Job Description

• As the representative of clinical services for veterans and veteran care on the Executive, work to ensure that veteran care remains central to Combat Stress core values and activities.
• Lead the formation, design and evaluation of Combat Stress’s clinical strategy and treatment programmes, clinical governance and research strategy.
• As a member of the Executive, share corporate responsibility for the implementation of Executive decisions, and participate in the general decision making and governance of the organisation. Provide clinical advice to the Executive and Board of Trustees as required.
• Work with external stakeholders and national/international clinical and research networks to develop new models of care and improve pathways for veterans, thereby contributing to the development of a more coherent UK strategy. Working closely with the Director of Operations, identify opportunities for the development of Combat Stress services, ensuring these reflect best practice and thinking in the wider world of trauma practice and provide leadership in the field of veterans’ mental health.
• Initiate and identify research to evidence the effectiveness of Combat Stress programmes.  Ensure that service gaps are recognised and inform the direction of future strategy. Work closely with the Director of Operations on winning and supporting tenders and contracts to deliver the most effective outcomes for veterans.
• Act as the clinical lead to all clinical employees, ensuring that proper and effective systems for regular clinical supervision are in place and that all clinicians receive effective support and training to improve their performance and the quality of care they provide to veterans. Undertake direct clinical supervision as required.
• Lead the Clinical Leadership and Research team, line managing multi-disciplinary team of clinical leaders – in accordance with Combat Stress policy and practice and encouraging and supporting their individual development. Undertake regular management supervision and ensure that team members receive regular and accurate feedback on their performance. Proactively address any issues of conflict or concern so as to achieve a team-working environment in which individuals are able to achieve their full potential.
• Ensure that Responsible Officer and Caldicott Guardian duties are undertaken in accordance with GMC and other statutory requirements, delegating these where appropriate to other appropriate clinicians.  Ensure that robust systems of clinical governance are in place.
• Establish and maintain appropriate clinical standards across all Combat Stress activities, ensuring that their application is monitored effectively, with accurate management information made available to the Executive and Trustees as required.  Ensure that systems are in place for dealing with and escalating complaints and effecting any resultant practice improvements.
• Maintain an overview of professional dynamics across the organisation, assessing the mood and creating alignment as required.  Promote effective multi-disciplinary and collaborative working across the charity.
• Ensure that effective systems are in place to check that all clinical and occupational practitioners have appropriate qualifications and experience and that shortcomings in performance or conduct are addressed appropriately. Support the professional training, mentoring and development of clinical employees and ensuring that Combat Stress develops clinical leaders who are committed to excellence in their practice. 

• Act as Combat Stress lead on safeguarding matters, ensuring that appropriate policies and training are in place which reflect statutory requirements and best practice and that all employees, volunteers and Trustees are confident to report any safeguarding or safety concern. Ensure that effective arrangements are in place for patient safety across the organisation.
• Maintain an appropriate clinical caseload of clients; sessions to be agreed in consultation with the Chief Executive and taking account of other responsibilities. Ensure that there is an appropriate system in place for clinical cover at an operational level and participate in the on-call rota as required.
• Take responsibility for the management and mitigation of clinical risk, ensuring that potential risks are recognised and managed proportionately. Contribute to the corporate risk management process.
• Work closely in partnership with the Director of Operations, Regional Managers and Peer Support and Helpline to ensure appropriate medical and therapy practitioner performance is safe and that all required contractual targets are monitored and delivered and resources are maintained within agreed budgets.
• Lead the Clinical Leadership & Research team in the development and review of key performance indicators, working closely with the Director of Operations as appropriate. Report on these to external funders as required.   
• Take responsibility for managing and promoting Combat Stress’ relationships with key professional bodies (General Medical Council, Royal College of Psychiatry, Psychological Society etc.) and other external organisations, ensuring that the charity maintains effective influence and an appropriate profile with such bodies.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as may be required from time to time.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

Responsibilities as The Responsible Officer (RO):

As Clinical Leadership and Research Director, the postholder will also hold the role of Responsible Officer for Combat Stress. The level of responsibilities associated with the role will be dependent upon the following conditions on the postholder’s qualifications:

• If the postholder is a Consultant Psychiatrist by background, they will be Combat Stress’ the accountable NHS and BMA Responsible Officer for our Psychiatrists.
• If the postholder is Consultant Psychologist, the NHSE and BMA RO role will be delegated to either our Deputy Medical Director or another Consultant Psychiatrist

If the postholder comes from another clinical background, the Board will then make the necessary actions to ensure the responsibilities of the RO are taken appropriately.

Risk Management

• As an employee of the charity the postholder is required to be risk aware, readily able to identify risks faced in the course of day-to-day duties. Where a new risk is identified it is to be reported through the postholder’s line manager.