Band 8a Physical Health AHP Team Manager in Southall

West London NHS Trust provides a full range of mental health, community and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow. We also provide specialist services commissioned regionally, such as medium secure services, and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.

Are you an experienced Registered Allied Health Professional (Physiotherapist, Speech and Language Therapist or Dietitian) ready to step into a strategic leadership role that shapes how physical health care is delivered within mental health services? We are looking for an ambitious and forward‑thinking leader to join us as the Physical Health AHP Team Manager for inpatient mental health services. This unique service covers inpatient mental health units across Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham, together with SLT services for Early Intervention in Psychosis teams. This is an opportunity to lead a highly skilled multidisciplinary team at the forefront of integrating physical and mental healthcare and improving outcomes for people with complex and underserved needs, working alongside colleagues from Mental Health Services.

In this role, you will combine clinical credibility with operational and strategic leadership, driving innovation, service transformation, and continuous quality improvement. You will have the platform to influence care pathways, develop workforce capability, and embed best practice across services, ensuring that physical health is prioritised alongside mental health.

Main duties of the job

• Provide expert level assessment and interventions to the patients, whilst supporting and developing staff (specific to professional background).
• Responsible for delivery of high‑quality clinical care alongside the Mental Health Multi‑disciplinary teams, developing policy, service development and practice to meet service user and carer’s needs and operational requirements.
• Provide professional, visible leadership and operational management to the AHP staff within the Physical Health AHP Team and enable strategic development of the team in accordance with national and local NHS guidance.
• Be accountable for the professional and clinical performance of AHP staff within the Physical Health AHP Team and perform a representative and advisory role for this service for matters relating to the team.
• Offer advice to the Heads of Service, Clinical Directors and Executive Directors on the team’s role, staffing levels and skill mix within service developments for the Physical Health AHP Team.
• Be actively involved in developing clinical services, using a QI approach, through the leadership role the Physical Health AHP Team.
• Perform a professional leadership and advisory role specific to professional background.
• Work collaboratively with the Service Manager for long‑term conditions services and Head of Planned Care services to ensure the provision of a co‑ordinated, integrated and responsive service.

Person specification

• Qualifications

• Qualified Physiotherapist, Dietitian or Speech and Language Therapist.
• Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council.
• Registered Member of the relevant Professional Body.
• Master’s Degree level or equivalent or evidence of successful completion of highly specialist short courses up to Master’s degree level.
• Membership of a special‑interest group for mental health.

• Extensive experience post‑registration.
• Experience of clinical supervision in areas of complex needs in people with complex health problems.
• Experience in working with diverse cultures and with complex clinical problems.
• Experience of developing and delivering training in a specialist area to patients, carers and other professionals.
• Experience of supporting students within the clinical setting.
• Experience of supervising other staff (e.g. support workers and other professionals).
• Previous experience of research and development.

• Knowledge of issues related to ethical decision making in clinical practice.
• Knowledge of a highly specialist range of assessment tools and procedures.
• Knowledge of a specialist range of therapeutic interventions relevant to adults and older adults with mental health problems.
• In‑depth knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the client group.
• Sound knowledge of a wide range of appropriate assessments and interventions.
• Able to independently manage a complex caseload.
• Highly advanced clinical reasoning, analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• In‑depth knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit.
• Experience of developing services.
• Sound knowledge of standards of record keeping.
• Demonstrates excellent analytical and reflective skills.
• Ability to support evidence‑based practice culture within a designated part of the service area.

As an employee of West London NHS Trust, you have a responsibility to maintain a sound understanding of, and a commitment to uphold, the National Health Service values and principles set out in the NHS Constitution. You must have appropriate UK professional registration.