SEHSCT Head of Podiatry Services Band 8B

Job details

• Branch: North Down & Ards Area (SEHSCT)
• Location: LPCCC
• Salary: Band 8b (£64,455 - £74,896 )
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Opening Date: 04/09/26
• Closes: Fri, 18 September 2026 @ 5:30 PM
• Interview Dates: TBC

Notes

If you are submitting a manual application, please post it to: Recruitment Shared Services, Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital Site, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7PR. Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered, so please allow enough time for postage. A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week. Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards. Flexible Working We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE Head of Podiatry Services

BAND 8B

DIRECTORATE Primary Care and Older People Service

INITIAL LOCATION LPCCC

REPORTS TO Assistant Director Allied Health Professions

ACCOUNTABLE TO Director of AHPs and Director of Primary Care and Older People Services

JOB SUMMARY

The Head of Podiatry Services, in conjunction with the Assistant Directors Allied Health Professions, will be responsible for the development and delivery of high-quality Podiatry services across the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. They may also provide an AHP link role with an operational Directorate as required and represent SET AHP at regional level.

The Head of Podiatry Services provides strategic, professional and operational leadership for Podiatry Services across the Trust, ensuring safe, effective, high-quality, patient-centred care. The post holder is accountable for professional governance, workforce planning, service transformation, quality improvement, regulatory compliance, clinical standards and effective resource management in line with Trust, regional and Department of Health priorities.

As a senior member of the AHP leadership team, the post holder will support workforce development, provide expert professional advice, strengthen partnerships across health and social care, and oversee the governance of contracted Orthotics Services to drive continuous improvement and positive outcomes for patients, service users and carers.

KEY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

Main Responsibilities

The post holder will

Provide strategic and professional leadership for Podiatry across the Trust, influencing service direction and advising the Assistant Director AHPs, Directors of AHP and PCOP, the Chief Executive, Board of Directors, HSC departments and Ministerial bodies as required.

Be accountable for professional and clinical governance for Podiatry, working with internal and external stakeholders to ensure safe, effective, high-quality care.

Lead the reform, modernisation and development of Podiatry Services in collaboration with the Assistant Directors Allied Health Professions, Directorate leads, AHP Lead Professionals and operational managers.

Lead strategic planning, service design and delivery for Podiatry Services, ensuring effective multidisciplinary working, sound financial management and efficient use of resources.

Be accountable for the delegated Podiatry budget.

Act as a member of the AHP senior management team, contributing to AHP strategic development, the AHP management plan and achievement of agreed objectives.

Demonstrate suitable levels of digital literacy across a range of relevant systems and programmes.

Clinical/Professional/Specific Managerial Responsibilities

Review Podiatry Services and implement recommendations for reform, modernisation, clinical practice development and quality improvement.

Lead Podiatry teams to oversee the co-ordination of all processes to ensure the delivery of high quality, effective, efficient, flexible and equitable Podiatry Services.

Ensure delivery of Department of Health, commissioning and Trust priorities, with an enablement ethos that maximises independent living, rehabilitation and outcomes for patients and service users.

Develop and maintain performance management arrangements to support key targets, service developments, agreed activity levels and continuous improvement.

Ensure Podiatry Services respond flexibly to patients’ and service users’ needs, supporting integrated care, appropriate hospital/community balance and reducing avoidable admissions and length of stay.

Ensure clear care pathways are developed and implemented for patients/clients referred to Podiatry Services from other directorates in the Trust and other programmes of care.

Ensure active engagement with service users, user groups and those who commission services in the design and delivery of services in order to inform service improvement.

Ensure consistent service quality across the South Eastern Trust, with systems to monitor, assure and improve care.

Provide expert advice and leadership on regional and Trust workforce planning, redesign, development and service transformation.

Contribute to the capital investment and development process within the Trust.

Develop collaborative relationships, contractual arrangements and networks across public, private and voluntary sectors to support safe, effective and sustainable service delivery.

Maintain overall responsibility for the delivery of the contracted Orthotist Service, working closely with Orthotists to ensure effective service delivery.

Monitor expenditure for the Orthotist Service, including approving invoices for items ordered and manufactured by the service.

Lead regular Orthotist Service review meetings to address identified issues relating to service delivery, clinical governance and financial governance.

Governance and Service Improvement

Ensure close co-operation with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and take lead responsibility for the regulation, governance and development of the profession across the Trust.

Ensure all recommendations from the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), RQIA and other regulatory bodies are implemented within required timescales.

Ensure Podiatry staff are aware of their responsibilities to practise in accordance with their professional code of conduct, standards and guidelines. Act as lead investigating officer for the profession.

Promote quality improvement, innovation, evidence-based practice and research across Podiatry Services.

