Matron General Surgery

Job responsibilities

This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role-specific criteria.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Inclusive leadership, professional standards and accountability

• Uphold and display the Trust values of Commitment, Care & Quality.
• Demonstrate compassionate, inclusive, visible and authoritative leadership to Ward/Department Managers in order to ensure high quality patient centred clinical care is delivered.
• Ensure nursing practice reflects current clinical developments and is evidence based.
• Enhancement of own role and that of team members.
• In conjunction with the Senior Nurse Leadership Team actively embed the Trusts Nursing & Midwifery Strategy locally within areas of responsibility.
• Lead on the improvement of nursing standards by promoting Essence of Care and Best Practice nursing care.
• Participate in the development, use and evaluation of integrated care pathways.
• Work as part of a local multi-disciplinary team, in developing models of care.
• Demonstrate and maintaining clinical credibility by acting regularly as a clinical practitioner in own areas of expertise.
• Work collaboratively in developing, leading and facilitating a seamless patient pathway through the service.
• Represent the Division at designated meetings.
• Deputise for the Head of Nursing as required.
• Be the Line Manager for the Ward/Department within defined areas of responsibility.
• To participate in the senior management on-call rota.

Governance, patient safety and quality

• In partnership with the Divisional Director of Nursing and the Head of Nursing, implement a Divisional Clinical Governance Strategy.
• Within clinical areas develop a culture to ensure that Nurses actively contribute to the development of Clinical Governance (incorporating Health & Safety, Patient Safety & Risk).
• Be actively involved in relevant audits/risk managing.
• Participate in shared governance forums to provide shared best practice and drive quality care provision within the Trust.
• Ensure that the information governance agenda is embedded within the clinical areas.
• In consultation with the Divisional Director of Nursing and the Head of Nursing, investigate accidents and incidents identifying clinical risks and implementing corrective action where necessary.
• Co-ordinate relevant audit and monitoring data to assess standards of clinical care, staffing issues and patient activity providing assurance that services are delivering safe, high-quality care.
• Facilitate the Trusts complaints procedure, both formal and informal and respond proactively to patients/relatives concerns.
• Lead debriefing and learning from practice to stop and reflect after challenging situations.
• Ensure that all Wards/Departments/Clinical Areas have accurate patient information on the PAS system and that this is checked and reviewed at least weekly.
• Ensure safeguarding practices and standards are followed, at all times.

Environmental cleanliness and Infection prevention and Control

• In conjunction with the Ward/Department Managers actively support the Ward Housekeeper role in all relevant clinical areas.
• Apply the hygiene code to ensure a clean and safe environment, liaising with the Facilities and Estates Teams in reviewing and improving the environmental infrastructure.
• Establish effective administrative and support services for designated areas, including cleaning, laundry and catering services, in liaison with relevant managers.
• Be responsible and accountable for delivering a safe and clean care environment.
• In conjunction with colleagues (i.e. Director of Facilities and Estates and Chief Nurse) be responsible for updating the Matrons Charter Action Plan and producing quarterly Matron Infection Control/Cleanliness Reports for consideration by the Trust Board.
• In conjunction with the Director of Nursing, Director of Facilities and Estates and Director of Patient Safety be involved in setting initial service quality and standards and in the monitoring of contracts and service level agreements.
• Produce infection control and related reports as requested by the Divisional Director of Nursing and the Chief Nurse/Director of Infection Prevention and Control.
• In conjunction with the Divisional Management Team, actively participate in the implementation of the Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections

Patient experience and reducing health inequalities

• Support nursing staff to ensure that patients are always treated with dignity and respect and that the patient experience is appropriate to their individual needs.
• Be highly visible and accessible to patients, relatives and staff in order to provide immediate assistance, advice and support, in liaison with Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service.
• Promote the full implementation of the Patient Experience Strategy.
• Ensure the care of the dying person and their family is culturally sensitive and is the best it can be.
• Utilise the results of the National Audit for Care at the End of Life to develop service improvement plans.
• Support the promotion of personalised care and the wider personal care agenda

Performance and operational oversight.

• Have on-going operational management of defined designated clinical areas, which include enabling ward/Department Managers in budget setting and control, recruitment and retention, close monitoring of temporary staff usage, professional development and patient management.
• Actively participate in supporting the achievement of performance targets and Divisional Performance meetings.
• Supporting patient flow through the hospital.
• Have sound knowledge and experience of finance, budget and business planning processes and monitor these actively.
• Work with the finance team to monitor and manage finance and activity targets.
• Be engaged in setting budgets and activity

Digital and information technology

• Participate within the Division in embracing the power of technology and supporting a digital-ready workforce to deliver a digital healthcare service.
• Keep abreast of the technological and digital solutions such as those indicated in the Topol Review (2019).
• In conjunction with Ward/Department Managers, ensure that staff access electronic communications such as e-update

