Director of Mental Health

As an outstanding Trust and lead provider for our MHLDA collaborative and the outcomes based contract, NHFTs Director of Mental Health (DoMH) role is critical for ensuring positive collaborative relationships across the sector, meeting the I statements developed in coproduction with our community and supporting the left shift from crisis to community, making services accessible and relatable across Northamptonshire. The DoMH will lead all operational teams working in mental health, learning disabilities and autism services, be key in developing the strategic direction as part of the system, working with professionals to deliver the strategy for the benefit of our population.
NHFT is part of the Northamptonshire ICB and leads in the MHLDA Collaborative, we are also part of a Group Model with LPT aligning with the Long-Term Plan's onus on system working, collaboration and integrated services. We play a critical role in finding solutions through relationships with stakeholders, working with partners to identify and deliver new models of care, driving innovation and the engagement of our staff.
NHFT is looking for someone with an excellent track record of delivering innovative change, managing operational services to deliver the highest quality care and demonstrate experience of leading large teams, ensuring the highest standards of people management, clinical quality and financial performance are delivered across operational services., NHFT is the lead provider for our MHLDA Collaborative and the DoMH will be responsible for oversight of the Programme team alongside the Chief Operating Officer. The post holder is responsible for working within the collaborative framework to meet the outcomes based contract and support this development in future tranches.
Represent NHFT at external operational meetings and regional/national events; oversee the delivery of governance and performance management structures to reflect the level of operational scrutiny required. Implement best practice and innovation where the outcome leads to better patient care and improved efficiency/ value for money.
The DoMH will ensure the effective development and operation of directorate services and will support corporate initiatives as required. The post holder will serve as a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and be required to attend other Trust decision making committees and Board-level committees. The DoMH will influence corporate priority setting and decision-making and will be key in driving forward the Trust and Quality Strategies, including working with stakeholders to secure PLACE based models and organisational forms., Operational Leadership
The Director of Mental Health is essential to ensuring that the evolving Mental Health Strategy remains a key priority within the Trust, with continuous visibility, and will be pivotal in shaping the local and national direction for mental health services.
Summary of responsibilities:
To Lead the MHLDA Operational Directorate in providing high quality and outcomes focused services.
To lead the Moving Ahead project which contains the PCREF work for NHFT and links to system inequalities forums / boards.
Accountable for the delivery of high-quality services to patients and their families/ carers including the management of clinical governance, quality, CQC requirements, professional standards and risk within services.
To work with the Chief Operating Officer to set the vision for operational services within NHFT.
To ensure that co production is embedded in daily operational work and feeds into the MHLDA PEG.
To lead the teams in working within the contractual I statements that have been developed through co production with people who use our services.
To line manage the Directorate Management Team (DMT), ensuring efficient, effective management from DMT members, leading the culture of open, reflective and solution focused multi-disciplinary working.
To lead the teams in the CQC processes working with corporate colleagues to ensure the services are prepared and confident in sharing their outstanding work and fostering a continuous learning and improvement culture.
Maintain and enhance operational performance to deliver improved outcomes as per commissioner contractual standards and national/local priorities.
Participate in risk management, including the relevant areas of the risk register and assurance framework.
To lead the directorate in good use of finances and lead the directorate in meeting the challenges and opportunities of the Value Programme.
To lead by example in understanding and managing your own wellbeing and looking at continuous ways to support the wellbeing of the Directorate on an individual and team level.
To manage the compliance within the Directorate ensuring supervision, appraisal and mandatory training are key aspects of all members of staffs working life reflected in their wellbeing.
To use the staff survey to develop clear plans for the Directorate to ensure we meet the People Promise and support staff to continue to feel connected and supported as part of team NHFT.
Provides support to the other directors on operational matters within Mental Health.
Support a positive culture throughout the organisation and adopt behaviours in the boardroom and elsewhere that exemplify the Trust's culture.
Is open to constructive challenge from both non-executive directors and executive colleagues.
Constructively challenges the proposed decisions of the board and ensure that appropriate challenge is made in all circumstances.
Support the Exec colleagues in promoting the values of the organisation.
System Leadership
To lead within the MHLDA Collaborative and work with the leadership team to ensure that the programme works to its vision to coproduce seamless, responsive pathways of integrated mental health and care services across Northamptonshire, which feel meaningful, person centred, agile, integrated and intelligent.
To ensure lived experience is a central voice to the collaborative's progression and outcomes.
To work with partners across the system to reduce inequalities and improve health outcomes for people within the MHLDA population.
To have oversight of the VCSE contracts within the MHLDA Contract ensuring partnership working and shared outcomes of high-quality, person-centred services that respond to need not degrees of illness.
To lead on system wide transformations for MHLDA engaging wide groups of partners to work together to improve outcomes and embed transformed pathways that have a longer-term focus.
To work with regional and national colleagues to champion and improve MHLDA policy and practice.
To lead the Transforming Care Agenda for the system ensuring application of targets and goals to improve access, treatment and support for LDA community.
Establishes effective relationships with commissioners, medical colleagues, and local GPs to ensure the delivery of the mental health strategy and to ensure partnership working in the development services.
Resource Management
Ensures effective utilisation of all resources within the mental health directorate to maximise the efficiency of bed capacity, estates utilisation and community service delivery.
Accountable for the management of the mental health staffing budget.
Leads the analysis of current mental health resource and talent levels to ensure current and future demands are met.
Forecast future operational needs within mental health service provision and ensure plans are in place to meet this need.
Important Information
Applications will be transferred to the TRAC system, by completing an application you are giving authorisation for the transfer of your data. In submitting an application form, you authorise us to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process. Including factual reference, occupational health clearance and statutory and mandatory training records
Correspondence regarding your application will be sent to you via a TRAC system account.
Please submit your application as soon as possible; due to the high volumes of applications we receive we reserve the right to close any adverts before the closing date once we have received sufficient applications.
We are an equal opportunities employer, which aims to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from all backgrounds.
At NHFT we support many of our colleagues to work flexibly and we will consider requests for flexible working from day one. For this role, we are open to discussing a range of options including flexible hours, agile/home working, compressed hours and part time hours. Please have a conversation with the recruiting manager about the flexibility you need and we will promise to explore what is possible with you.
Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.
All posts that are engaged in a regulated activity will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and a DBS re-check on a three yearly basis whilst employed in such a role. Staff employed in these posts will therefore be asked to register with the DBS Automatic Update Service upon receipt of their DBS certificate and must update yearly , the annual fee will be reimbursed subject to Trust policy. For further information please visit: DBS Update Service: applicant guide - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Please note if a DBS is applicable for the position then a charge will be deducted from your first salary or upfront cost if a staff bank position.
Please note that all new starters to the trust are subject to a probationary period.

NHFT is an integrated primary care and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and out in the community. Because we put the person at the centre of all we do, we focus on delivering care that is as easy to access as possible. This means many of our services can be provided at home, work or in schools. We also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.
NHFT promotes a culture of learning to improve the care and safety of our patients and staff, which focuses on people who enable our Trust to be 'outstanding' by supporting opportunity, innovation, development and growth.