Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Cardiac & User Development Manager
Job Description
Position:
Cardiac & User Development Manager
Location:
CHSS Head Office, Edinburgh
Responsible to:
Director of Advice & Support
Contacts:
(internal)
Heads of Service (A&S Dept)
Advice & Support Staff Team
Director of Public Relations
HR Manager
Contacts:
(external)
Heart Disease Managed Clinical Networks
Health and Social Care Professionals from primary and
secondary care
Cardiac Stakeholders including voluntary organisations, NHS
colleagues/bodies and relevant Scottish Government contacts
Members of the Scottish Parliament and their offices
Patients, Families and Carers and Support Groups
General Public
Main purpose of job:
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland improves the quality of life for people in Scotland affected by
chest, heart and stroke illness, through medical research, influencing public policy, advice
and information and support in the community.
The aim of the Cardiac & User Development Manager is to empower CHSS to be proactive
within the cardiac and user involvement fields, to effect change that benefits our client group
and local communities. The post holder will line manage our Voices Scotland Lead, setting
the gold standard for user involvement across chest, heart and stroke conditions and our
Heart Failure/COPD Support Service Lead, relieving social isolation through a package of
support.
Working with colleagues and other health professionals, the post holder will identify and
prioritise areas of need and/or development of existing services and in line with
organisational objectives, increase support to those living with heart conditions and their
families.
Most challenging parts of the job:


Providing line management and support to dynamic and geographically diverse
teams
Identifying key priorities within a wide potential field of activity and demonstrating
related positive outcomes in line with organisational objectives
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Key responsibilities:
General

To develop and maintain positive working relationships with other cardiac
stakeholders, including voluntary organisations, NHS colleagues/bodies and relevant
Scottish Government contacts;

To support Advice & Support colleagues in identifying and managing key allies and
other stakeholders in achieving and promoting CHSS’ objectives;

To work in effective partnerships with other voluntary organisations on defined areas
of work in line with CHSS objectives and in collaboration with the Director of Advice &
Support;

To identify, prepare for and attend relevant Parliamentary meetings, representing the
interests of the organisation and those living with long term conditions and their
families.
Heart

To work with colleagues in Advice & Support to identify and prioritise areas of need
and/or development of exisiting services, to provide greater support to those living
with heart conditions and their families;

To line manage the Heart Failure/COPD Support Service Lead and provide specialist
support to a geographically diverse team providing the service;

To support development and expansion of the Heart Failure/COPD Support Service
in various locations across Scotland;

To provide clinical support to the Heart Failure/COPD Service supporting training,
updates and awareness of the conditions;

To keep up to date with current evidence, research, policy and news, to identify
trends and emerging areas of need, in relation to heart conditions;

To represent the interests of CHSS in responding to media enquiries in relation to
heart conditions, in collaboration with the Head of Advice & Information and/or the
Director of Advice & Support;

To update and advise collegues within Advice & Support on developments within the
cardiac field and contribute to the work of colleagues in providing information, advice
and support to those living with heart conditions;

To initiate and support local and national (Scottish) campaigns which support the
objectives of CHSS in relation to heart conditions;

To influence policy makers in the public, health and government sectors, including
politicians, to deliver change in relation to legislation, policies, procedures and
practices, which impact on those living with heart conditions and their families;

To identify opportunities to secure major gains for those living with heart conditions
through advocacy with the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Goverment, stautory
bodies, decision makers and heart disease services;
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User Involvement

To line manage the Voices Scotland Lead and provide support to the Voices
Scotland Team to ensure that patients and carers have an effective voice in forming
and shaping policy and practice around the needs of someone living with chest, heart
and stroke conditions and their families;

To provide support to developments within the Voices Scotland Team, with particular
emphasis on the Champions Of Self-Management In Care (COSMIC) programme;

To seek funding opportunities and provide support to the Voices Scotland Lead in
securing additional funding for the Voices Scotland programme;

To provide professional support to the network of chest and heart affiliated
patient/carer groups, under the remit of the Voices Scotland team
CHSS

To participate in CHSS Appraisal and Support & Development process, working to
agreed targets and personal objectives and leading the process for own staff;

To participate in departmental, regional, organisational meetings and associated
groups, as required;