Set and implement Trust professional policies, standards and guidelines in line with Trust and Directorate quality requirements.

Lead uni-disciplinary clinical audit and ensure appropriate professional input into multidisciplinary audit and improvement activity.

Advise on any circumstances that could affect safe standards of practice and support the development and management of clinical teams to deliver safe and effective care.

Ensure all forms of risk are managed accordingly in relation to high-risk patients, the correct use of devices, instruments and digital technology; and the decontamination of equipment.

Ensure the safe and appropriate provision of undergraduate and postgraduate clinical placements.

Ensure adequate ongoing training for profession-specific support staff.

Identify and prioritise postgraduate training needs for the profession to support delivery of the Trust’s strategic objectives and inform regional CPD planning.

Represent Podiatry and/or AHPs professionally at Trust, regional and national groups, workstreams and initiatives as required.

Ensure the needs of patients and carers are central to the delivery of Podiatry Services and aligned with Department of Health quality standards, professional standards and guidance.

Contribute to AHP governance processes and integrated assurance arrangements that promote safe, effective care, public sector values, accountability and continuous improvement.

Work with the Assistant Directors Allied Health Professions and AHP Governance Leads to strengthen controls assurance, risk assessment and risk management arrangements.

Support the Assistant Directors Allied Health Professions with the implementation of effective performance management arrangements.

Ensure the processing and management of complaints comply with HPSS and Trust complaints procedures and are underpinned by transparency and a culture of continuous improvement.

Ensure feedback and learning are communicated at individual, team and organisational level regarding concerns raised and how these were resolved.

Support the Assistant Directors Allied Health Professions with the implementation of quality initiatives such as Investors in People.

Ensure all relevant professional standards and guidelines are implemented across all programmes of care.

Ensure Podiatry Services meet relevant professional and quality standards across all programmes of care, with systems to monitor and assure compliance.

AHP Directorate Role/Strategic Planning

Represent AHP professions at Directorate, Senior Management Teams and Trust project teams as required.

Promote innovation and change to underpin the reform and modernisation of services to patients and their carers.

Support the Assistant Directors Allied Health Professions and Operational Directorates with service planning and development initiatives aligned to the Trust’s Delivery Plan, Directorate objectives and commissioning priorities.

People Management and Change

Ensure effective, efficient and consistent processes are in place to roster the workforce appropriately, support staff rotations, provide service information, inform specialty-costing exercises and ensure accurate payroll information is gathered.

Ensure appropriate people and professional management systems are in place across Podiatry Services, including active supervision, team meetings, staff development and performance reviews.

Develop a training strategy to support continuing professional development and ensure the Podiatry workforce is fit for purpose and able to meet external regulatory requirements.

Provide clear leadership to staff and ensure teams are highly skilled, flexible and motivated.

Work closely with senior Human Resources / AHP staff to develop and implement workforce planning and modernisation initiatives.

Ensure management structures and practices support effective team working, continuous improvement and innovation.

Ensure Trust people management policies are implemented effectively, including targets relating to staff development and performance reviews, sickness absence and turnover.

Ensure effective management of staff health, safety and support within each team.

Provide professional leadership by collaborating with regional colleagues, the Assistant Directors Allied Health Professions, and the Department of Health to protect the workforce, promote career progression and support succession planning.

Financial and Resource Management

Manage the Podiatry Services budget and meet financial targets, including those relating to accurate payroll and invoicing.

Ensure Trust financial policies and procedures are implemented effectively, including the safe custody of clients’ property and accounts and the appropriate use of endowments and gifts.

Ensure the effective management, use and maintenance of physical assets within each team.

Provide professional operational and financial oversight of external stakeholder engagement, ensuring robust management of decontamination processes, medical devices, external contractors for orthotic provision and orthotic services, as well as clinical equipment and capital investment.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

The Organisation supports and promotes a culture of collective leadership where those who have responsibility for managing other staff:

Establish and promote a supportive, fair and open culture that encourages and enables all parts of the team to have clearly aligned goals and objectives, to meet the required performance standards and to achieve continuous improvement in the services they deliver.

Ensure access to skills and personal development through appropriate training and support.

Promote a culture of openness and honesty to enable shared learning.

Encourage and empower others in their team to achieve their goals and reach their full potential through regular supportive conversation and shared decision making.

Adhere to and promote Organisational policy and procedure in all staffing matters, participating as appropriate in a way which underpins The Organisation’s values.

RAISING CONCERNS - RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency.

The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with the Trust’s ‘Your Right to Raise a Concern (Whistleblowing)’ policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

The post holder will, in the event of a concern being raised with them, ensure that it is managed correctly under the Trust’s ‘Your Right to Raise a Concern (Whistleblowing)’ policy and ensure feedback/learning is communicated at individual, team and organisational level.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The post holder will be required to

Ensure the Organisation’s policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through his/her own actions and those of any staff for whom he/she has responsibility.

