Job summary
Following the restructure of our Theatres and Anaesthetics Directorate we are looking to recruit a Substantive Full time Senior Matron to lead our team in the Anaesthetic Directorate at UHD. The Post holder will have responsibility for Anaesthetics, Critical Care, Pre - Operative Medicine, Outreach services, Resuscitation teams, and the Acute Pain team, To lead and develop teams to deliver a high standard of care that is safe and effective.
The post holder will need to be flexible to service need and support the UHD Matron rota out of hours which includes some Late and Weekend/ Bank Holiday cover.
This is an exciting opportunity to join team UHD at a time of significant change and Transformation as we move to our Planned Elective and Emergency site configuration in July 2026.
Interview Date: 6th February 2026
Main duties of the job
To act as a professional role model, demonstrating the trust vision and values and ensuring that staff work within regulatory, legal and trust policies and procedures in maintaining and improving standards utilising resources available.
o To be highly visible, accessible and an authoritative nursing/midwifery presence providing compassionate and professional assistance or advice to patients, carers and the workforce, spending at least 50% of rostered time in clinical practice.
o To proactively manage and lead the designated matrons and clinical nurse specialists providing support, guidance and direction to achieve optimal effectiveness, clinical and financial outcomes.
o To champion strong collaboration across clinical pathways and support other care groups to maintain flow across the hospital and wider local system.
o To play a lead role within the designated directorate in the care group, ensuring the governance structure and processes are in place, that appropriate risk management and shared learning takes place, and that assurance of quality are provided to the care group. This will include being responsible for contributing to the strategic direction and implementation of the corporate objectives within the care group.
o To contribute to the delivery of Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards and to work with the Care Group Management Team to move the services to a continuously improving CQC rating.
About us
UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not bereimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
UHD has active networks including Women's, DEN, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the job description and person specification for further details of this role as included on the advert.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the job description and person specification for further details of this role as included on the advert.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- 1st Level Registered nurse/Midwife/AHP on relevant part of the Register.
- Accredited management/leadership training or evidence of practical application of expertise at this level
- Relevant Masters degree or equivalent.
- Relevant post registration specialist training at Masters level equivalent.
Experience
Essential
- Proven track record of operational management in the acute healthcare setting managing a ward / service/ department. Including staff, financial/budgetary and change management.
- Extensive experience in the acute healthcare setting, in clinical leadership/clinical management position
- Formal and informal teaching experience.
- Experience of holding staff to account for poor performance.
- Experience of being accountable for the delivery of a clinical/nursing service.
- Experience of chairing capability disciplinary hearings.
- Experience writing clinical policies and procedures.
Technical Skills and competencies
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate highly developed specialist knowledge in relation to nursing and nursing practice, underpinned by theory and extensive experience.
- Detailed knowledge of current nursing issues.
- Ability to effectively manage resources to deliver sustained improvement.
- Significant budgetary experience and demonstrable experience of achieving financial savings without compromising clinical care.
- Ability to write reports.
- Ability to analyse complex information and provide a range of options to share information to the wider team.
- Ability and experience of delivering highly sensitive or distressing news to patients, relatives, and staff.
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive knowledge of National and Local NHS care and N&M agenda.
- Highly developed specialist knowledge in field of practice (Anaesthetics/Critical Care/Pre-operative Medicine/Acute Pain/Outreach services/Resus) underpinned by theory and experience.
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with good listening skills.
- High level of work organisation, self-motivation, drive for performance and improvement, and flexibility in approach and attitude.
- Team player and able to work collaboratively.
- Committed to improving clinical care.
- Emotionally resilient and able to work effectively in a rapidly changing environment
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- 1st Level Registered nurse/Midwife/AHP on relevant part of the Register.
- Accredited management/leadership training or evidence of practical application of expertise at this level
- Relevant Masters degree or equivalent.
- Relevant post registration specialist training at Masters level equivalent.
Experience
Essential
- Proven track record of operational management in the acute healthcare setting managing a ward / service/ department. Including staff, financial/budgetary and change management.
- Extensive experience in the acute healthcare setting, in clinical leadership/clinical management position
- Formal and informal teaching experience.
- Experience of holding staff to account for poor performance.
- Experience of being accountable for the delivery of a clinical/nursing service.
- Experience of chairing capability disciplinary hearings.
- Experience writing clinical policies and procedures.
Technical Skills and competencies
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate highly developed specialist knowledge in relation to nursing and nursing practice, underpinned by theory and extensive experience.
- Detailed knowledge of current nursing issues.
- Ability to effectively manage resources to deliver sustained improvement.
- Significant budgetary experience and demonstrable experience of achieving financial savings without compromising clinical care.
- Ability to write reports.
- Ability to analyse complex information and provide a range of options to share information to the wider team.
- Ability and experience of delivering highly sensitive or distressing news to patients, relatives, and staff.
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive knowledge of National and Local NHS care and N&M agenda.
- Highly developed specialist knowledge in field of practice (Anaesthetics/Critical Care/Pre-operative Medicine/Acute Pain/Outreach services/Resus) underpinned by theory and experience.
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with good listening skills.
- High level of work organisation, self-motivation, drive for performance and improvement, and flexibility in approach and attitude.
- Team player and able to work collaboratively.
- Committed to improving clinical care.
- Emotionally resilient and able to work effectively in a rapidly changing environment
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
