Quality Assurance & Improvement Officer

 

 

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Job Description (JD) and Employee Specification (ES)

 

Job Title Quality Assurance & Improvement Officer

Directorate Adult Social Care and Health

Service Area Commissioning

Grade G8

Reports to Quality Assurance Manager

This role is part of the Commissioning Shared Services Team and will work and liaise with commissioning areas across Children’s, Adults and Public Health.

Location The council operates customer focused ways of working. The designated work base is the Civic Centre; however, you may be required to work from other locations and travel throughout the Borough.

 

Main purpose of the job role

1. The Quality Assurance Officer will be responsible for contributing to the market shaping activity and a drive towards improved quality across all service areas

2. To advise and support Providers to enable them to achieve required levels of quality

 

3. To contribute to quality improvement and assurance arrangements to improve quality across all service areas delivering care and support

4. To improve practice through the delivery of the Quality Operational Framework and performance tools to ensure effective outcomes for service users and families

5. To monitor and manage quality and compliance activities to ensure delivery of quality support and compliance with Legislation, the Council’s Constitution, procurement policy and procedures

6. To review, develop and implement fit for purpose actions and interventions to drive quality improvement across the provider market operating across the Borough.

7. To monitor quality concerns, recommendations on areas of improvement, reporting to the Quality Assurance Manager and other key stakeholders regarding quality improvement and assurance progress

 

Service Area Accountabilities and Role Specific Duties

1. Work closely with the Senior Commissioning Officer, quality and safety leads and partners to ensure the implementation and delivery of quality improvement and assurance

 

 

 

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frameworks, processes and tools through an agreed programme of assurance and compliance activity

2. Support Commissioning Leads and Quality in Care Team in supporting commissioning projects and providing intelligence on Provider compliance

3. Lead on the development and implementation of robust contract monitoring and review

arrangements as part of the overall Quality Improvement Monitoring and Compliance Framework.

4. Where an action plan or requirement to improve is made, make sure that the provider understands what is required and by when and the possible penalties of not complying

5. Work under the guidance of commissioners and senior commissioners to support the

management of a range of situations that may require the suspension or termination of a contract and may ultimately lead to legal action and negotiate with providers and organisations to achieve a satisfactory solution.

6. Work with colleagues and other agencies including regulatory bodies such as CQC, Ofsted,

health agencies and others to ensure that quality service delivery is attained and to be responsible for monitoring outcomes against inspection criteria and ensuring that information is fedback to improve service delivery to meet timescales

7. Maintain and support reporting on the Provider dashboards and overall monitoring of provider services.

8. Working within recognised contract management procedures, responding independently to

unexpected and complex problems and situations, to ensure the necessary actions are taken.

9. Collate evidence from a wide range of sources to assess effectiveness of Providers in

meeting needs of service users focussing on outcomes achieved and evidence of value for money

10. Work in partnership with Providers, operational colleagues, internal teams and key external

partners around quality areas

11. Responsibility for the compilation of monthly contract monitoring reports and management information, ensuring monitoring and compliance of commissioned services

12. Present compliance reports to provider and service user forums

13. Support and complete checks on quality of service to ensure quality assurance and

compliance, advising and taking appropriate action where necessary

14. Contribute to working parties, committees and other internal and external meetings in line with agreed work programme

 

 

 

 

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15. Support the delivery of meaningful consultation, engagement, co-production around commissioning strategies and plans and focus on quality

16. Responsible for line management of staff and Matrix management of other staff involved in

projects leading on

 

Corporate Accountabilities

1. Through personal commitment and clear action, the post-holder will promote the Council’s employment policies, in particular including diversity and inclusion, equality of opportunity, access and treatment, relating to employment, service delivery and community involvement.

2. Championing and role modelling our cultural values, proactively developing, fostering and advocating our organisational cultural journey to provide an inclusive and safe working environment where all our people feel they belong, feel they are supported, developed, trusted, empowered, appreciated and celebrated.