Co-operate fully with the implementation of The Organisation's Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment defects to his/her manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for patients/clients, members of the public and staff.

Adhere at all times to all Trust policies/codes of conduct, including for example

Smoke Free policy

IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct

standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour

Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.

Co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.

Take responsibility to minimise the Trust’s environmental impact wherever possible. This will include recycling, switching off lights, computers, monitors and equipment when not in use. Helping to reduce paper waste by minimising printing/copying and reducing water usage, reporting faults and heating/cooling concerns promptly and minimising travel.

All employees of the Organisation are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the South Eastern H&SC Trust including patients/clients, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information act 2000 the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the South Eastern H&SC Trust policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.

Take responsibility for his/her own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise his/her potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.

Represent The Organisation’s commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service to patients/clients and members of the public, by treating all those with whom he/she comes into contact in the course of work, in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner.

This Job Description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

It is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to serve at any location within The Organisation's area, as needs of the service demand.

eHealth

The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust has invested in eHealth to deliver better, faster, safer care to our community and is committed to supporting staff to utilise associated information systems that directly and indirectly inform care. Trust staff are therefore required to commit sufficient time to ensure that they acquire and/or retain the core technology skills required to support their role.

Personal and Public Involvement (PPI)

Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community where relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to Personal and Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information.

http://www.publichealth.hscni.net/sites/default/files/PPI_leaflet.pdf

August 2026

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE

Head of Podiatry Services

DEPARTMENT/DIRECTORATE

Primary Care and Older People’s Services

SALARY

Band 8B

HOURS

37.5 Hours

Ref No: 55885395

Notes to applicants

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience/

Qualifications/ Registration

Degree or Diploma in Podiatry, Podiatric Medicine or equivalent.

Have at least 3 years’ post-qualifying experience in a *senior AHP management role within a **major complex organisation.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Currently registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Evidence of highly developed specialist knowledge acquired through in-depth experience and post-registration/postgraduate study.

Delivered against challenging performance management programmes for a minimum of three years meeting a range of key targets and making significant*** improvements, whilst operating at senior management* level in a major complex organisation**.

Worked with a diverse range of stakeholders, both internal and external to the organisation, to achieve successful outcomes for a minimum of 3 years in the last 5 years.

Successfully demonstrate high-level people management, governance, leadership and organisational skills for a minimum of 3 years in the last 5 years.

* Senior management is defined as experience gained at band 7 or above or equivalent. Pay scales are the agenda for Change Northern Ireland pay scales.

** “Major complex organisation” is defined as one with at least 200 staff or an annual budget of at least £50 million and involving the need to meet a wide range of objectives requiring a high degree of co-ordination with a range of stakeholders.

*** “significant” is defined as contributing directly to key corporate objectives of the organisation concerned.

Other

Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. These criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by the Trust which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post.

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Skills / Abilities

Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a proven track record of working with a diverse range of stakeholders, internal and external to the organisation, to achieve successful outcomes.

Excellent leadership skills, including a focus on collective/compassionate leadership and a strong teamwork ethos.

Ability to lead and influence change.

Interview / Test

Knowledge

Knowledge/awareness of current issues for Podiatry Services.

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for The Organisation to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

To access a copy of the Access NI Code of Practice, please Click here

The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust has guidance on the Recruitment of People with Criminal Convictions. To access a copy of this guidance, please Click Here

Protecting and using your information

To access a copy of the Trust’s Data Protection Policy Statement SETGen482019 (5).pdf

THE ORGANISATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER. PLEASE CLICK ON LINK FOR FURTHER INFORMATION - Equal Opportunities Employer - HSCNI Jobs

Successful applicants

may be required to attend for a Health Assessment

can expect to be placed at the minimum point of the pay scale, although a higher starting salary, within the range of the pay band may be available if the person appointed has experience relevant & equivalent to the post. Request for recognition of previous service with non-direct NHS/HSC organisations towards starting salary and incremental credit must be made via the Retained Recruitment team within 3 months from commencement of employment. Requests made after 3 months will not be considered.

If the successful candidate is an existing HSC employee moving to a higher band, AfC Pay on Promotion will apply.

are able to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment. A number of flexible working provisions are offered by all HSC Organisations including Full-time working, Fixed working patterns, Part-time working, Flexi-time, Compressed/elongated hours, Average hours working patterns, Term-time working, Job-share or Homeworking for some or all of the working pattern, depending on the role being undertaken. Successful applicants are encouraged to discuss with their manager what Flexible Working provisions may be available in the role they are taking up, prior to commencing employment, to help them achieve a positive Work/Life Balance.

All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times