We are seeking an experienced, motivated and innovative Associate Director of Therapies to provide strategic, professional and operational leadership across therapy services within the Emergency and Integrated Medicine Division.
The post holder will lead Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Dietetics and Speech & Language Therapy services, alongside the Integrated Discharge Team (IDT), ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe and effective patient-centred care. A key focus of the role is to support patient flow, improve discharge processes and reduce delays, working collaboratively across the organisation and wider system.
As a senior leader, the Associate Director will contribute to the delivery of the Trust’s Nursing, Midwifery and AHP strategy, working closely with the Chief AHP to ensure strong professional leadership and representation. The role will also act as the Trust’s Trauma Repatriation and Rehabilitation Lead.
This is an exciting opportunity to shape and influence therapy services, drive innovation and transformation, and support the Trust’s ambition to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating.
Provide strategic and operational leadership for therapy services across the division, ensuring high-quality, safe and effective care.Lead Therapy Team Leads and the Integrated Discharge Team, providing professional oversight, expert clinical guidance and operational direction.Support patient flow and timely discharge by working collaboratively with internal teams and system partners, including local authorities.Ensure delivery of evidence-based practice across all therapy pathways, supporting timely assessment, intervention and discharge planning.Oversee governance, quality and safety standards, ensuring compliance with regulatory and professional frameworks, including CQC requirements.Hold delegated budget responsibility, ensuring effective financial management and use of resources.Lead workforce development, including supervision, performance management, recruitment and retention.Promote a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture that prioritises staff wellbeing and continuous improvement.Act as the Trust’s Trauma Repatriation and Rehabilitation Lead, supporting pathways for patients returning from specialist centers. Monitor service performance using data, audit and outcome measures to ensure effectiveness and continuous improvement.Work closely with the Associate Director of Nursing, Clinical Director and Director of Operations to improve service quality and outcomes.
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work
Operational Oversight
Ensure that there is an annual AHP establishment and skill mix review and workforce planning within the division and aligned to the Trust wide approach
Alongside the Chief AHP ensure that AHP job planning is implemented in line with the national agenda for the division
Line management of the senior team including annual appraisal and support for their ongoing professional development
Hold operational responsibility and accountability to support the reduction in NCTR rates across the organisation and service improvement work related to this
Work closely with transformation teams to support service redesign and improvement, leading on deconditioning and the outflow workstream
Line Manage IDT Team supporting professional development and appraisals
Support effective flow processes and leading on improvement across the organisation
Ensure MADE reviews are effective and engaging with system partners to review bottlenecks and escalate delays, working collaboratively to co-design solutions
Oversee the Therapy Managers delivery of high-quality services that demonstrate the Trust values
Work with the divisional directorate leadership teams to ensure that AHP and discharge services performance is regularly monitored through agreed KPIs
Work with the divisional leadership team to ensure sound financial management of all services managed by this role
Hold responsibility and accountability for resources within the areas of operational oversight, managing the budgets in line within agreed standing financial instructions
Implement systems to monitor and ensure compliance with mandatory training and annual performance reviews
Support staff to receive appropriate training and support including professional review and PDPs and staff wellbeing
Support leads to improve recruitment and retention and the reduction of use of agency staff and associated costs for acute AHPs
Ensure that all local and national targets relating to Acute AHP services are delivered within a safe, high-quality framework
Take the lead where appropriate for AHPs on the development of major Trust-wide initiatives
Support the development, ratification, implementation, review and evaluation of AHP related strategies, policies and guidance to ensure effective service delivery in line with national best practice.
Clinical Responsibilities
To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work including the management of patients in your care and in a supporting role to ensure other members of the team do the same.
To be an autonomous clinician with extended clinical skills in assessment, treatment provision, investigation, diagnosis and management strategies in chosen profession.
Demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning, problem solving and analytical skills.
Provide senior clinical leadership to ensure high‑quality, evidence‑based Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy practice in the general and speciality clinical areas at Whittington Health and across all acute pathways.
Support trauma repatriation pathways working in partnership with local aligned teams e.g. site team, medical/surgical consultants, CCOT etc and with Northeast London and Essex Trauma Network (NELTN) to ensure safe repatriation for patients requiring acute rehabilitation and complex discharge planning.
Oversee and maintain clinical standards, ensuring assessment, treatment and documentation for self and staff meet professional, legal and organisational requirements.
Ensure safe cover linked to demand and appropriate delegation of clinical duties, maintaining accountability for all therapy and care delivered by staff in assigned in-patient and out-patient therapy teams.