3. Ensure active compliance with all relevant Council policies and procedures in the fulfilling of duties and responsibilities of the post, including (but not limited to) compliance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Corporate Safeguarding Policy and Corporate Resilience and Emergency Planning arrangements.

4. This job description sets out a summary of the duties and accountabilities of the role. It is not intended to be exhaustive and will be updated from time to time.

 

Special Conditions

 

1. This post is subject to a disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

2. Post holders will be required to have the ability to travel efficiently throughout and across the borough as necessary.

3. This post is covered by the Government’s Code of Practice on the English Language

Fluency Duty for public sector workers.

4. The post holder is expected to have (or develop with support) a basic level of digital skills to be able to access and use employee self-serve functionality (e.g. to claim overtime / book leave / access pay slips).

 

 

 

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Employee Specification

Below are the essential criteria (behaviours, abilities and knowledge) required by a person to perform the main duties and accountabilities of the job safely and effectively. The table below indicates how the criteria will be assessed:

• application (A)

• interview (I)

• test or other selection method (T) Abilities / Skills Assessment

The post requires analytical, judgemental, creative and development skills to analyse and interpret very varied and highly complex information or situations and to produce solutions or strategies over the long term

A/I

Utilise a broad range of contracting and procurement methodology to secure service provision against a clear specification in order to ensure cost effectiveness and high quality services with good outcomes for people using services

A/I

The post is required to use computer packages and password protected systems linked to records of vulnerable people and commercially sensitive information

A/I

Achieves outcomes for customers and communities – is focused on customer needs, consistently delivers results and continuously improves ways of working

A/I

Monitors finance and budgets effectively, plans effectively and manages contracts and projects, thinks broadly across the organisation and understands the wider impact of actions

A/I

Is politically aware and understands how the organisation works – recognises the political context of work.

A/I

Undertake Project management within Commissioning Plan A/I

Stakeholder analysis and engagement with users, patients and carers in the planning, design and monitoring of services

A/I

Follow the Contract Management Framework A/I

Exchanging orally and in writing wide ranging complex and contentious information with a range of audiences, including non-specialists e.g. power-point presentation or similar to non specialists, service users and relatives

A/I

 

Knowledge / Experience Assessment

Experience of a commissioning role in a Health and/or Childrens / Adult Social Care work environment or equivalent

A/I

Understanding of the Care Act 2014 and policies that support market shaping and financial sustainability

A/I

Involvement in management of change in a similar work environment A/I

Knowledge and awareness of the personalisation agenda and how it can be applied and promoted in commissioning approaches

A/I

 

 

 

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Knowledge / Experience Assessment

The post requires theoretical, practical and procedural knowledge across a specialist area and equivalent level of organisational, procedural and policy knowledge

A/I

The post is required to deal with people or circumstances which through no fault of their own can/would be emotionally distressing e.g. case notes, intense (abuse, suicide, self harm) or significant (elderly, frail, disabilities) emotional demands

A/I

The work involves making frequent decisions and exercising initiative without ready access to more senior officers. The jobholder consults a supervisor/ manager for advice on policy or resource issues

A/I

Take responsibility for service development and performance management within defined service groups including changing working practice and modernisation

A/I

Uses initiative, is innovative and drives through change – recognises the importance of change and acts accordingly, thinks creatively and considers issues from a number of different perspectives, takes the initiative and drives through change positively

A/I

A sound understanding of the legal, commercial, political, operational and social aspects of a similar, diverse and complex business environment

A/I

Competent in communicating sensitive, confidential and complex information

A/I

 

 

 

 

Qualifications / Professional Membership Assessment

Project Management qualification or CIPS level 4 or substantial contract monitoring /management experience

A/I

Demonstrates continual professional development (CPD) and a commitment to ongoing CPD moving forward

A/I

 

Other essential requirements Assessment

An awareness of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion A/I

Awareness of, and commitment to, data protection and information governance ensuring confidentiality

A/I

 

JD/ES Updated by: A Osborn Date last updated: Sept 25

JE Job Code: G8QAIM1518ASC Date evaluated: Sept 25