Strategic Lead - Children with Complex Lives
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Job Overview
We are looking for an exceptional individual, with a successful background in working with and managing services for children who have highly complex health, education and social care needs. You will work at the centre of a multi-agency approach to identifying needs and unblocking issues to ensure children access the right care and intervention at the right time and in the right place. At the centre of a system-wide virtual children and family’s team, you will work closely with:
* HIOW ICB Continuing Care, Learning Disabilities and/or Autism
* Programme and mental health teams across the system
* Local authority placement and commissioning team, children’s social care teams, SEND and strategic partnership teams
* Specialist colleagues across the public and community sector
* Care providers across the country
* Our 4 acute hospital trusts
Main Duties of the Job
* Provide leadership for the joint commissioning of complex packages of care for non-universal NHS and local authority services.
* Ensure that the child or young person’s voice is heard and that their views are central to the development of care plans and the commissioning of provision.
* Work with stakeholders to ensure that packages of care are identified, costed, managed and accessed within reasonable timescales for the benefit of the individual and their family.
* Work with partners to continue to develop a shared definition of the cohort of children and an understanding of the joint services required to meet their needs.
* Share a comprehensive understanding of the needs of this cohort of children with the market and work with providers to develop a suite of innovative solutions which will deliver improved outcomes.
Working for Our Organisation
We offer excellent employment opportunities to new and existing staff. We aim to be a model employer by embedding best HR practice and to support new ways of working. We pride ourselves on offering good working conditions, job security, lifelong learning, fair pay and benefits, staff involvement and a balance between work and personal life. We enjoy a forward-thinking and innovative culture and our vision is to have healthy people, living healthy lives in healthy communities. We understand the only way to deliver this is to have the right people with the right skills.
Benefits
* 27 days paid minimum holiday and bank holiday entitlement
* NHS pension scheme
* Sick pay policy
* Occupational health services including staff counselling services
* Flexible working and family friendly policies
* Flexible retirement and retirement vouchers
* Health Service Discounts – offers for stores, travel, equipment etc.
Detailed Job Description and Main Responsibilities
* Provide leadership for the joint commissioning of complex packages of care for non-universal NHS and local authority services. This will include liaison with care coordinators/case managers, brokerage, young people and their families, clinicians, GPs, care providers, social care, education and other commissioning colleagues. Other key stakeholders may include voluntary sector, adult commissioners, advocacy, Mental Capacity Act/Deprivation of Liberties teams.
* Ensure that the child or young person’s voice is heard and that their views are central to the development of care plans and the commissioning of provision.
* Work with stakeholders to ensure that packages of care are identified, costed, managed and accessed within reasonable timescales for the benefit of the individual and their family.
* Provide a comprehensive level of leadership and governance for those arranging, monitoring and reviewing packages of care for children and young people, to ensure they meet individual personalised health needs, are clinically appropriate, provide best value and continuity of care.
* Work with partners to continue to develop a shared definition of the cohort of children and an understanding of the joint services required to meet their needs.
* Share a comprehensive understanding of the needs of this cohort of children with the market and work with providers to develop a suite of innovative solutions which will deliver improved outcomes.
* Autonomously support and drive, where necessary, the case management of individuals with complex health, education and social care needs, providing clinical guidance to stakeholders.
* Undertake research and audit activity that supports the continuous improvement of policy and practice to benefit children, young people, families and other agencies.
* Provide leadership to and coordination between NHS commissioners, providers, education, social care and other relevant partners in relation to children’s needs.
* Be a source of expert knowledge and support for all professionals and agencies on the placement and support of children with complex needs.
* Provide advice in the monitoring of contracts, service level agreements and commissioned services to ensure the quality of provision.
* Work closely with mental health transition lead (adults) and the learning disability and/or autism programme team to ensure that transition pathways are developed and purposeful, ensuring that YP moving through to adulthood are well known to the adult teams in order that transition is well planned and personalised outcomes are achieved.
* Support the provision, where appropriate, of information to the child, relatives/representatives. This may involve relaying difficult decisions regarding care provision and managing service user and family expectations.
* Provide integrated leadership for the delivery and transformation of LDA commissioning in the Hampshire Place. This will work closely with the central Programme Delivery team.
* Attend, on behalf of the ICB, meetings related to the child which may impact on the care provision and costs to meet identified needs.
* Work closely with the Safeguarding and Quality Teams.
* In consultation with other agencies, young people and carers, lead the development of policies and procedures in relation to the placement of children with complex needs.
* Lead the review and development of policy and protocol that support the commissioning of complex non-universal provision for this cohort of children.
* Ensure comprehensive preparation of disputes and appeals cases, within the defined policy, to include the provision of up-to-date clinical information and liaison with families in complex situations where there is potential for hostility. Support the resolution of disputes between commissioning organisations who contribute financially to the package of care.
* Utilise ‘Duty of Care’ responsibilities and advocate for children as appropriate, where they are placed within a residential facility such as school or residential unit.
* Ensure adherence to appropriate governance, in line with the policies of HCC, ICB and compliance with OFSTED and the Care Quality Commission requirements.
* Ensure commissioned services are meeting statutory and regulatory standards, using established commissioning framework where available.
* Undertake and comply with all mandatory training.
Person Specification
Knowledge, Training and Experience – Essential Criteria
* Degree Level/Post Graduate qualification or equivalent level of skills knowledge and experience.
* Evidence of post qualifying professional education and training.
* Senior level experience of working in a partnership way across organisational boundaries.
* Experience of working with children and young people, with complex needs and their families/carers.
* In-depth knowledge of the National Framework for Children and Young Peoples Continuing Care.
* Detailed knowledge and understanding of commissioning processes in highly complex multi‑agency environments including: health needs assessment, process mapping and gap analysis, service model development, role redesign, procurement, contract and performance management, market management and shaping supply.
Desirable Criteria
* Registered Nurse, Allied Healthcare Professional or similar qualification specialising in children’s health.
* Professional Registration.
* Experience of handling complaints/appeals/difficult and conflicting situations.
Communication Skills – Essential Criteria
* Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills.
* Must be able to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, negotiate on difficult and controversial issues.
* Ability to manage challenges and effectively resolve conflicts.
* Ability to write complex letters and reports to a range of audiences.
Analytical Skills – Essential Criteria
* Problem solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands.
* Ability to analyse complex facts and situations and develop a range of options.
* Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.
* Strategic thinking – ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.
Planning Skills – Essential Criteria
* Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly.
Management Skills – Essential Criteria
* Must be able to prioritise own work effectively and balance competing priorities.
Autonomy – Freedom to Act – Essential Criteria
* Use initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations in relation to individual service users.
* Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues, working to tight and often changing timescales.
Equality and Diversity – Essential Criteria
* Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships both in terms of day‑to‑day working practices, but also in relation to management systems.
Financial and Physical Resources – Essential Criteria
* Delegated budgetary authority – monitor budget and provide regular reports.
Other – Essential Criteria
* Used to working in a busy environment.
* Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change.
* Willing to engage with and learn from peers, other professionals and colleagues in the desire to provide or support the most appropriate interventions.
* Professional calm and efficient manner.
* Effective organiser, influencer and networker.
* Demonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference by focusing on goals.
Seniority level
Director
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Other
Industries
Hospitals and Health Care
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