Job overview
Whipps Cross Hospital will appoint a dynamic and innovative therapist to lead its team of Dietitians, Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists and the Rehabilitation Support Workers and Administrators who support them.
The ideal candidate will have a proven ability to engage clinical and managerial teams and the ability to deliver safe, effective and efficient services which are responsive to the needs of patients and staff, in a cycle of continuous improvement. You will be an experienced clinician and operational manager, with post-graduate qualifications and significant experience in professional leadership.
Main duties of the job
You will be accountable for the day-to-day therapy services at Whipps Cross Hospital and the lead for advising the Divisional Board and Hospital Executive Board on all issues of Therapy services. You will act as a role model for Therapy staff on the Site.
You will be responsible for operational and strategic management of the Therapy services in the Hospital, including performance targets and ensuring that all Therapy services are provided within the agreed level of activity, standards and performance, safety, quality and budget.
You will maintain an integrated governance structure (clinical, operational and financial) for Therapy services and ensure high quality, cohesive, efficient and cost effective, evidence-based practice within the Therapy service.
By working with senior management of the Hospital, you will define and implement new ways of working to maximise the benefits of operating within a Group and Hospital integration model.
You will lead others to ensure an effective, innovative and efficient delivery of Therapy services to clinical users and patients.
You will actively lead the effective Therapies contribution to the improvement of patient flow, safety, quality and experience of care at the hospital.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Advanced leadership skills (e.g. • Ability to motivate colleagues within own line management and outside of it. • Ability to function as a coach, mentor, role model and advisor to senior therapy colleagues. • Ability to manage own output, using reflective practice models as required to drive personal improvement)
- Advanced communication skills (e.g. • Able to influence behaviours and actions within the Therapy team and in other parts of the hospital and health community. • Ability to negotiate and achieve improved outcomes, in terms of safety, effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness. • Ability to present complex information to various audiences including patients, staff, leaners, and external partners, on clinical, operational, HR and community health topics)
- Developed analytical and reasoning skills (e.g. • Ability to analyse inputs from various data sources, hard and soft, including patient experience reports, clinical governance metrics, finance and business management data and the feedback of staff members, colleagues outside of the department and the wider community. • Ability to manage risk, incidents, regulatory requirements, standards, and other clinical and business markers of service performance)
Values
Essential
- Evidence of displaying the Trusts values - WeCare - Welcoming, Engaging, Collaborative, Accountable, Respectful and Equitable (e.g. • Leading by example • Flexible in approach and attitude • Self-Motivated • Using sound judgment in decision making • Open and accountable, working in partnership with others. • Self-aware and reflective • Role modelling innovative approaches to care)
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge of current issues in Therapies practice (e.g. • Awareness of the national and regional policy agenda • Awareness of the challenges facing the wider NHS, including relating to finance, operations, patient flow and service redesign • Awareness of professionalism initiatives of the relevant learned and regulatory bodies • Awareness of developments in educational, research and clinical practice)
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience managing a Therapies team (e.g. • Operational Management • Strategic Management • Goal Setting and reporting to KPIs • Managing activity to meet performance targets, including constitutional standards • Managing professionals from a different background and managing non-registered staff from clinical and non-clinical backgrounds)
- Significant clinical experience in a Therapy Profession (e.g. Personal experience to an enhanced practice level in Acute or Community Therapies • Experiences working with and supporting clinicals from own and partner professions)
- Experience of managing finances (e.g. Acting as a budget holder for pay and non-pay budgets • Financial planning, including budget, capacity, demand, and activity planning. • Development of income generation or income maximisation • Cost reduction and value maximisation • Management of contracts with suppliers though contracts, SLAs or MoUs)
- Experience of applying quality management in practice (e.g. • Quality planning, quality improvement, quality assurance and quality control • Managing change processes, including service revisions and staff consultations)
- Experience of communicating with internal and external stakeholders (e.g. • Executives at Hospital or Group Executive level • Senior stakeholders in partners organisation, local government bodies, third sector organisations et cetera. • Patient groups and patient experience bodies)
- Experience of managing and developing colleagues (e.g. • Personnel management for individuals and teams • Setting of team and personal objectives • Management of learning needs and education and development resources • supervision of departmental appraisal and other HR metrics • Competency and Disciplinary management)
Qualifications
Essential
- Professional qualification as a Dietitian, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist or Speech and Language Therapist.
- Registration with the HCPC as a Dietitian, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist or Speech and Language Therapist.
- Evidence of a life-long professional learning approach (e.g. • Evidence of M-Level education • Evidence of a qualification in leadership and management • Post-registration evidence of education in clinical practice, education and learning, or research and improvement)
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 8 roles in London
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Head of Therapies with Barts Health NHS Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 8 role. The advertised salary is £85,641 - £97,746 per annum inc. The contract type is 9 months (Although this position is a 9 months fixed-term contract, the actual contract duration will be adjusted to account for the time taken to advertise the post, complete the hiring process, and finalise pre-employment checks. This means the contract will begin when the candidate starts the role and may be slightly shorter than 9 months.). The application deadline is 05 Jul 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (19 Jun 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.