Experts at Hand Clinical & Operational Lead – Occupational Therapy

The Methodist Church in Britain; Newsham; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Learning & development

Flexible working

Generous annual leave entitlement

NHS pension

NHS discount schemes

Wellbeing services

Job summary

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is seeking a Clinical and Operational Lead to steer the occupational therapy element of the Experts at Hand programme. You will lead a team of Highly Specialist OTs and therapy assistants, guiding strategic and clinical delivery across multiple sites with flexible working.

You will design and implement a needs-led, graduated approach to support in mainstream education, collaborating with Local Authority, Integrated Care Board and schools.

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in occupational therapy.
• Postgraduate clinical or management qualification, or equivalent experience and proven ability at that level.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic, operational and clinical delivery of the occupational therapy element of the Experts at Hand programme.
• Design, develop and deliver a transformational service that strengthens inclusive practice in mainstream education settings.
• Provide strategic leadership so children and young people receive timely, needs-led support through a graduated approach.
• Drive service innovation and continuous improvement in line with national SEND reforms.
• Lead and develop a team of Highly Specialist Occupational Therapists and therapy assistants.
• Provide expert advice, consultation and clinical leadership for complex situations.
• Work collaboratively with senior leaders across health, education and social care.
• Monitor service performance, outcomes and quality standards.
• Manage resources effectively and contribute to budget management.
• Lead workforce development, supervision, training and succession planning.
• Represent the service at local, regional and national forums.
• Shape the future occupational therapy workforce within SEND services.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Operational leadership

Clinical leadership

Communication

Change management

Education

Degree or diploma in occupational therapy

Postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience

Job description

This Clinical and Operational Lead post sits within Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust's Children and Young People Integrated Therapy Services and leads the occupational therapy part of the county's Experts at Hand programme, a national SEND reform initiative. The role combines strategic, operational and clinical delivery with line management of Highly Specialist Occupational Therapists and therapy assistants, working alongside the Local Authority, the Integrated Care Board and schools. Its focus is inclusive support in mainstream education, with travel across Buckinghamshire sites and flexible working. Fit depends on HCPC registration and substantial specialist paediatric experience, and internal applicants may apply for secondment with line manager endorsement.

What the job involves

• Lead the strategic, operational and clinical delivery of the occupational therapy element of the Experts at Hand programme
• Design, develop and deliver a transformational service that strengthens inclusive practice in mainstream education settings
• Provide strategic leadership so children and young people receive timely, needs-led support through a graduated approach
• Drive service innovation and continuous improvement in line with national SEND reforms
• Lead and develop a team of Highly Specialist Occupational Therapists and therapy assistants
• Provide expert advice, consultation and clinical leadership for complex situations
• Work collaboratively with senior leaders across health, education and social care
• Monitor service performance, outcomes and quality standards
• Manage resources effectively and contribute to budget management
• Lead workforce development, supervision, training and succession planning
• Represent the service at local, regional and national forums
• Shape the future occupational therapy workforce within SEND services

What’s required

Qualifications

• Degree or diploma in occupational therapy
• Postgraduate clinical or management qualification, or equivalent experience and proven ability at that level

Registration & licences

• Professional registration with HCPC
• Membership of a relevant professional body, such as RCOT

Experience

• Significant post-registration experience of highly specialist occupational therapy with children and young people with complex needs
• Operational and/or clinical leadership of a therapy service or team, including line management, appraisal and professional development
• Significant demonstrable experience of managing education, health or social care services
• Leading change, service transformation and partnership working with education, local authority, health and other stakeholders on service redesign
• Budget and resource management

Skills & knowledge

• Highly expert knowledge of occupational therapy needs in children and young people
• Advanced knowledge of legislation, the SEND Code of Practice, the graduated approach and national SEND reform / Experts at Hand
• Strategic and operational leadership to translate national policy into local delivery, and planning complex activity across partners and settings
• Communication, negotiation and influencing skills, analysis of KPI and outcome data, and compassionate, inclusive leadership to develop staff

Other

• Managing complaints, disputes and Serious Incidents, with knowledge of clinical governance, risk management and safeguarding
• Experience of co-producing with education and early years settings and of SEND and EHCP processes
• Ability to travel across Buckinghamshire sites and work flexibly across sites, including attending system and partnership meetings

What’s offered

• Learning and development opportunities to support career progression
• Flexible and agile working
• Generous annual leave entitlement
• NHS pension
• Access to NHS discount schemes
• Range of health and wellbeing services