About this role
Job summary
Job title: Head of Therapies & Wellbeing.
Salary: £47,026- £50,071 per annum.
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week
Are you an experienced and compassionate healthcare leader with a passion for palliative and end of life care?
We are seeking an exceptional individual to lead and develop our Therapies & Wellbeing Services, ensuring the delivery of outstanding holistic care to patients and their families.
This is an exciting opportunity to join our Clinical Leadership Team and shape innovative, patient-centred services within a forward-thinking hospice environment.
About the Role As Head of Therapies & Wellbeing Services, you will provide strategic, operational and clinical leadership across a diverse range of services including Physiotherapy Occupational Therapy Complementary Therapy Therapeutic Activities Family Support Services Child Bereavement Services You will play a key role in developing and enhancing services that improve quality of life, wellbeing and independence for patients and those important to them.
Working collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and external partners, you will ensure services remain responsive, evidence-based and aligned to the wider palliative and end of life care agenda. The role will include undertaking clinical duties aligned to the postholders professional discipline.
Main duties of the job
Job title:Head of Therapies & Wellbeing Services
Role open to applications: Closing date 1st June 2026. Interview date TBC
Location: Dove House Hospice, Chamberlain Road, Hull, HU8 8DH
Salary: £47,026 - £50,071 Per Annum.
Hours of work:37.5 hours per week Monday Friday.
To have overall operational and line management responsibility for the Therapies an Wellbeing service which consists of the following: Physiotherapy, Occupational and Complementary Therapy, Therapeutic Activities, Family Support Team, Roots of Support- Child bereavement services and Spiritual Care.
To be a key member of the operational management team, contributing to the forward planning and development of the service.
In addition to leadership responsibilities, the role will include undertaking clinical shifts appropriate to the post holders professional registration.
To ensure the highest quality of care is delivered to patients, their families and significant others, through a holistic approach, providing measurable outcomes and the evidence to support these.
To significantly contribute to the shaping and development of all the patient and family services including the development of therapeutic interventions and outpatient clinics.
To support the hospice user engagement utilising a wide range of methods to obtain feedback and encourage involvement in the development of hospice services.
About us Dove House Hospice supports patients with life limiting illnesses to live every moment. It is our vision to provide a sustainable, comfortable and caring environment in which to offer exceptional, specialist palliative care to patients, carers and their families. All roles throughout our organisation contribute to making this vision a reality for those living in Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire who rely on us to provide the care that is right for them, in the place of their choice.
Job description Job responsibilities
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:
People Management To effectively line manage the Therapies and Wellbeing Services, providing support, supervision and advice when required. Provide support and guidance to the Family Support Team Leader.
To support and develop the therapies services to meet patient need.
Hold responsibility for the development and maintenance of a problem solving/action approach to the assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of individualised holistic care for all patients, involving the patient and their families in the planning.
Responsibility for the safe effective communication and documentation at all levels, ensuring the management of sensitive information regarding patients and carers.
To monitor the effective rostering and deployment of line staff, to ensure appropriate skill mix and efficient use of resources to cover the demands of the services.
To advise and support, line staff in the management of staff performance and absence as required.
In liaison with the Head of People and Development, proactively manage escalated performance and absence issues with staff under your line management.
To be responsible for conducting annual appraisal reviews with line staff, identifying individuals development and learning objectives.
To be responsible for the appropriate recruitment of staff and volunteers to the Therapies and Wellbeing Services ensuring the processes are undertaken in line with hospice policy and monitor the effectiveness of the inductions provided to all new starters.
To be responsible for ensuring that all staff and volunteers have undertaken all mandatory training appropriate to their role to maintain hospice standards and professional registration.
To ensure the Therapy and Wellbeing teams are knowledgeable in palliative and end of life care issues and continually update themselves with current trends in policy and practice.
Work in collaboration with internal MDT teams, partnership and external agencies, building good relationships and networking.
Create a supportive and nurturing environment to develop staff, recognising potential and identifying future aspiring leaders within the teams.
To promote high staff morale by inspiring a shared vision and common goal.
Operational Management Manage a 5 day per week provision, aiming to provide consistent support within the available resources, ensuring the delivery of high-quality specialist therapeutic, social and psychological support to patients of all ages and their families.
Ensure efficient management of services, leading the staff by example to ensure the quality of care and the clinical environment are maintained at a high standard.
To effectively deal with complaints, ensuring that investigations are conducted in line with the Hospice complaints policy.
To continually monitor and review services, identifying any opportunities to improve service delivery and provide best patient/carer care in relation to resources available, to identify any deficiencies and produce reports detailing future development required.
To effectively and efficiently implement identified changes, influencing and engaging with the Therapies and Wellbeing teams.
Have an overview of patient care, by regularly attending appropriate patient related meetings, challenging and questioning staff to ensure a high quality of care is maintained.
To communicate effectively with patients, their families and significant others to assess the quality of care and effectiveness of service provision.
Monitor and enforce appropriate behaviour in the workplace in accordance with hospice policies and procedures.
To be responsible for the development and delivery of paid services for patients, e.g. bathing, respite services, complementary therapies.
To be aware of the Palliative Care agenda, with a particular focus on palliative rehabilitation and shape services to support and work collaboratively with patients, their relatives and carers to give a sense of wellbeing and to enable them to live as independently and fully as possible within the limitations of their illness.
To lead and support the teams to work collaboratively with other service areas to ensure patients receive a seamless service, which fully meets their needs and those of their families.
Monitor the accuracy and effective completion of patient records in accordance with regulatory and professional guidelines.