To liaise with individuals at relevant events and meetings as a representative of
CHSS and understand role as the ‘face of CHSS’; setting the interests of the
organisation first;

To contribute to the work of the CHSS Public Relations Department as required;

To ensure the well being, health & safety of people visiting CHSS and/or participating
in training;

To comply fully with CHSS Policies and Procedures;

To liaise regularly with the Head of Advice & Information and Director of Advice &
Support;

To undertake additional duties as directed by the Director of Advice & Support.
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Organisation chart:
Director of
Advice & Support
Head of Advice & Information
Respiratory
Coordinator
Cardiac & User Involvement
Manager [THIS POST]
Voices Scotland
Lead
Heart Failure/COPD
Support Service Lead
Voices Scotland Trainer
Voices Scotland
Project Coordinator
Local Coordinator
Lanarkshire
Community Support
Worker
Community Support
Worker
Local Coordinator
Highland
Local Coordinator
Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Local Coordinator
Western Isles
Managed within CSS Dept.
The holder of this position will have unsupervised one to one contact as part of their
normal duties with adults at risk; therefore this position is subject to membership of
the Protection of Vulnerable Groups [PVG] Scheme.
The above job description is not exhaustive and is clarified to include broad duties inherent
in the post. Evaluation and development of this post may, in time, indicate a need to revise
duties herein.
August 2013
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Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Cardiac & User Development Manager
Person Specification
Essential
Education &
Knowledge
Current 1st level Nursing/AHP
professional registration
Evidence of Continuing Professional
Development [CPD] in cardiac field
Strong knowledge base of cardiac
conditions and their impact on
patients/carers
Desirable
Attainment/working towards
relevant degree/equivalent
professional qualification
Some knowledge base of
respiratory conditions and
their impact on
patients/carers
Confident IT use
Previous
Experience
4 years post registration experience
in a cardiac setting
Experience of an advocacy role in
promoting patient/carer views
Experience in line management
Aptitudes, Skills &
Abilities
Excellent verbal skills including ability
to present confidently to
internal/external stakeholders
Experience of networking out
with own clinical/work area
Experience in developing
patient/carer information
Understanding of the
principles and values, which
underpin user involvement
Excellent written communication skills
including the ability to analyse varied
material and present the results in a
clear and concise manner
Planning and organising skills
including prioritisation to meet
deadlines and flexibility to cope with
changing priorities
Confident leadership skills and the
ability to provide supportive
management of staff
Ability to think creatively and innovate
to effect change
Driving licence (and access to a car)
Values /
Attitudes
Commitment to equal opportunities
and the ethos of the voluntary sector
Belief in the principles of selfmanagement
Willingness to work flexibly and travel
(within Scotland)
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Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland
Cardiac & User Development Manager
Further Details
Structure:
The post is line managed by the Director of Advice & Support
Location:
This post is based within CHSS Head Office, Edinburgh
Term:
Permanent
Salary:
On a scale of £28,343 – £35,131 per annum
Grade 3(i), NJC Scale Points 32-40
New appointments are normally placed at the base of the salary
scale unless there are exceptional circumstances.
Hours of work:
32.5 hours per week (CHSS Full-Time is 32.5).
Flexibity of working hours is required. A system of managed time is in
operation.
Review of Work:
The postholder is subject to the CHSS objective setting, supervision
and appraisal process.
Annual Leave:
24-30 days per annum, dependent on length of service, plus 12 public
and local holidays.
Travel:
You will be required to use your own car on CHSS business, which is
reimbursed at a rate of 45p per mile. If a secondment reimbursement
will be at the rate set by your employment from which seconded. All
other reasonable travel, subsistence and other necessary expenses
are reimbursed.
Pension scheme:
CHSS operates a contributory Group Personal Pension scheme,
which all employees are eligible to join; contributions are on an agerelated scale of 1% to 5%. There are also schemes which provides
death-in-service benefit and permanent health insurance.
Equal
opportunities:
CHSS is committed to equality of opportunity and to non
discrimination on the grounds of race, religion or belief, age, sex,
marital or civil partnership status, disability, sexual orientation,
transgender status, pregnancy or maternity.
Closing Date for Applications: Wednesday 28th August 2013 at noon
Interviews will take place on: Wednesday 4th September 2013
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