Job summary Working Full time : 37.5 hours per week We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual to join the Improvement Team as a Continuous Improvement Practitioner. The Continuous Improvement Practitioner will support the team to embed a culture of continuous improvement, where staff come to work to do their work and improve their work by utilising and applying the Trusts chosen continuous improvement methodology - Lean. The person will have experience of continuous improvement and improvement methodologies such as Lean. They will have excellent organisational skills and have the ability to communicate effectively to all levels of staff. They must be flexible in their approach and have experience of transferring improvement methodologies and skills to support others to deliver continuous improvements. Main duties of the job To assist with all aspects of continuous improvement. To play an active role in the delivery of the continuous improvement strategy. Utilise and apply the Trusts chosen continuous improvement methodology - Lean Manage elements of the continuous improvement strategy projects as directed by the Head of Continuous Improvement. Support the wider Improvement agenda in facilitating the integration of continuous improvement. Provide support to other members of the improvement team in facilitating continuous improvement activities. Act as an expert for the wider improvement team of how continuous improvement tools and techniques can be applied to support projects. Transfer of knowledge of Lean methodology to support operational and clinical teams deliver continuous improvements. Present and facilitate workshops to groups of staff. Produce clear visual materials, project documentation and data for use in reports, local briefings, workshops, training sessions and meetings. About us The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations: o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds.o Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.o Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population. The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000. The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances. Date posted 06 November 2024 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 6 Salary £37,338 to £44,962 a year pa Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number 210-2024-977 Job locations Countess of Chester Hospital Liverpool Road Chester CH2 1UL Job description Job responsibilities See Job Description for further details. Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £23 (standard) or £43 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £13 per year applies. New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above. Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Good luck with your application. Job description Job responsibilities See Job Description for further details. Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £23 (standard) or £43 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment. You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £13 per year applies. New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above. Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Good luck with your application. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Professional accreditation of continuous improvement e.g. Six Sigma, ILM, CICM or evidence of continuous professional development and significant relevant experience Degree or equivalent Desirable Completed the Trusts Lean for Leaders Programme. Knowledge and experience Essential Project management skills and experience. Basic knowledge or experience of continuous improvement methodology in healthcare. Experience of transferring knowledge in a formal training setting. Desirable Specialist knowledge of continuous improvement methodology in healthcare underpinned by theory and experience. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Professional accreditation of continuous improvement e.g. Six Sigma, ILM, CICM or evidence of continuous professional development and significant relevant experience Degree or equivalent Desirable Completed the Trusts Lean for Leaders Programme. Knowledge and experience Essential Project management skills and experience. Basic knowledge or experience of continuous improvement methodology in healthcare. Experience of transferring knowledge in a formal training setting. Desirable Specialist knowledge of continuous improvement methodology in healthcare underpinned by theory and experience. 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). Additional information 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). Employer details Employer name Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Address Countess of Chester Hospital Liverpool Road Chester CH2 1UL Employer's website https://www.coch.nhs.uk/working-with-us.aspx (Opens in a new tab)