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Job summary

Main area
Allied Healthcare Professionals
Grade
Band 8c
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
249-8229376
Employer
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Town
Swindon
Salary
£79,504 - £91,609 Per annum, Pro Rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
20/09/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Associate Director of AHPs

Band 8c

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital. 

Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.

We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used, then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

Job overview

Associate Director of AHPs

The Associate Director for Allied Health Professions is a pivotal role in the leadership, identity and development of allied health professionals (AHPs) within Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. They will provide strategic leadership to all AHP disciplines which include acute  services, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, nutrition and dietetics, speech and language, podiatry, imaging, optometry, operating department practitioners and paramedics.

The post holder will work strategically to raise the profile of AHPs and will lead the development and implementation of a Trust wide strategy plan for allied health professional services and associated activities. Working proactively and collaboratively with Divisional Triumvirates, medical and nursing leaders they will provide professional leadership to identify and execute opportunities for allied health professional transformation, driving clinical innovation and new ways of working to meet current and future patient needs. Identifying workforce opportunities to liberate the potential and demonstrate the value of Allied Health Professionals is a key component of this role.

 

Main duties of the job

The Associate Director Allied Health Professionals will collaborate with professional leads across non-AHP disciplines and will be actively engaged with the BSW Hospital Group, playing an important role in shaping the strategic landscape for Allied Health Professionals at system level and in building a sustainable Allied Health Professional community.

You will provide strong credible AHP leadership and working with the Heads of Service deliver a leadership structure that delivers strategically, professionally, operationally and clinically with clear lines of authority, delegation and accountability

You will provide senior, professional leadership to AHPs across GWH demonstrating advanced analytical and judgement skills to interpret highly complex facts and information to enable the development of an AHP vision and strategic plan.

 

Working for our organisation

We are proud to be part of BSW Hospitals Group – a formal partnership between Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust. With a combined workforce of over 17, 600 colleagues, and budget of 1.6 billion the Group is united by a common purpose to deliver the best possible care to over 1 million people.

We are creating a health and care system that works with the people we care for, reducing the differences people currently face in access, experience and outcomes, improving the experience of our colleagues and tackling shared challenges like sustainability and finances. Every improvement we make across our Group will be guided by what creates the greatest benefit for our colleagues, our patients, our communities and our partners.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Associate Director for Allied Health Professions is a pivotal role in the leadership, identity and development of allied health professionals (AHPs) within Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 

Please see attached full job description 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered AHP with masters level or equivalent
  • Postgraduate management qualification or equivalent high-quality training/experience
  • Evidence of further personal development
Desirable criteria
  • Experience in health care including relevant clinical qualifications
  • NHS Improving Quality tools and techniques
  • Formal project management qualification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Significant operational healthcare experience
  • Extensive senior management experience
  • Track record of achieving financial and service targets
  • Leading change through empowering people and holding them to account
  • Good understanding of NHS policy
  • Good understanding of the framework for clinical governance
  • Understanding of clinical pathways and treatments relevant to the Service
  • Experience of managing and utilising budgets effectively
  • Evidence of creative and inspirational approach to problem solving
Desirable criteria
  • Significant operational experience in acute/integrated healthcare.
  • Previous involvement in NHS service development and reconfiguration
  • Experience in participation in NHS on call service as a senior manager.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderInvestors in People: GoldCare Leaver CovenantStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Ana Gardete
Job title
Deputy Chief Nurse
Email address
[email protected]
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