About this role
Job summary
The Dementia Assessment Team Leader is responsible for providing clinical leadership and operational management to the Dementia Assessment Service. The post holder ensures the delivery of high quality, safe and timely dementia assessment and diagnostic pathways, in line with Trust objectives and NHSE Mental Health performance expectations.
The role provides day to day leadership to a multidisciplinary team, with responsibility for referral oversight, demand and capacity management, supervision and professional support of staff, and clinical decision making for complex and high risk cases. The post holder will play a key role in maintaining quality, governance, safeguarding and service improvement activity across the service.
The Team Leader works closely with the Service Manager and wider system partners to ensure effective service delivery, patient flow and positive experience for people accessing the Dementia Assessment Service and their carers.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide clinical leadership and operational management for the Dementia Assessment Service, ensuring safe, timely delivery of assessment and diagnostic pathways in line with Trust objectives and NHSE Mental Health performance standards.
They will lead a multidisciplinary team, providing supervision, professional support and clinical guidance, and ensuring staff work in line with agreed standards and Trust policies. This includes oversight of induction, appraisal, mandatory training and general workforce management.
The post holder will be responsible for referral oversight, triage arrangements, demand and capacity management and waiting list monitoring to support prioritisation and patient flow. They will provide clinical decision making and oversight for complex, high risk and safeguarding cases, ensuring appropriate escalation.
They will maintain oversight of quality and governance activity, including incident and safeguarding processes, complaints management and service improvement actions. The role includes working closely with the Service Manager to support performance and quality assurance.
The post holder will work with internal teams and partner agencies to support integrated working and positive experiences for patients and carers, and contribute to service development and delivery of Trust priorities.
About us
As a specialist mental health trust, Sussex Partnership places strong emphasis on the wellbeing of its staff and recognises the importance of supporting people who deliver essential care services.
Working within our teams, we offer access to a range of wellbeing and support programmes delivered by our internal wellbeing team. Staff benefit from structured supervision arrangements with access to ongoing training and development opportunities. Flexible working patterns are supported where service needs allow.
Employees also have access to a range of discount schemes, including gyms, shopping, restaurants and car related offers. Sussex Partnership is a Trust rated Outstanding for caring and Good overall by the Care Quality Commission.
The Trust offers generous annual leave entitlement starting at 27 days plus bank holidays. A Golden Hello or relocation package of up to £2000 may be available in line with Trust policy and attached guidance.
Job description Job responsibilities
The post holder will lead the Dementia Assessment Service by providing clear clinical and operational direction, ensuring that the service responds effectively to referral demand and delivers high quality assessment and diagnostic pathways.
They will be responsible for the overall coordination of the team, setting priorities, maintaining oversight of daily activity and ensuring work is allocated and managed safely. This includes supporting clinicians with complex decision making, overseeing safeguarding activity and ensuring appropriate risk management and escalation processes are followed.
The post holder will ensure robust supervision and professional support arrangements are in place for all staff, promoting safe practice, staff wellbeing and consistent standards of care. They will support workforce planning, manage performance issues where required and contribute to recruitment, induction and development of staff.
They will take responsibility for operational processes including referral management, waiting list oversight, monitoring of access and flow, and implementation of actions to address service pressures. The role includes oversight of quality and governance activity such as incidents, complaints, audits and service improvement work, ensuring learning is embedded within the team.
The post holder will work closely with the Service Manager and relevant internal and external partners to support integrated working and continuity of care for people using the service and their carers. The role does not hold a clinical caseload but provides leadership and oversight that enables safe, effective and sustainable service delivery.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Registered Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker or Occupational Therapist qualification. Up to date Registration (NMC/HCPC/SWE) Evidence of CPD Post Basic Courses / relevant Study Days
Knowledge/Experience Essential
Significant experience of and demonstrable achievement in clinical practice Experience of providing professional support/supervision and motivation of staff Understanding of Health and Social Care Governance Experience of managing staff
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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 Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust , Swandean Building
Arundel Road
Worthing West Sussex
BN13 3EP
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)