Lead implementation and development when required of clinical guidelines, protocols and pathways, ensuring consistency across teams and alignment with national best practice.
To be responsible for hospital development and implementation of therapy trauma and trauma repatriation pathways working in partnership with associated Trust departments and with Northeast London and Essex Trauma Network to support high quality effective trauma pathways.
Engage with the National Major Trauma Rehab Group and ensure any guidance is implemented within the Trust where appropriate
Represent the Trust at local, regional, and national meetings developing appropriate links and acting professionally as an ambassador for the Trust
Support complex clinical decision‑making, providing expert advice to staff and MDT colleagues.
To coordinate patient management where there are challenges to therapy and care delivery or significant barriers to patient flow.
Ensure delivery of extended‑hours services including late shifts, on‑call and 7‑day working models.
Strategic Responsibility
Support Directorate services to actively contribute to the delivery of the Trust’s strategic goals
Support the Chief AHP for ensuring that the Trust’s AHP strategy is delivered
With the Chief AHP support the AHP Leadership fellowship programme
Deputise for the Chief AHP where appropriate for internal and external committee/networks
Support the delivery of the Trust wide Flow Program and leading the Outflow workstream
Develop effective relationships with local authorities alongside working closely with the Adult and Community Services Division
Lead an effective strategy of AHP recruitment and retention and lead the development and implementation of therapy provision across Directorate services
Promote and embed a culture of clinical supervision and clinical support
Lead on the development and implementation of clinical pathways across the Directorate services
Promote close collaboration and cohesive working relationships within teams and maintain effective communication channels
Work collaboratively with external partners and co design solutions to ensure the delivery of key discharge KPI’s
Be an effective leader for change and support a culture of continuous quality improvement and innovation in line with the Trust and Divisions strategic plans
Ensure that the role and development of AHPs is reflected in Divisional strategic and operational plans
Contribute to relevant business cases or contract negotiations to develop or sustain services in line with the strategic direction of the Trust
Lead on the development of commercial opportunities in the Therapy services
Co-ordinate the divisional involvement in national AHP projects, to include Model Hospital, NHS Benchmarking and AHPs in Action, overseeing the data collection and submission supporting these
Promote clinical leadership training and development for the Therapy workforce
Responsibility for Physical and Financial Resources
Manage delegated budgets for Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, ensuring effective financial planning, monitoring, reporting and use of resources in line with organisational governance and financial controls.
Deliver on cost improvement projects (CIP’s) and other saving initiatives in line with Division and Finance objectives.
Manage procurement and maintenance of therapy equipment, ensuring safety, compliance and appropriate use.
Oversee resource allocation including staffing, equipment and clinical supplies to meet service needs.
Authorise expenditure including timesheets, travel claims, training costs and procurement requisitions in line with Trust processes.
Ensure safe working environments and compliance with Health and Safety legislation, maintaining an up‑to‑date risk register.
Quality Governance
Lead the AHP quality governance agenda, working closely with the divisional leadership teams
Promote and support compliance with national professional requirements including NICE and CQC
Contribute to achieving a CQC outstanding rating for the Trust
Implement effective patient experience initiatives within AHP services ensuring effective collection of patient feedback in line with Trust targets
Lead on ensuring that continuous Quality Improvement is understood and owned by AHP staff
Lead serious incident and complaints investigations where required
Manage any incidents in relation to safe discharges in line with PSIRF
Responsibility Education, Research and Development
Supporting the Chief AHP in embedding an AHP education and training strategy to ensure a workforce fit for the future
Lead completion of the annual Training Needs Analysis across the division for AHP staff and manage the education allocation awarded to the division through the strategic funding group annually
Support the development of bids where appropriate to enable the strategic development of services and AHPs roles.
Support increasing research profile for AHPs in the division through local, regional and national presentations, publications, study days and conferences
Lead the education and training strategy for Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, ensuring staff have access to high‑quality learning and development opportunities.
Oversee appraisal and CPD processes, ensuring all staff have up‑to‑date development plans and meet mandatory training compliance.
Support staff development through, mentoring and facilitation of advanced practice, leadership development and specialist skills training.
Support student placements for Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, working with the Practice Education Team to ensure high‑quality learning environments and appropriate educator capacity.
Promote inter‑professional learning by contributing to Trust‑wide training initiatives and supporting cross‑disciplinary education.
Act as an expert educational resource for therapy staff, MDT colleagues and students, sharing specialist knowledge and supporting the development of clinical competence
