Principal Orthotist

The Methodist Church in Britain; Portsmouth; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Steeper Group is recruiting a Principal Orthotist to lead its South Coast orthotic services, covering Portsmouth and Bournemouth. The post combines a personal clinical caseload with line management of five Orthotists and an Orthotic Technician, plus oversight of the local workshop.

This role suits an experienced clinician moving into leadership; formal management experience is not required and training is provided. Commercial awareness and balancing clinical quality with operations are key.

Qualifications

• Orthotist with substantial clinical experience.
• Ability to lead and develop a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong communication with NHS colleagues and partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead clinic organisation, staff utilisation, skills mix and progression planning.
• Line manage the clinical team, covering appraisals, sickness reporting and annual leave planning.
• Maintain a reduced personal clinical caseload alongside management time.
• Be accountable for KPIs on clinician performance, quality, outcomes and clinic management, including RTT and DNA rates.
• Lead evaluation of cost-effectiveness, safety and quality of devices and services using evidence-based guidance.
• Lead audits and research in own area, and deliver recommended changes.
• Drive service modernisation, redesign, pilots and new local care strategies.
• Develop pathways, processes and procedures with the Combined Services Manager to improve service quality.
• Oversee the workshop interface, staffing, timetables and service continuity.
• Facilitate training for NHS and Steeper staff, student placements and multidisciplinary training.
• Contribute to clinical governance, health and safety compliance and patient confidentiality.
• Promote Steeper and preferred supplier products and act as the link between Steeper and the local service.

Skills

Sound clinical judgement

Organised and autonomous

Effective communication

Commercial awareness

Balancing quality & performance

People development interest

Job description

Steeper Group is recruiting a Principal Orthotist to lead its South Coast orthotic services, covering Portsmouth and Bournemouth. The post pairs a personal clinical caseload with line management of five Orthotists and an Orthotic Technician, plus oversight of the local workshop. It suits an experienced clinician moving into leadership, as formal management experience is not required and training is provided. Commercial awareness, and the ability to weigh clinical quality against operational performance, are key to fit.

What the job involves

• Lead clinic organisation, staff utilisation, skills mix and progression planning
• Line manage the clinical team, covering appraisals, sickness reporting and annual leave planning
• Maintain a reduced personal clinical caseload alongside management time
• Be accountable for KPIs on clinician performance, quality, outcomes and clinic management, including RTT and DNA rates
• Lead evaluation of cost-effectiveness, safety and quality of devices and services using evidence-based guidance
• Lead audits and research in own area, and deliver recommended changes
• Drive service modernisation, redesign, pilots and new local care strategies
• Develop pathways, processes and procedures with the Combined Services Manager to improve service quality
• Oversee the workshop interface, staffing, timetables and service continuity
• Facilitate training for NHS and Steeper staff, student placements and multidisciplinary training
• Contribute to clinical governance, health and safety compliance and patient confidentiality
• Promote Steeper and preferred supplier products and act as the link between Steeper and the local service

What’s required

Experience

• Experienced Orthotist

Skills & knowledge

• Sound clinical judgement
• Highly organised and able to work autonomously
• Effective communication with colleagues, patients, NHS partners and multidisciplinary teams
• Commercial awareness
• Balancing clinical quality, operational performance and business need
• Genuine interest in developing people and services

Other

• Passion for delivering excellent patient care
• Potential and motivation to grow into a management role