Job description

Job responsibilities

This role offers significant autonomy whilst working collaboratively within the Health and Safety team and under the direction of the Senior Health and Safety Advisor.

The successful candidate will be required to travel independently across the North West and adopt a flexible approach to working arrangements to meet operational needs.

The Manual Handling Advisor acts as the Trust's specialist lead for manual handling and ergonomic risk management. The post holder will work with managers, operational teams and key stakeholders to develop and maintain robust systems that support safer patient handling and reduce the risk of manual handling injuries.

You will provide expert advice on compliance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, support investigations into manual handling incidents and injuries, undertake specialist assessments, and contribute to strategic initiatives aimed at improving staff wellbeing and reducing musculoskeletal disorders.

The role requires excellent analytical, communication and influencing skills, together with the ability to build effective working relationships across a diverse operational environment. You will be expected to identify areas for improvement, develop practical solutions, support behavioural change and provide assurance that manual handling risks are being effectively managed.

This is a unique opportunity to influence practice across a large and complex healthcare organisation, helping to protect our people and ensure they can continue delivering exceptional care to the communities we serve.

Visa sponsorship is not possible for this role for either candidates or existing employees. This role does not meet the eligibility criteria for Skilled Worker/ Health and Care Worker visas as set out at gov.uk. Graduate visa holders should have no expectation of long-term employment through sponsorship. Additionally, your visa conditions and validity period must allow you to work in the role question and for a suitable period to allow training and execution without requiring sponsorship.

Please ensure you have read the full Job Description and Person Specification before applying.

Person Specification

Skills / Competencies

Essential

• Communicate succinctly, clearly and accurately using a plain English approach, both verbally and in writing.
• Effective team member who is able to relate to colleagues at all levels across our large multi-site organisation with tact and diplomacy.
• Awareness of role boundaries/ limitations of practice and aware when to ask for guidance.
• Follow written instructions and ensure that services you provide are in line with standard processes and good practice, showing attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills.
• Ability to write high quality reports.
• Ability to apply creative thought to problem solving.
• Ability to engage and motivate colleagues.
• Ability to work productively and autonomously.
• Ability to analyse and present complex, sensitive and contentious data.
• Ability to provide information in a helpful and polite manner.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and manage situations in a sensitive manner.

Qualification and Knowledge

Essential

• Have or be working towards a professional / recognised qualification in Ergonomics, Physiotherapy, Manual Handling, Occupational Health or related discipline.
• Have or be willing to obtain a recognised Manual Handling Trainer qualification.
• Demonstrable commitment to continued professional development.

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of working in a healthcare or similar setting with significant manual handling / moving and handling risks.

Experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of providing specialist manual handling advice.
• Demonstrable experience of undertaking manual handling risk assessments.
• Demonstrable experience of investigating workplace accidents or incidents.
• Demonstrable experience of developing procedures, guidance and safe systems of work.
• Demonstrable experience analysing performance and incident data.

Values and Behaviours

Essential

• Working together - demonstrate collaborative and inclusive working and challenge behaviour that is not inclusive or acceptable.

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• Prioritise own workload and take responsibility for delivering results within agreed timescales and standards with changing priorities and pressures.
• Use initiative to look out for issues at work, acting quickly and calmy to focus on finding a solution.
• Excellent numerical and analytical skills.
• Demonstrate strong influencing and negotiation skills.
• Ability to be innovative and adapt practice.
• Ability to adapt to constant change.
• Ability to design and recommend improvements/ change to improve systems and processes.

Qualification and Knowledge

Essential

• Thorough knowledge of Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Relevant HSE guidance, NHS patient handling principles, Musculoskeletal risk management.

Values and Behaviours

Essential

• Being at our best - professional and adaptable and takes pride in work.
• Making a difference - act with compassion, kindness and integrity towards everyone.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Address

Ladybridge Hall

Bolton

BL1 5DD

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.nwas.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)