and finding solutions to operational pressures. This post holder will ensure that each Occupational Therapy Service generates accurate activity data (inpatients and outpatients) and that key performance indicators and statutory obligations are met. Monthly reports will be produced indicating activity, demand, and any unmet need.

Notional allocation of time for areas of responsibility = it is envisaged that this will be a fully focused management role although the final job plan will be agreed with Divisional Directors.

About us

At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We're here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in ourWellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching and training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us and throughout your career we will help you to grow and develop. We hope that in choosing UHSussex you are choosing a long and happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make and feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Professional Leadership and Practice Standards Directly lead, coach, mentor and inspire Occupational Therapists and develop a culture where staff feel valued and motivated to deliver safe and efficient patient care. Specifically ensuring effective safeguarding arrangements are in place for all Occupational Therapy Services. Work in accordance with the HCPC code of professional conduct and empower staff to work optimally within the scope of their licence and/or registration. Ensure there are effective administration systems created to check and validate the registration of Trust employed Occupational Therapists. Ensure the practical establishment of continuous professional development amongst colleagues and lead by example. Support the development of advanced practice and consultant level Occupational Therapists within the Trust. Ensure all services are supporting undergraduate training and the development of apprentice opportunities. Provide senior management advice and guidance, sharing good practice, promoting multidisciplinary working, facilitating engagement, and solving issues with a creative and pragmatic approach. Working to resolve conflict and find effective solutions with partners when problems arise. Represent the Trust as appropriate on external groups at national, regional, and local level in connection with Occupational Therapy workforce matters, as agreed within the set job plan. Through the quality assurance process, contribute to the analysis of quality information and triangulation of metrics in order to help target issues effectively and efficiently. Generating reports and statistical data as required by Divisional Directors. Ensure that there is a specific commitment to deliver equality and inclusiveness in all aspects of divisional and Trust activities including service provision, recruitment, development, and staff management. Respond, through leadership and with innovation, when the Trust is experiencing Business Continuity pressures. This will involve making difficult decisions of how best to use the Occupational Therapy capacity within the division.

Clinical Governance and Safety Develop, influence, and implement guidelines, policies, and procedures in the division to maintain standards and compliance with professional and regulatory authorities. To liaise with the CQC and local authorities as directed. To ensure the creation of and delivery of effective clinical governance arrangements within Occupational Therapy. Complying with Health & Safety legislation and ensuring effective management of the risk register, complaints, and untoward incidents.

Further detail can be found in full Job Description

Strategic Development Working with Committees as delegated, staff and associated external bodies to develop a shared understanding of, and commitment to, the vision and strategic aims of Occupational Therapy services in the Trust and across all hospital sites

Further detail can be found in full Job Description

Operational Management and Performance Ensure the delivery of high quality, cost effective Occupational Therapy services that adhere to national standards and demonstrate the Trusts values, benchmarking against best practice.Further detail can be found in full Job Description

Business Planning, Service Development and Delivery In collaboration with clinical divisions, support the development of a Trust wide programme for service delivery and improvement including identifying opportunities for growing, improving and redesigning services for the Occupational Therapy led pathways. As identified in an agreed job plan.Further detail can be found in full Job Description

Resources and Finances Oversee and manage specified service budgets to make certain that expenditure remains within budget, that income is received according to contractual arrangements and to ensure compliance with financial protocols, fiscal responsibility and targets. Ensuring all service leads have appropriate support and regular meetings with management account colleagues.

Further detail can be found in full Job Description

Communication and Stakeholder Liaison Contribute to the development of a positive public image regarding the Trusts Occupational Therapy services through clear communication of objectives, successes and constraints.

Further detail can be found in full Job Description

Patient Care Delivery Demonstrate clinical credibility and maintain professional registration.Further detail can be found in full Job Description

Other Role-Specific Duties Support the Divisional Director of AHPs with the delivery of a wider corporate clinical and quality agendaFurther detail can be found in full Job Description

Learning and Development Attend mandatory training updates as required. Ensure statutory and mandatory training compliance levels meet agreed targets working with Heads of Service.Further detail can be found in full Job Description

This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• State Registered Occupational Therapist, 1st Level Degree
• Current HCPC registration, UK
• Masters level qualification or evidence of post graduate study
• Management qualification or additional short courses to evidence experience

Experience

Essential

• NHS Management experience, including managing budgets, delivering efficiency savings, activity and staffing
• Experience at senior Occupational Therapy level (e.g. Managing a sizeable service or Occupational Therapy department) in a health or social care setting

Skills

Essential

• Evidence of delivery of service improvement
• Evidence of management of staff/financial process and change including knowledge of public involvement.
• Sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management processes.
• Able to lead, motivate and influence individuals both within and external to the organisation

People Management

Essential

• Understanding of and expectation of disciplinary / capability procedures

Specific Requirements

Essential

• Commitment to improve Patient Care, Standards and Services throughout and the ability to sustain clear focus on achieving demanding goals

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Essential

• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

Worthing Hospital, St Richards Hospital, Princess Royal Hospital and Royal Sussex County Hospital

Worthing, Chichester, Haywards Heath and Brighton

BN11 2DH

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

279-6531979-SEP24