Head of Occupational Therapy

An exciting opportunity has arisen as the Head of Occupational Therapy at UHNM. The Allied Health Professionals have undergone a full restructure supporting a leadership framework which you will be part of the implementation. You will be responsible for the clinical leadership and overall operational performance for the service providing professional leadership to all dieticians. This role is pivotal in delivering the Occupational Therapy vision here at UHNM as well as partaking in the wider strategic direction for our Allied Health Professional workforce.

Main duties of the job

• The successful candidate will lead the Department on professional and clinical governance issues and be a source of professional expertise in the field of occupational therapy for the Trust.
• Responsible for providing support and clinical supervision to occupational therapists, physiotherapists and therapy technicians, apprentice occupational therapists and students working within Therapies.
• Assist the development of others within the department to encourage competent and confident provision of inpatient and outpatient occupational therapy services through in-house training and competency assessment.

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is one of the largest and most modern in the country. Based across two sites, Royal Stoke in Stoke-on-Trent and County Hospital in Stafford, we are proud to serve around three million people and we're highly regarded for our facilities, teaching and research. We are the specialist centre for major trauma for the North Midlands and North Wales.

All of our employees make a valuable contribution regardless of role here at UHNM and we are proud of our wide range of development packages aimed at ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their true potential. UHNM create and encourage a culture of inclusion, providing equal opportunities for career development that are fair and transparent. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture in which all staff feel valued and respected. In return we ask all of our employees to make a commitment to the values, co-created by our staff, patients and carers, and that unite us as a Trust.

At University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust we know that investing in, supporting and developing our staff has a direct impact on the quality of care that we deliver. Our employees are as important as our patients and the population that we serve.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Undertake the role according to the professional code of conduct, national and local guidelines and ensure all dietetic staff employees at UHNM follow HCPC codes for dietitians.
• Identify areas of risk and work to reduce risk, escalating as appropriate.
• Leading a comprehensive and high-quality dietetic service for both inpatients and outpatients, working to agreed standards, policies and procedures.
• To lead the development, implementation and audit of occupational therapy protocols and pathways.
• Act as a clinical lead, providing highly specialist advice for occupational therapists locally, regionally and nationally.
• Produce and implement policies, evidence-based protocols and guidelines on behalf of UHNM. To provide specialist advice and participate in service development including pathways of care and clinical policies to optimise service provision.

Qualifications

• Degree in Occupational Therapy and HCPC registration.
• Evidence of Masters level study or equivalent senior leadership experience.
• Significant post-registration experience including senior leadership within acute hospital services.
• Quality Improvement qualification or extensive experience delivering quality improvement programmes.
• Management/leadership qualification or equivalent experience leading large multidisciplinary services.

Knowledge

• Extensive experience leading Occupational Therapy services within an acute teaching hospital and/or Major Trauma Centre.
• Strategic leadership experience including workforce planning, operational management, recruitment, performance management and professional leadership.
• Experience managing budgets, establishments and capital/equipment planning.

Personal Qualities

• Strategic thinker with the ability to balance operational pressures and long-term service development.
• Strong commitment to professional leadership, staff wellbeing and workforce development.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from everyone regardless of ethnicity, disability, gender, age, faith or sexual orientation. Appointment will be based on merit alone.

You must have appropriate UK professional registration. This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.