To communicate regularly with the Director of Clinical Services informing of significant staffing situations, untoward incidents and examples of good practice.
To contribute towards the development and delivery of operational objectives as part of the wider local PEoLC agenda, working with colleagues withing our community PEoLC partners to develop seamless integrated services.
To contribute towards the setting and implementation of the hospice strategic objectives and provide relevant professional input to the strategic development of hospice services.
To attend identified meetings and feedback to the Director of Clinical Services and where appropriate to the Therapy and Wellbeing teams and other members of the hospice leadership team.
To be responsible for the Therapy and Wellbeing areas, maintaining safe and effective equipment, good furnishings and ensuring high standards of cleanliness and infection control to meet the expected high standards of the hospice.
To ensure promotion of good health, safety and security of staff, patients, their families and significant others understanding the hospice health and safety procedures, including COSHH regulations.
Clinical Lead
To develop extended communication skills within the teams in relation to pre and post bereavement with patients, their families and colleagues within the hospice multi-disciplinary team.
To be aware of national, regional and local initiatives and contribute to the wider regional and local work in palliative and end of life care.
To represent the hospice at external forums and networking events as required.
To be involved with the development and implementation of evidence-based services/interventions to meet the changing needs of patients, families and significant others.
To develop an expertise in all aspects of palliative care within the Therapies & Wellbeing Services team.
To support development and implementation of teaching packages in house and externally.
To work closely with other members of the clinical operational management team bringing equity and parity across services.
To work flexibly to meet the needs of the hospice with the ability to support other areas when in need.
Deputise for the Director of Clinical Services when required.
Governance, Quality, Audit and Research
Working alongside the Head of Governance, contribute to achieving the required compliance in relation to statutory regulation.
To identify and report verbal complaints and compliments in line with hospice policy.
Have overall responsibility for audit within the Therapies & Wellbeing services ensuring they reflect the quality and level of activity undertaken with the service.
Oversee regular Infection Control Audits, identify, and develop other audits relevant to practice for the Therapies & Wellbeing service, with the ability to respond in a timely fashion to any recommendations.
To keep up to date with research and audit activity to ensure that practice is appropriately updated in line with latest guidance, research findings and local policies and procedures.
Work in conjunction with the Head of Governance, to ensure services are safe, effective and continuously improving.
To contribute to the Governance framework of the hospice undertaking and monitoring the updating of policies and procedures in line with Government proposals, national and local guidelines and ensure that any changes are communicated to your teams.
To summarise and analyse productivity and quality data, producing reports as required.
Person Specification
Experience Essential
Professional Qualification in Health or social care. Educated to Degree level. Advanced communication skills. Evidence of continuous professional development. Extensive experience in palliative care, relevant to professional qualification. Excellent communication skills both written and verbal with patients, carers, members of the multi-disciplinary team other professionals and external agencies. Reflective practitioner. Positive attitude to change. Ability to demonstrate effective communication skills with patients, familys carers and the multi-professional team. Expertise in Specialist Palliative Care relevant to professional registration. Excellent organisational skills. Competent IT skills. Knowledge of current NHS and independent sector issues facing nursing and in particular specialist palliative care. Ability to manage own time and that of others within a dynamic environment. Excellent interpersonal skills including listening, conflict resolution, assertiveness and negotiating skills. Evidence of excellent leadership skills. Understanding of governance and quality measures. Special interest in working in palliative care; Highly motivated, can demonstrate initiative and an intuitive approach to dealing with sensitive situations. Team player who can demonstrate a positive approach along with an understanding of the charitable ethos. Willingness to be flexible to meet service needs.
Desirable
Teaching experience and/or qualification. Active & current practice assessor. Leadership qualification or management experience . Experience in audit. Experience in change management. Experience of working with volunteers. Experience of using system one. including knowledge of caring for people and their families with long term conditions and multiple co-morbidities. Development of quality initiatives, actions plans and implementation. SystmOne training and competencies.
Qualifications Essential
Professional Qualification in Health or social care. Educated to Degree level. Advanced communication skills. Evidence of continuous professional development. Extensive experience in palliative care, relevant to professional qualification. Excellent communication skills both written and verbal with patients, carers, members of the multi-disciplinary team other professionals and external agencies. Reflective practitioner. Positive attitude to change. Ability to demonstrate effective communication skills with patients, familys carers and the multi-professional team. Expertise in Specialist Palliative Care relevant to professional registration. Excellent organisational skills. Competent IT skills. Knowledge of current NHS and independent sector issues facing nursing and in particular specialist palliative care. Ability to manage own time and that of others within a dynamic environment. Excellent interpersonal skills including listening, conflict resolution, assertiveness and negotiating skills. Evidence of excellent leadership skills. Understanding of governance and quality measures. Special interest in working in palliative care; Highly motivated, can demonstrate initiative and an intuitive approach to dealing with sensitive situations. Team player who can demonstrate a positive approach along with an understanding of the charitable ethos. Willingness to be flexible to meet service needs.
Desirable
Teaching experience and/or qualification. Active & current practice assessor. Leadership qualification or management experience. Experience in audit. Experience in change management. Experience of working with volunteers. Experience of using system one. including knowledge of caring for people and their families with long term conditions and multiple co-morbidities. Development of quality initiatives, actions plans and implementation. SystmOne training and competencies.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Dove House Hospice
Address Dove House Hospice
Chamberlain Road
Hull
East Yorkshire
HU8 8DH
Employer's website https://opportunities.dovehouse.org.uk/DoveHouse/Home (Opens in a new tab)