Therapies Practice Development Lead

Overview

Do you have a passion for developing staff and ensuring high standards of quality care are at the core of clinical practice? Do you want to lead on delivering training to both new and existing staff to ensure that they deliver patient centred care that is clinically effective and safe? We are looking for an experienced Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist who is enthusiastic about teaching and supporting staff to grow their career within this setting. The role is crucial in enabling staff to deliver high quality care and there is a clear focus on working alongside staff in the clinical areas.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Therapy leadership team to lead on workforce developments including preceptorship, in-service training, therapy boot camp, Apprenticeships, Induction, students, development roles, review of competencies and job descriptions. The role involves clinical work predominantly in a teaching/mentoring capacity and reporting to the Therapies leadership team.

Responsibilities

• Lead on development, planning and delivery of education, training and professional development for the therapies team (preceptorship, boot camp, apprenticeships).
• Plan and co-ordinate all student placements; provide ongoing support to students and educators during placements.
• Oversee local induction programmes for new clinical staff; ensure competencies are assessed and Personal Development Plans are in place and reviewed during preceptorship/induction, in conjunction with relevant Clinical leads.
• Oversee induction of international recruits and return-to-practice staff; orientate to the NHS and local needs and address pastoral needs.
• Identify concerns where staff are not meeting clinical competencies and support managers in appropriate procedures; document observations/interactions.
• Collaborate with clinical teams to identify education, training and development needs; develop a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) for the department.
• Allocate funds for therapies education in line with the TNA; handle enquiries regarding allocation with the CPD and learning & development teams.
• Ensure staff training records are maintained and updated in line with Trust protocols; provide clinical teaching to OT, PT and TI staff within own competence; deliver large-group sessions.
• Ensure training is well designed, with appropriate supervision, mentoring and feedback for trainees and trainers; align training with professional accreditations, HEIs and relevant bodies (e.g. OFSTED).
• Keep training in line with professional developments in OT/Physio; underpin with evidence-based practice.
• Identify resources or facilities needed for training and education of therapies staff; help define training standards for therapies staff/services.
• Coordinate and deliver in-house therapy training (e.g., manual handling, mental capacity, cognition) with support from senior clinicians.
• Support peer group leads; ensure actions are completed; provide supervision and mentorship within clinical competency; give constructive feedback.
• Support newly registered staff with 1:1 clinical time where necessary; maintain confidentiality and provide professional judgments and feedback on staff capabilities; record evidence for personal files.
• Communicate effectively to ensure training needs are met, recorded and monitored; promote a learning-focused environment; maintain channels for staff to highlight training needs.
• Lead on review and updating of clinical competencies bands 2-7 to ensure staff skills meet service needs.

Other information

Northampton General Hospital provides general acute services including hyper-acute stroke, vascular and renal services; it is an accredited cancer centre serving Northamptonshire and parts of Buckinghamshire. The Trust has achieved Pathway to Excellence designation from ANCC. We promote inclusivity and encourage applications from all protected groups, especially those from BAME, Disabled and LGBTQ+ backgrounds. We have active networks supporting colleagues from diverse backgrounds to ensure a sense of belonging.

Role includes responsibilities such as working within the inpatient therapies team, involvement with the enablement centre, rehab team and hand therapy team; and, for Registered Physiotherapists, participation in the Respiratory on-call rota (including overnight until 22:00 and weekends). The role may involve 7-day working in a relevant clinical area.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Experience as a Physiotherapist or Occupational Therapist in an acute hospital setting.
• Strong teaching, mentoring and leadership skills; ability to design and deliver training and education programs.
• Excellent time management; ability to meet deadlines; adaptable and personable; able to work autonomously and drive change.
• Willingness to work clinically while teaching and leading education initiatives.
• Ability to manage student placements and induction processes; experience with international recruitment and return-to-practice induction is advantageous.
• Commitment to evidence-based practice and current professional standards; compliance with Trust protocols and professional bodies.

We are a Defence-positive Trust supporting reservists, veterans, spouses and partners. The Hospital Group is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all communities.