Head of Learning Disability, Autism Programme & Mental Health S117

NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB; Lewes; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) seeks a Head of Learning Disability, Autism Programme & Mental Health S117 to lead the LD/Autism portfolio and drive strategic delivery across services for adults with learning disabilities and autism, with strong governance and senior stakeholder engagement.

You will provide executive leadership, develop performance metrics, and ensure timely, cost-effective pathway transformations embedded in wider system plans.

Qualifications

• Educated to master’s level or equivalent level of experience in a senior role.
• Extensive knowledge of specialist areas with postgraduate qualification or equivalent.
• Understanding of national and regional health policies and strategic implications for engagement.
• Experience of change management within health and social care environments.
• Knowledge of Mental Health Act, Care Act and Mental Capacity Act and related commissioning.

Responsibilities

• Lead the LDA/MHs117 team and autism/learning disabilities programme; develop performance measures aligned to strategy.
• Report progress to senior management boards and stakeholders via written and verbal updates.
• Provide guidance to health and social care colleagues on LD/Autism/S117 aftercare.
• Ensure pathway transformations are timely, cost-effective and properly integrated with other projects.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Analytical skills

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Budget management

People management

Communication to senior teams

Education

Master’s level or equivalent senior experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Head of Learning Disability, Autism Programme & Mental Health S117

NHS AfC: Band 8c

Job overview

Lead the LDA/MHs117 team, learning disabilities and autism programme and provide robust leadership and managerial guidance Develop and implement qualitative and quantitative measures to determine performance against the organisational strategy.

Report progress against the strategy through personal representation at senior management forums and by written reports to appropriate boards and groups of staff
Present complex information on all aspects of services for adults with LD and children with complex healthcare needs to identify examples of best practice in a clear, understandable and audience-appropriate manner to senior management.
Lead and provide advice and guidance to health and social care colleagues in respect of adults with LD and or Autism and S117 aftercare.
Ensure the pathway transformations are delivered on time, are cost effective, and are considered, in advance, for their independencies on other projects, and their impact on the wider system. Ensure that the design reflect these appropriately.
Keep abreast with National and regional best practice relating to pathways and complex conditions and ensure, where appropriate, ensure it is embedded in relevant pathway transformations.

Main duties of the job

Key relationships may include, but are not limited to:

• Executives, peers and colleagues across the organisation and Integrated Care System.
• Close, integrated working with colleagues across the NHS and other Integrated Care Boards where appropriate.
• Provider Boards, clinical and managerial leads from across all sectors (including third and private sectors).
• Primary Care Professional Bodies such as the Local Medical, Local Pharmaceutical, and Local Dental Committees.
• Local authorities, including Public Health, Adult & Children’s Social Care, District and Borough Councils.
• Universities, schools and colleges.
• Public, patients and carers – particularly groups established for engagement.
• Care Quality Commission.

• Clinical networks across neighbouring health and care systems, as well as regional and national system architecture.
• Commercial partners and suppliers.
• Mental inpatient hospitals locally and out of county
• Childrens and Adults community mental health and learning disability services
• Care and housing providers
• Provider Collaboratives
• NHSE
• Voluntary and charitable organisations

Working for our organisation

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) has the responsibility to decide what health services are needed in Surrey and Sussex and set out how they'll be provided, making sure hospitals, primary care, and other services work together, rather than in silos, for the benefit of everyone in the community. NHS Surrey Heartlands and Sussex ICB achieve this by working in partnership with local health and care organisations, staff, patients, carers, families and the public, to support three million people across Surrey and Sussex to live healthier lives.

Together, we have an ambitious vision for improving health and care services across Surrey and Sussex. We are working to:

• Improve health and care outcomes for everyone, with a focus on preventing ill health and proactive care.
• Tackle inequalities to reduce unfair gaps in access, experience, and outcomes.
• Get better value from our services by enhancing productivity and value for money.
• Support local communities to grow and thrive through social and economic development.

