Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Matron in Acute Medicine

The closing date is 10 July 2025

Job summary

The Matron will play a key role in providing strong clinical leadership, supporting the Senior Nurses in both the ward and department to promote excellence in nursing care and enhance clinical standards. The successful candidate will ensure that all patients are treated with compassion, dignity, and respect, while valuing the diversity of the local community and beyond. They will also promote best practices for infection prevention by maintaining a clean and safe environment and ensuring that clinical practices align with Trust policies and best practice guidelines to minimise the risk of infection.

Main duties of the job

The Matron's key responsibility is to ensure that the patient experience is of the highestquality, inspiring patient and public confidence. This will be achieved through high visibility,accessibility and surveillance. The post holder will be expected to work clinically for anagreed 20% of their time, and where required, will be a specialist in their clinical area. Thepost holder will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the Matron's Charter intheir area.

The Directors, general managers, and heads of Nursing lead each Directorate. The Matrons report directly to their Head of Nursing, who has overarching responsibility for the Operational management and strategic direction of nursing.The primary responsibility of the Matron is to ensure that the patient experience maintains the highest quality, fostering confidence among patients and the public. This will be achieved through visible leadership, accessibility, and ongoing monitoring. The Matron is expected to spend 20% of their time working clinically and will be a specialist in their area of expertise as needed. Additionally, the Matron will be responsible for implementing the Matron's Charter within their designated area.

In each Directorate, leadership is provided by Directors, General Managers, and Heads of Nursing. The Matrons report directly to their respective Heads of Nursing, who are responsible for the overall operational management and strategic direction of nursing services.

About us

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

  1. Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities backgrounds, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
  2. Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
  3. Improving the experience of staff with disability
  4. Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
  5. Making equalities mainstream

Details

Date posted

26 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum plus HCA

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

197-AJ6963

Job locations

University Hospital Lewisham

Lewisham High Street

London

SE13 6QW


Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Result Areas & Performance:.Care Provision

To manage the quality of the provision of nursing care at all times, within their ward / Department by:

  • Holding Ward/Departmental Sister/Charge Nurse to account for the delivery of their key performance indicators in clinical areas on the Tendable database
  • In conjunction with the Directorates Workforce Manager, ensure that effective action is taken when nursing performance is at risk of falling below expected levels and standards are not beingmaintained.
  • Ensuring that the Trusts Nursing and Midwifery priorities are implemented locally

To take appropriate action on issues of staff discipline, grievance, poor performance and sickness, up to but not including dismissal.

Risk & clinical governance:

  • Ensure patients are cared for in a clean and safe environment, including the proper decontamination of multi-use equipment andtaking remedial action if standards are not maintained.
  • Be champions for driving the infection prevention and control agenda and challenging poor practice.
  • Manage and respond to complaints and adverse incidents, including serious untoward incidents. Liaise with the PALS Department regarding informal complaints and, where possible, actively diffuse complaints to avoid escalation.
  • Conduct root cause analysis and develop action plans to ensure a change in practice.
  • Ensure Risk Assessments are undertaken and action plans implemented in the wards and departments.
  • Lead the implementation of patient safety strategies such as Saving Lives and Clinical Performance Indicators.
  • Share best practice and drive improvements in patient care through the Matrons Forum.
  • In conjunction with the Surgical Head of Nursing, the Matron will be responsible formonitoring and maintaining excellent clinical standards within clinical teams.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Result Areas & Performance:.Care Provision

To manage the quality of the provision of nursing care at all times, within their ward / Department by:

  • Holding Ward/Departmental Sister/Charge Nurse to account for the delivery of their key performance indicators in clinical areas on the Tendable database
  • In conjunction with the Directorates Workforce Manager, ensure that effective action is taken when nursing performance is at risk of falling below expected levels and standards are not beingmaintained.
  • Ensuring that the Trusts Nursing and Midwifery priorities are implemented locally

To take appropriate action on issues of staff discipline, grievance, poor performance and sickness, up to but not including dismissal.

Risk & clinical governance:

  • Ensure patients are cared for in a clean and safe environment, including the proper decontamination of multi-use equipment andtaking remedial action if standards are not maintained.
  • Be champions for driving the infection prevention and control agenda and challenging poor practice.
  • Manage and respond to complaints and adverse incidents, including serious untoward incidents. Liaise with the PALS Department regarding informal complaints and, where possible, actively diffuse complaints to avoid escalation.
  • Conduct root cause analysis and develop action plans to ensure a change in practice.
  • Ensure Risk Assessments are undertaken and action plans implemented in the wards and departments.
  • Lead the implementation of patient safety strategies such as Saving Lives and Clinical Performance Indicators.
  • Share best practice and drive improvements in patient care through the Matrons Forum.
  • In conjunction with the Surgical Head of Nursing, the Matron will be responsible formonitoring and maintaining excellent clinical standards within clinical teams.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

  • Registered nurse qualification
  • Degree or equivalent clinical/advanced practice
  • Extensive experience post registration
  • Masters Degree or working towards

Desirable

  • Evidence of post registration/ qualification
  • Management/Leadership qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Clinical expertise relevant to the post
  • Experience of managing staff
  • Recent experience of working at Band 7 or equivalent in an acute setting.
  • Leadership of clinical governance and patient safety
  • Achievement of high quality patient care through evidence based practice
  • Experience of successfully leading and implementing change
  • Ability to think and plan strategically, operationally and creatively and to prioritise work programs in the face of competing demands

Knowledge

Essential

  • A good understanding of the changing NHS environment
  • Highly developed written and verbal skills
  • A strong sense of personal and team accountability coupled with a clear understanding of the boundaries around delegated authority

Desirable

  • Ability to work on service development projects

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Excellent inter-personal and communication skills
  • High level of work organisation, selfmotivation, drive for performance and improvement
  • Flexibility in approach and attitude
  • Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty and integrity
  • Able to work with staff at all levels across the Trust
  • Able to work to tight deadlines and cope under pressure
Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

  • Registered nurse qualification
  • Degree or equivalent clinical/advanced practice
  • Extensive experience post registration
  • Masters Degree or working towards

Desirable

  • Evidence of post registration/ qualification
  • Management/Leadership qualification

Experience

Essential

  • Clinical expertise relevant to the post
  • Experience of managing staff
  • Recent experience of working at Band 7 or equivalent in an acute setting.
  • Leadership of clinical governance and patient safety
  • Achievement of high quality patient care through evidence based practice
  • Experience of successfully leading and implementing change
  • Ability to think and plan strategically, operationally and creatively and to prioritise work programs in the face of competing demands

Knowledge

Essential

  • A good understanding of the changing NHS environment
  • Highly developed written and verbal skills
  • A strong sense of personal and team accountability coupled with a clear understanding of the boundaries around delegated authority

Desirable

  • Ability to work on service development projects

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • Excellent inter-personal and communication skills
  • High level of work organisation, selfmotivation, drive for performance and improvement
  • Flexibility in approach and attitude
  • Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty and integrity
  • Able to work with staff at all levels across the Trust
  • Able to work to tight deadlines and cope under pressure

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).

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).

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

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Lewisham

Lewisham High Street

London

SE13 6QW


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Lewisham

Lewisham High Street

London

SE13 6QW


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Head of Nursing Emergency & Acute Medicine

Itohan Ibude

iibude1@nhs.net

07557939072

Details

Date posted

26 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum plus HCA

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

197-AJ6963

Job locations

University Hospital Lewisham

Lewisham High Street

London

SE13 6QW


Supporting documents

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