Job summary
We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated senior children's nurse to join our Children and Young People's (CYP) inpatient ward as Ward Manager on a secondment basis. This is an exciting opportunity for a skilled nurse leader to deliver outstanding, evidence-based, family-centred care while supporting staff development and service improvement.
The post holder will provide expert clinical leadership, ensuring high standards of nursing practice, patient safety, and effective patient flow, including discharge planning and safe admission, transfer, and specialist pathways.
Working closely with the CYP Matron and multidisciplinary team, you will contribute to clinical governance, infection prevention, quality improvement, and workforce development. You will act as a role model for advanced nursing practice, mentoring and supporting junior staff through supervision, education, and professional guidance.
The role also includes responsibility for staff allocation, rota management, recruitment and retention, and promoting staff wellbeing to maintain a safe and supportive ward environment.
The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent communication, strong leadership, and a commitment to continuous learning, research, safeguarding, and improving outcomes for children, young people, and their families.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will provide strong clinical and managerial leadership within the Children and Young People's inpatient ward, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based nursing care, including support for children requiring High Dependency (HDU) care.
The Ward Manager will oversee patient flow from admission through to discharge or transfer, coordinating safe staffing, rota management, and effective resource allocation. The role includes promoting clinical governance, infection prevention, safeguarding, and patient safety, ensuring care remains family-centred and responsive to the needs of children and young people. The post holder will lead service development and quality improvement initiatives, while supporting multidisciplinary working across the wider healthcare team.
The successful candidate will demonstrate advanced expertise in children's nursing, proven leadership experience in an acute inpatient setting, including HDU care, and excellent communication skills to support families, lead teams, teach and uphold Trust policies, safeguarding processes, and the NMC Code of Conduct.
About us
Ashford and St. Peters Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust serves a population of more than 410,000 people living in North-West Surrey, parts of Hounslow and beyond.
Over 3,700 highly trained doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists, healthcare scientists and other support staff make up our workforce, providing a wide range of services across our two hospital sites, Ashford, Surrey and St Peter's, Chertsey, Surrey.
We also run many specialist clinics in the community and local community hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
Our vision is to be one of the best healthcare Trusts in the country. There has never been a better time to join us in the NHS at ASPH. We are committed to providing continuous professional development and flexibility to shape our workforce around our patient care.
We are expanding our theatres at Ashford Hospital and moving towards this becoming our dedicated elective centre. We want to create a state-of-the-art centre for excellence for planned surgical procedures.
We can offer you the full range of NHS benefits/discounts and in addition:
- Excellent pension scheme and annual leave entitlement
- On-site Nurseries
- On-site staff cafes
- On-site parking
- Support in career development
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including wage stream, lease cars, Cycle to Work schemes and home electronics
Adverts may close early, so applicants are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.
For more information about a career at ASPH please visit:www.asph-careers.org
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Working Relationship
Internally the post holder will develop effective working relationships with: Divisional Chief Nurse, CYP Matron, Clinical Practice Educator, Paediatric Critical Care Co-Ordinator, Safeguarding team, Governance team, CYPED Matron, Psychiatric Liaison Nurses, Enhanced Therapeutic Observation Lead Nurse, CYP Consultants and wider CYP multidisciplinary team.
