Job summary
This post is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and competent Therapist who has advanced assessment, admission avoidance, and discharge planning knowledge and skills, providing support with Home First within the Integrated Placement of Care Team (IPOCH). The post holder will work across the Emergency Department (ED), admission avoidance pathways, inpatient wards, and community settings to facilitate timely decision-making, prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, and support patients to receive care in the most appropriate setting.

The post holder has decision-making autonomy and is responsible and accountable for the development, education, and supervision of others. They will work collaboratively and cooperatively with multidisciplinary colleagues to meet the needs of patients and their families, taking an active role in facilitating safe and timely discharge from hospital, supporting admission avoidance initiatives within ED and urgent care pathways and undertaking ongoing assessments within community settings in line with National Hospital Discharge Guidance and Home First principles.

Main duties of the job
We are looking for an enthusiastic, dynamic and motivated Therapist to join our friendly and supportive IPOCH Team to drive clinical excellence, operational leadership, and service development. The post holder will support the triaging of patients who are ready for discharge, adopting a Proportionate Care and Home First approach, and supporting complex home visits alongside the wider multidisciplinary team. The role will include attendance at multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings within the hospital setting to facilitate timely discharge planning, promote Home First principles, and support effective patient flow across the system. As a senior member of the IPOCH team, you will provide clinical and professional leadership, supporting the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care. You will take a leadership role within the team, supervising and supporting staff through Motiv8s, one-to-one meetings, appraisal processes, sickness management, and other HR responsibilities as required. You will act as a role model for best practice, supporting the development and education of colleagues while fostering a positive and collaborative team culture.

The post holder will be expected to work weekends and Bank Holidays as part of the service requirements.

You are required to be a car driver and have access to your own vehicle.

About us
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides a full range of local hospital and community services for people across East Cheshire (population 399K) and West Cheshire and Chester boroughs (population 357K).

The Trust provides high quality planned and unplanned/emergency care, cardiac and critical care as well as child health, maternity services, and intermediate care across our sites at Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford.

The Trust provides 500 beds and employs over 5,100 members of staff.

An extensive range of community services is provided across 26 medical centres and schools by our community arm, Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership, in collaboration with Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FT and the South Cheshire and Vale Royal GP Alliance.

We have played, and continue to play, a proactive role in the development of Integrated Care plans across Cheshire and Merseyside and our local Cheshire East and Cheshire West Place-based systems. We believe, and it is the cornerstone of our five-year Trust Strategy, there is the opportunity to progress innovative, responsive and effective care in the best setting for the patient, be it in the hospital or out in the community.

At Mid Cheshire, our mission is to inspire hope and provide unparalleled care for the people and communities of Cheshire, helping them to enjoy life to the fullest.

Details
Date posted: 05 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 3 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 412-COMM-8394054-WINTER

Job responsibilities

• Provide advanced clinical leadership across ED, admission avoidance, Home First, and discharge pathways.
• Support admission avoidance by identifying patients who can be safely managed within community settings.
• Facilitate safe, timely discharge from hospital through expert assessment and collaborative discharge planning.
• Lead complex clinical decision-making, risk assessment, and patient flow management.
• Supervise, support, and develop therapy staff and support workers within the IPOCH team.
• Contribute to service development, quality improvement, and transformation programmes.
• Work collaboratively with acute, community, primary care, social care, and voluntary sector partners to deliver integrated care and Home First principles.
• Support achievement of key performance indicators relating to discharge, length of stay, admission avoidance, and patient outcomes.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• HCPC (Health and Care Professional Council) registration
• Relevant professional degree/diploma/MSc (Master of Science) pre-registration.
• Clinical Educator Training

Desirable

• Post registration Masters in relevant area.
• Advanced Communication skills qualification.
• Membership of a specialist interest group relevant to the specialty.

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Post registration Knowledge which is relevant to the specific area.
• In-depth knowledge of recent NHS legislation recommendations for specialist area.
• Detailed awareness of the National and Local priorities and changing trends in the specialist area.
• Able to understand and analyse complex issues and balance competing priorities in order to make difficult clinical decisions.
• Ability to demonstrate leadership when introducing change.
• Highly advanced communication and listening skills, able to influence and persuade others articulating a balanced view and able to constructively question information.
• Excellent interpersonal and organisational skill.
• Audit skills

Desirable

• Evidence of inspiring and motivating teams with the ability to communicate passionately and effectively.
• Ability to negotiate effectively within the MDT or across a range of services/providers.
• High degree of personal credibility, emotional intelligence, patience and flexibility.
• Ability to cope with unpredictable situations.
• Confident in facilitating and challenging others.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of contributing to and service delivery/evolving evidence led practice and delivery in a changing environment.
• Specialist experience of managing a complex caseload of patients relevant to the post.
• Experience of working in a CCT at a band 6 level.
• Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders providing leadership within the rehabilitation setting.
• Experience of planning and completing audit and research.
• Experience of teaching and mentoring staff.
• Experience of undertaking projects.

Desirable

• Previous supervisory experience.
• Experience of working in an integrated team.
• Evidence of working across organisational boundaries within health and social care.

Specific Job requirement
Essential

• Ability to make appropriate decisions at all levels.
• Ability to co-ordinate and prioritise workloads - able to multi-task as well as be self disciplined and highly motivated.
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Proactive, takes own initiative.
• Supportive team member.
• Demonstrates a flexible approach to ensure patient care is delivered.
• Experience of Service development.

Desirable

• Completion of fundamentals of change training.

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.

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: IPOCH BIU 2 Leighton Hospital, Middlewich Road, Crewe, CW1 4QJ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.mcht.nhs.uk/

Contact
For questions about the job, contact: IPOCH Matron, Steph Stalgis, stephanie.stalgis@mcht.nhs.uk, 01270273025