We also work with NHS trusts and organisations which deliver healthcare services through developing Provider Collaboratives to improve healthcare pathways, so local people experience better care and outcomes.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The job description is an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role, and the job specification is an outline of the skills, experience and qualities needed. The job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by their line manager, in line with their skills and experience.

The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the Directorate and ICB.

Person specification

Knowledge, Training and Experience

• Educated to master’s level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
• Extensive knowledge of specialist areas, acquired through post graduate diploma or equivalent experience or training plus further specialist knowledge or experience to master’s level equivalent
• Must have an understanding of the background to and aims of current health and care policies, priorities and strategy in ICB’s and appreciate the implications of this on engagement
• Should have an appreciation of the relationship between key systems partners, including County Council and wider regional and national bodies e.g., NHSE.
• Experience and knowledge of change management processes.
• Extensive experience of working within health and social care particularly with people with LD/A and Mental health illness
• Practical knowledge and experience of Mental Capacity Act, Care Act and Mental Health Act.
• Knowledge and experience of individualised commissioning in Mental health and learning disability.
• Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development ( if applicable)
• Knowledge of LeDeR
• Professional Healthcare/Clinical qualification or equivalent experience of working in a similar professional role

Analytical

• High level analytical skills and the ability to draw qualitative and quantitative data from a wide range of sources and present in a clear concise manner
• Ability to analyse numerical and written data, assess options and draw appropriate conclusions
• High level critical thinking skills
• Ability to develop, maintain and monitor information systems to support innovation initiatives
• Demonstrates sound judgement in the absence of clear guidelines or precedent, seeking advice as necessary from more senior management when appropriate

Communication & Relationship Skills

• Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups.
• Persuade board and senior managers of the respective merits of different options, innovation and new market opportunities.
• Negotiate on difficult and very complex and detailed issues.

Management Skills

• Plans and organises a broad range of complex activities, formulating and adjusting plans to reflect changing circumstances.
• Inputs to strategic plans across NHS and within the specific teams.
• Works with Stakeholders to develop performance improvement plans and to develop plans for innovation and opening up the market.
• Good use of available information sources to enable efficient and effective planning
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight and often changing deadlines
• Skills for direct line management and job management.
• Skills for delivering results through managing through others and using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility
• Skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders.

Planning Skills

• Plans and organises a broad range of complex activities, formulating and adjusting plans to reflect changing circumstances.
• Inputs to strategic plans across NHS and within the specific teams.
• Works with Stakeholders to develop performance improvement plans and to develop plans for innovation and opening up the market.
• Good use of available information sources to enable efficient and effective planning
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight and often changing deadlines

Physical Skills

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office with intermediate keyboard skills.

Equality and Diversity

• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of equality of opportunity and diversity taking into account and being aware of how individual actions contribute to and make a difference to the equality agenda.
• Ensures staff for whom the post holder has line management responsibility
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of equality of opportunity and diversity.

Autonomy

• Manages team within the constraints of NHS strategic plan.
• Ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary
• Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues.

Financial and Physical Resources

• Previously responsible for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes

Other

• Team working skills
• An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust
• Used to working in a busy environment
• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change
• Commitment to continuing professional development.
• Ability to demonstrate the NHS andICS values and behaviours in all aspects of work and interactions with colleagues, stakeholders, patients and service users.
• Full Driving Licence.

We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know through experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better patient outcomes. We welcome all applications, especially those from underrepresented communities, including people with a disability, and those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds.

We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability.

As part of the organisation’s commitment to achieving equality of opportunity for all staff, NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB will consider all requests for flexible working on hiring. For most roles, the following types of flexibility are usually possible: flexible hours, compressed hours, part-time hours and/or job-sharing, and homeworking.

Many of our staff work flexibly in many different ways. Please talk to us at interview about any flexible working arrangements you would prefer or require. While we may not be fully accommodate all requests, such requests will not be referenced during the interview scoring process, and we will fully consider and try to accommodate them for successful applicants.

In accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, NHS Surrey and Sussex ICB will not discriminate against or dismiss the applications of candidates with spent convictions for posts which are not exempt from this legislation.

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