Pre-Assessment Team Leader

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Pre-assessment Team Leader will provide professional leadership and operational management within the Paediatric Pre-assessment Unit. This role is pivotal in ensuring children and their families are fully supported, assessed and prepared ahead of surgery. The post-holder will be responsible for delivering safe, high-quality, family-centred care while leading and developing the nursing team to achieve excellence in clinical practice and service delivery.

Working closely with the Matron/Lead Nurse, Head of Nursing, Operational Managers and the wider multidisciplinary team, the post-holder will ensure effective pathways for patients, robust governance processes and efficient use of resources. They will act as a role model for professional nursing practice, champion continuous improvement, and provide assurance of quality and safety within the service.

Main Responsibilities

Leadership & Management

Provide visible leadership, supervision, and support to the Pre-assessment team, fostering a culture of compassion, safety, and high performance.

Manage the day-to-day running of the unit, ensuring clinics are staffed, organised, and delivered effectively.

Support workforce planning, including recruitment, induction, rotas, appraisals, and staff development.

Encourage a positive team culture that values openness, continuous learning, and professional growth.

Clinical & Professional Practice

Lead the delivery of safe, evidence-based pre-assessment care, ensuring children are optimally prepared for surgery.

Act as a clinical role model, providing expert advice and support to colleagues and junior staff.

Promote and uphold Trust policies, professional standards, and the NMC Code of Conduct.

Ensure that patient care is delivered in a way that respects dignity, privacy, and family-centred values.

Governance & Quality Improvement

Lead on clinical governance within the unit, including incident management, complaints handling, and risk assessments.

Coordinate and contribute to audits, benchmarking, and service evaluation to improve quality of care and efficiency.

Drive forward quality improvement projects aligned with Trust and directorate priorities.

Ensure systems are in place to capture, monitor, and act on patient and family feedback.

Operational & Resource Management

Manage nursing resources within budget, including rostering, monitoring use of bank/agency staff and managing sickness and all other leaves.

Work with senior colleagues to align service delivery with capacity and demand, reducing delays and backlogs.

Contribute to the delivery of Trust performance targets through efficient use of staff, time and resources.

Deputise for the Matron/Lead Nurse as required, contributing to directorate-wide leadership.

Collaboration & Communication

Build effective working relationships with surgeons, anaesthetists, play specialists, and the wider multidisciplinary team.

Ensure consistent and clear communication with children, families and carers, keeping them fully informed and involved in care planning.

Represent the Pre-assessment Unit in meetings, forums and Trust-wide initiatives, acting as an ambassador for the service.

Please see attached JD and JS for further details.

Person Specification

Education/Qualification

Essential

• RN1 Registered Nurse, registered on the NMC register
• Evidence of Mentorship qualification

Desirable

• Evidence of Pre-operative Assessment Course or ongoing training

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Extensive experience of working autonomously
• Proven evidence of management / leadership skills and autonomous practice
• Previous experience of student supervision and clinical education at undergraduate level
• Ability to clinically lead & influence staff

Desirable

• Experience in budget management
• Experience in managing roster and sickness management
• Experience in human resources processes i.e. capability/disciplinary management
• Experience in managing clinical incidents and complaints

Skills and Ability

Essential

• Ability to handle and resolve conflict
• An understanding of resource management
• Sound knowledge of current issues in the profession and practice of nursing
• Experience of audit, research & evidence-based care
• Knowledge of quality standards & NICE recommendations/NSF
• Ability to critically analyse data
• Ability to conduct & evaluate own projects successfully

Values and Behaviour

Essential

• Acts as a role model by upholding the highest standards of ethical practice, confidentiality, and accountability
• Demonstrates excellent verbal and written communication skills, actively listens to patients and colleagues and provides clear and sensitive explanations of care.
• Acts with fairness, promoting equality, diversity and inclusion at all times

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Evelina London Children's Hospital - Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Westminster Bridge

London

SE1 7EH

Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)