Associate Director of Continuing Healthcare (CHC)

Developing a strategic, integrated commissioning approach which meets the needs of our patients and population. Leading the improvement strategy in line with the Joint Forward Plan to support excellence across the organisation and our partners. Presenting service performance reports to relevant committees as required to highlight service improvements or concerns. Overseeing the development, implementation and review of policies and processes that support competent based assessments for NHS CHC clients. Ensuring equitable implementation of the current National Frameworks.

Relevant to the NHS CHC team, ICB, NHS Trusts and Local Authority through information sharing, training, updating and reviewing the process and policy; obtaining legal opinion where necessary. Leading the planning and development of service performance targets to meet the ICB's statutory requirements. Ensuring that service plans are formulated and aligned to ICB strategies, understood by all stakeholders and delivered efficiently and effectively. Being responsible for managing service risks, ensuring they are appropriately identified and controls are/or mitigation is in place, escalating to the Chief Nurse / Deputy Chief Nurse as appropriate.

Attending senior leadership meetings with varied internal and external key Stakeholders to facilitate the delivery of the service objectives. Formulating long term strategic plans, involving uncertainty and considering the impact on the organisation. Leading and overseeing the contractual arrangements to ensure that service providers meet the service specification based on individual patient need and at all times ensuring best value, high quality, safe care and service resilience.

Developing business plans and strategies for areas of activity. Making major contributions to corporate policies and strategy. Representing the ICB at national, regional and local levels, including representation at NHSE forums. Leading on effective market management strategies and relationships in partnership with key system partners e.g. NHS and Local Authority contract teams and commissioners.

Providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive or contentious information and removing barriers to understanding to cascade the information when necessary to differing groups and at senior levels. Communicating effectively to the workforce and the public in potentially hostile and antagonistic environments using negotiation skills, diplomacy and compassion.

To link with NHS England and NHS CHC Leads to ensure up to date knowledge of good practice and practice guidance is maintained. To ensure local dissemination of regional-wide policies and procedures on NHS CHC, highlighting implications for the ICB's systems and structures. Manage and actively promote positive relationships with patients, their partners, carers and their families. Preparing high quality reports and presentations as requested for the relevant ICB Committees/Boards.

Analysing complex clinical information from audits and national reviews, ensuring learning is taken forward appropriately. Analysing, interpreting and comparing highly complex and diverse information on the performance of the NHS CHC service agreements and contracts and identifying any deviations from the data. Analysing NHS CHC performance in relation to performance targets, strategic objectives, strategy development, business planning, expert advice for differing opinions or options and developing plans based on the data found.

Providing forecasts of the likely expenditure on NHS CHC services, identifying options for management action where costs are likely to exceed budget, identifying the impact these options may have on the achievement of other services and standards the ICB is required to meet. To undertake due diligence in providing best evidence to local, regional and national inspections and peer reviews. Working with providers and clinical experts to design new training products. Leading a culture of continuous learning, innovation and improvement whilst recognising the need to enable service providers to be the best they can be to ensure service resilience.

Identifying, sharing and providing expertise of best practice methodologies, regulatory requirements, policy imperatives, innovation developments, technological and digital developments and stakeholders knowledge. To be responsible for applying complex clinical information from audits and national reviews ensuring that learning is taken forward appropriately. Developing, reporting and promoting innovative approaches to education and training, particularly its impact on the NHS CHC service. Participating and leading research and development as required.

Leading on policy developments and implementation as required both locally and at a system level. Engaging with strategic regional and national policy makers to inform service developments and policies as required. Continuing a strategic influence across the partnership for service development, pathway development; in particular integrating services where possible. Identifying examples of national best practice and to ensure that the ICB benefits from relevant innovations in healthcare.

To be responsible for ensuring all of the clinical workforce are aware of any updates to NHS CHC guidance and protocols in line with the National Framework, case law and clinical research. Developing and reviewing the structures, procedures and working methods for which the postholder is responsible to ensure an integrated, effective and efficient approach to the NHS CHC process. To be responsible for ensuring that the service is reviewed and changes implemented that support continuous service improvement. To be responsible for ensuring the ICB's NHS CHC operational policy is in accordance with national legislation, guidance and frameworks.

Delivering a programme which supports the ICB to meet the responsibilities regarding the legal rights to have personal health budgets. These rights apply to people who are eligible for NHS Continuing Health Care, children and young people eligible for continuing care, people who are eligible for section 117 aftercare, and people eligible for NHS wheelchairs (who have the right to a personal wheelchair budget). Leading and contributing to the quality and safeguarding agenda. Being responsible for ensuring that care commissioned by the ICB is safe, of high quality and meets the needs of the individual and provides best value through effective and efficient commissioning processes.

Participating in and taking responsibility for ensuring that all of the NHS CHC workforce are aware of and fulfil their responsibilities under all appropriate legislation and guidance such as, the Mental Capacity Act, The Human Rights Act, Care Act and Safeguarding Adults & Children Legislation. To lead the NHS CHC agenda across the ICB, especially in relation to planning, care pathway design and commissioning and procurement of NHS Continuing Health Care services.

Being responsible for the management of quality, safety, finance, contracts and people management elements of the NHS CHC team by working in a matrix way. Leading a multi-professional team, line managing the senior NHS CHC team as needed, setting ICB value-based objectives that promote effective team working, inclusive practice and maximising individual performance to be the best that they can be. Provide a minimum of monthly supervision of direct reports, including ongoing appraisals for the senior team.

Ensuring that the workforce have access to and complete all mandatory training and have a current personal development plan. Providing visible and effective leadership and support to the directly managed workforce, the wider team and in the interface with other agencies and partners. Enabling others to understand their contribution to services provided and embracing personal development and adherence to ICB policies and procedures.

To ensure that our professional and clinical workforce are enabled to access regular clinical and restorative supervision, appraisals and continuing professional development. Holding the budget responsibility for the NHS CHC service, including; monitoring budgets, overall budget setting, ongoing monitoring of expenditure against budget and ensuring the appropriate documentation is available for scrutiny.

Managing the NHS CHC and complex care commissioning budget, using in-depth analysis, interpretation and production of complex and multiple reports including financial returns for internal and external reporting. Having the ability to manage initiatives within financial restraints and deliver to deadlines. Maintaining accurate records of spend in relation to NHS CHC, reporting any potential resource implications in a timely manner.

Constantly striving for best value and greater efficiency in the use of these budgets and ensuring that they operate in recurrent financial balance year on year. Leading the redress process and ensuring that all claims are dealt with in accordance with the ICB's policy. Being responsible for identifying quality, efficiency and productivity gains which contribute to the QIPP programme and ensuring that the service delivers all of its QIPP responsibilities.

To be responsible for providing guidance and management on the procurement of identified procedures, equipment and services for those eligible for NHS Continuing Health Care. Ensuring the effective approval, planning and monitoring of discharge pathways relating to complex discharges which enable timely discharge from hospital and assessment in the community of ongoing care needs and funding arrangements. Acting in a way that is compliant with Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions in the discharge of this responsibility.