Band 8b Head of Continuing Healthcare inYeovil inYeovil PUBLISHED FRI 24 JAN 2025

An exciting opportunity for Head of All Age Continuing Care has arisen within NHS Somerset ICB All Age Continuing Care Team. We seek an experienced and dynamic individual to fulfil this pivotal role in the team.

You will be responsible for the management of the day-to-day function of the nationally recognised successful Somerset ICB All Age Continuing Care Team and will support the Associate Director in leading the delivery of the All Age Continuing Care service. You will have the opportunity for the development and implementation of the strategic vision for the delivery of CHC across the Somerset system.

• To provide leadership to senior managers within All Age Continuing Care including operational managers and senior administrative/business and data staff.
• To lead on the management of appeals and disputes as well as oversee the assurance of CHC assessment and decision making in line with the CHC National Framework and CHC operational policy, including complaints, appeals and disputes.
• To actively manage the attainment of Quality Improvement Performance and Productivity (QIPP) targets to support efficiencies throughout the Continuing Healthcare process. Direct management of key clinical and administrative senior leadership staff delivering the service for both adults and children.
• To work closely with financial services to model, monitor and manage spend and ensure delivery of savings as agreed.
• To have the authority to negotiate with partners in terms of joint commissioning of services

About us

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:

This role is designed to manage the day to day function of the Continuing Healthcare Team and to support the Associate Director as required and to take the managerial lead for delivering the All Age Continuing Care service.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROLE:

• To provide leadership to senior managers within All Age Continuing Care including operational managers and senior administrative/business and data staff.
• To lead on the management of appeals and disputes as well as oversee the assurance of CHC assessment and decision making in line with the CHC National Framework and CHC operational policy, including complaints, appeals and disputes.
• To actively manage the attainment of Quality Improvement Performance and Productivity (QIPP) targets to support efficiencies throughout the Continuing Healthcare process. Direct management of key clinical and administrative senior leadership staff delivering the service for both adults and children.
• To work closely with financial services to model, monitor and manage spend and ensure delivery of savings as agreed.
• To have the authority to negotiate with partners in terms of joint commissioning of services.
• To ensure development of strong governance and clinical governance processes, including appropriate input to Safeguarding and quality processes.
• To support the development and review of local policies, systems, and processes around Continuing Healthcare, Funded Nursing Care and Personal Health Budgets linked to the relevant key national and local priorities.
• To deputise for the Associate Director for CHC where needed in the provision of advice on national guidance and local implications.
• To deputise for the Associate Director for CHC where needed in the provision of specialist advice to the system on matters relating to CHC and FNC.
• To undertake audit relating to CHC and FNC.
• To support CHC and FNC services to comply with all statutory requirements arising from Safeguarding Children and Adults Policy, the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and the Deprivation of Liberty Standards (DOLS) for those in receipt of ICB commissioned services.

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS:

• To have responsibility for ensuring effective communication and liaison with key stakeholders, including but not exclusive to partner agencies, GPs, solicitors, patients and their families, and private and statutory care providers.
• To have responsibility for working with NHSE Southwest as necessary and cascading information and implementing guidance as appropriate.
• To have responsibility for managing unresolved disputes between partner agencies or with patients / families / legal bodies, for example following unwelcome financial decisions and in complex circumstances where this is often hostility and barriers to communication.
• To manage the local resolution and complaints process service wide, this will include working closely with the Local Resolutions Manager to co-ordinate responses to individuals, their representatives, legal firms, and the Ombudsman.
• To have responsibility for ensuring patient / carer involvement at all stages of the CHC and FNC processes
• To ensure that the local authority is involved appropriately in the CHC decision making process, the FNC process, and informed of the outcome where applicable.
• To promote awareness of NHS funded CHC, Continuing Care and FNC.
• To promote excellent communication throughout the CHC and Continuing Care process ensuring local resolution of any concerns where possible. This will include providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive, and contentious information requiring agreement or cooperation where there are barriers to understanding. This relates to external organisations and the public as well as to staff of the ICB and local authority.

KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE:

• To have specialist knowledge across a wide range of work procedures and practices related to CHC, FNC and the Mental Capacity Act.
• To have delegated responsibility for overseeing the successful and ongoing implementation of training packages for multi-agency staff on CHC and FNC issues and promoting good practice across organisational boundaries.
• To provide of specialist clinical and non-clinical advice as necessary. Non-clinical advice includes information on national and local policies and strategies, commissioning, and financial issues.
• To have a robust knowledge of sources of information, for example in relation to children's services.
• To support the development of training packages for multi-agency staff on CHC issues and promoting good practice.

ANALYTICAL AND JUDGEMENTAL:

• To work within performance monitoring frameworks to ensure effective monitoring of activity, analysis and commissioning relating to CHC, FNC and contract compliance.
• To chair and contribute to CHC panels for adults and children including leading on Dispute and Appeal Panels.

PLANNING AND ORGANISATIONAL:

• To be responsible for ensuring appeals process is managed consistently and appropriately within the defined policy.
• To be responsible for ensuring that robust systems are in place to meet CHC patients assessed needs.
• To be responsible for ensuring consistency in the application of national and local policy on eligibility for CHC and FNC.
• To identify priorities within own workload. Devise and implement programmes to manage workload demands.
• To monitor the systems in place to meet CHC patients assessed needs appropriately.
• To be responsible for working with the Data Manager, Service Improvement Officer and CHC managers to ensure that CHC reviews happen in a timely manner, setting trajectories and ensuring compliance.

PHYSICAL:

• To have the ability to travel independently across a wide range of settings.
• Frequent use of PC and wide knowledge of IT systems.

RESPONSIBILITY FOR PATIENT CARE:

• To ensure equity of service provision and value for money regarding CHC across the county.
• To provide direction and support to the operational team in the process of complex assessment for individuals in diverse care settings and the commissioning of appropriate packages of care.
• To maintain full awareness of safeguarding issues and taking appropriate action.
• To have delegated responsibility for the process for the authorising of Joint Equipment Services (JES) requests for CHC patients.
• To commission specialist assessments to support care provision when this is appropriate and not available within existing commissioned services.

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR POLICY AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT:

• To oversee the arrangements for packages of care both on an individual basis and a strategic basis on behalf of the ICB.
• To support the development of local policies and processes, and long-term plans which may impact across the organisation or external organisations such as the Local Authority, including capacity and developmental planning.
• To assimilate national policy and guidance, interpreting the local implications, cascading, and ensuring implementation.

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR FINANCIAL AND PHYSICAL RESOURCES:

• To have delegated responsibility for managing combined CHC & FNC budget, monitoring expenditure, and justifying costs for the ICB and NHSE Southwest.
• To be the authorised signatory for invoices and expenses / overtime payments as appropriate.
• To identify circumstances when legal advice is necessary and taking the relevant action.

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HUMAN RESOURCES:

• To undertake line management of senior clinical and administrative managers within the team. Line management includes undertaking personal development plans, appraisals, ensuring mandatory training is up to date, authorising expenses and overtime payments, supervision, etc.

RESPONSIBILITIES FOR INFORMATION RESOURCES:

• To prepare and present reports to the ICB and its supporting forums.
• Ensure documentation is fit for purpose.