Education, Training and Development

• Participate in the Trusts Clinical Leaders development programme and other appropriate developmental opportunities.
• Develop an active role in the leadership academy framework.
• Work with and empower Ward/Department Managers in assessing skills needed for practice, identifying any deficits in this and developing/commissioning programmes to address these issues.
• In conjunction with Ward/Department Managers, support training needs analysis and the CPD application process for appropriate staff.
• Actively participate in the supervision and appraisal of Ward/Department Managers establishing performance objectives and facilitating individual development opportunities.
• Work closely with the Ward/Department Managers and Education Teams to ensure staff achieve required level of competency.
• In conjunction with the Divisional Director of Nursing and their Deputy, implement new approaches to continual professional development.
• Keep up to date with apprenticeship opportunities and promote these and other new roles.
• Support the clinical areas within the area of responsibility to be excellent learning environments for all students to include robust supervision.
• Work closely with the Ward/Department Managers and Practice Education Facilitators to encourage students to work in the Trust on qualification.
• Support areas to consistently meet mandatory and essential training targets.
• Undertake talent mapping and participate in talent management processes with Divisional Leadership colleagues and Ward/Department Managers

Research and development

• Actively participate in relevant research and implement and monitor the Trusts Nursing & Midwifery Research and Development strategy and action plan.
• Support staff who are involved in research and/or who have an interest in advancing evidence-based practice.
• Ensure that all and any research carried out within their area of responsibility has appropriate ethical approval and is carried out in line with ethical principles including informed consent

Collaborative working and clinical effectiveness

• Work collaboratively at all levels within the Division, the Trust and where appropriate across the wider ICS.
• Promote effective clinical care every day for every patient.
• Promote collaborative working with patients, carers and others.
• Establish, where appropriate, local improvement collaborations

Service improvement and transformation

• Promote the notion that quality improvement is everybodys business.
• Support gathering of insight and feedback from patients, staff and carers in service improvement and transformation.
• Work with the Quality Team to identify service improvement areas and employ Patient First methodology to bring about improvements.

Please see attached job description for full details

Essential

Essential

• Registered General Nurse
• Post registration qualification
• Masters level qualification or equivalent professional knowledge acquired through degree/diploma supplemented by specialist training or equivalent experience to masters level.
• Certificate in Teaching and Assessing Clinical Practice (or equivalent) Mentorship.
• Leadership or management qualification (or equivalent
• Evidence of excellent managerial, leadership and organisational skills
• Extensive experience at ward manager level or equivalent managerial role.
• Evidence of ability to motivate and develop all teams of nursing staff across the division
• Evidence of ability to work across professional teams and organisational boundaries
• Proven track record of being able to delegate and prioritise.
• Evidence of excellent appraisal skills.
• Evidence of excellent understanding of Trust policies and procedures and ability to translate these into action
• Evidence of excellent understanding of Trust Personnel policies and Procedures. Experience in their use is essential.
• Evidence of excellent understanding of UHSussex Trust Nursing Strategy and ability to disseminate to all grades of staff.
• Evidence of Performance Management skills
• A sound understanding of National Nursing and Patient Agendas.
• An understanding of Clinical Governance and the application to practice.
• Substantial experience at Ward Manager level.
• Excellent clinical skills and the ability to implement these in practice.
• Up to date and evidenced based knowledge of current clinical and professional issues.
• Clinically credible and competent with experience of standard-setting within a large organisation
• Excellent professional and leadership skills with evidence of successfully managing high-performing teams.
• Able to impart knowledge to all grades of staff.
• Evidence of excellent written, verbal and interpersonal skills.
• Proven ability to vary communication style according to audience and situation.
• Proven track record of being able to break bad news and managing difficult situations sensitively
• Evidence of ability to co-ordinate and motivate the multidisciplinary team.
• Evidence of experience in co-ordinating and chairing meetings and recording accurate notes.
• Evidence of experience of conflict resolution.
• Proven ability to facilitate Clinical Supervision and reflective practice (as supervisor and supervisee
• Proven ability to assess, plan, deliver and evaluate individualised and evidence based nursing care.
• Evidence of excellent ability to monitor the quality of work in others, to identify their learning and development needs and devise strategies to meet those needs
• Evidence of excellent ability to demonstrate a problem solving approach and have evidence to demonstrate actions arising have been implemented.
• Proven experience of audit, benchmarking or research and the ability to use results to inform change and development.
• Proven ability to devise and monitor systems of work.
• Proven ability to support the ward manager in maintaining an environment conducive to the delivery of excellence in care.
• Able to develop short, medium and long term strategies for the development of the wards.
• Experience of management of change
• Able to plan, manage, monitor resources (staff management and financial management).
• Evidence of experience in recruitment, selection and retention process in accordance with Trust policy.
• Evidence of experience in management of sickness/absence in accordance with Trust policy
• Experience of managing teams including the requirement to monitor and manage conduct and performance.
• Experience in management of change in accordance with Trust policy.
• Computer literate, proven ability to use Word and Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
• Understanding of matron role in overseeing expenditure and monitoring ward/department budgets
• Proven understanding of budgetary management in previous roles.
• Specialist in nursing issues but not necessarily in clinical speciality. Generally work with the supervisor/manager contactable by telephone or bleep.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Essential

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

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).