Externally this includes: Children Community Nurses, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Main Duties & Responsibilities
Clinical
Deliver and lead high-quality, evidence-based nursing care, sharing expertise with the wider nursing team Maintain competence in agreed basic and advanced clinical skills Demonstrate advanced clinical knowledge relevant to the speciality area Communicate effectively with children, families/carers and the multidisciplinary team, ensuring advice and guidance is understood Manage challenging and distressing clinical situations, ensuring the child and family remain central to care Support effective patient flow, ensuring safe discharge or transfer pathways are in place Review patient documentation to ensure individual needs are identified and appropriate care plans implemented Act as a clinical role model, supporting and advising nursing and multidisciplinary colleagues Promote staff development through mentorship and support in partnership with Clinical Practice Educators Work with infection control to maintain high standards of cleanliness and infection prevention Support the CYP Matron in ensuring robust clinical governance and quality standards are met
Managerial
Support the patient pathway from CYP ED through admission, discharge or transfer Ensure appropriate allocation of patients and tasks, considering acuity and skill mix Promote staff wellbeing by managing breaks while maintaining clinical safety Provide strong leadership, delegating appropriately and empowering staff to problem solve Facilitate collaborative working across the multidisciplinary team Adapt management style to meet changing service needs Contribute to recruitment, retention, and workforce planning within the department Deploy staff and resources effectively, reviewing rotas and ensuring safe staffing levels Support the CYP Matron with disciplinary, capability and performance issues Contribute to service development, quality improvement and resolution of ongoing issues Undertake annual appraisals, agreeing objectives and development plans with staff Support staff through change management and service developments Ensure compliance with Health & Safety, COSHH, infection control and Trust policies Promote effective communication structures across the ward and MDT Foster a culture of addressing patient concerns proactively Deputise for the CYP Matron when required and attend relevant Trust meetings
Professional
Maintain and develop professional knowledge to meet revalidation and role requirements Actively share expertise as a clinical leader within the Trust Delegate responsibilities appropriately to support staff development Promote reflective practice within the ward environment Practice in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct Contribute to Trust-wide projects, committees and professional initiatives Participate in annual appraisal, agreeing objectives and a Personal Development Plan Undertake mandatory and in-house training as required
Educational
Foster a learning and research-focused environment aligned to Trust strategy Oversee staff education and competency development through work-based learning Work with the Clinical Practice Educator to plan, deliver and evaluate training needs Act as a professional resource for all staff groups within the unit Support the development of clinical guidelines and care pathways Initiate and participate in audit and research, sharing findings through presentations Maintain personal mandatory training and continued professional development Participate in benchmarking and quality improvement programmes Ensure all new staff receive a comprehensive induction and orientation Support divisional and Trust-wide projects and staff engagement forums Ensure staff understand incident reporting processes, complaints management and safeguarding procedures
Health, Safety & Security
Maintain a clean, safe environment that supports therapeutic care Be accountable for safe practice and ensure ongoing competence Promote evidence-based care in line with Trust policies and guidelines Identify and manage risks to staff, patients and visitors, following reporting procedures Ensure safe custody and administration of medicines in line with legal and Trust requirements Follow universal precautions for handling and disposal of body fluids
Information Processing
Ensure effective use of E-rota and electronic patient records (EPR) Record and manage data accurately in line with professional standards Support effective audit and monitoring processes
Provision of Care to Meet Health and Wellbeing Needs
Supervise staff in delivering high standards of care Ensure care planning reflects the Named Nurse initiative Advocate for children and families, providing information and signposting to support services Take appropriate action to address clinical issues and risks Respect dignity, beliefs and consent, involving families in shared decision-making Promote a patient-centred multidisciplinary approach in partnership with carers and agencies Ensure prescribed treatments are delivered and changes in condition are communicated promptly Support safe and timely transfer of patients in line with policy Ensure safe discharge planning in accordance with Trust discharge procedure
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Working Relationship
Internally the post holder will develop effective working relationships with: Divisional Chief Nurse, CYP Matron, Clinical Practice Educator, Paediatric Critical Care Co-Ordinator, Safeguarding team, Governance team, CYPED Matron, Psychiatric Liaison Nurses, Enhanced Therapeutic Observation Lead Nurse, CYP Consultants and wider CYP multidisciplinary team.
Externally this includes: Children Community Nurses, Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Main Duties & Responsibilities
Clinical
Deliver and lead high-quality, evidence-based nursing care, sharing expertise with the wider nursing team Maintain competence in agreed basic and advanced clinical skills Demonstrate advanced clinical knowledge relevant to the speciality area Communicate effectively with children, families/carers and the multidisciplinary team, ensuring advice and guidance is understood Manage challenging and distressing clinical situations, ensuring the child and family remain central to care Support effective patient flow, ensuring safe discharge or transfer pathways are in place Review patient documentation to ensure individual needs are identified and appropriate care plans implemented Act as a clinical role model, supporting and advising nursing and multidisciplinary colleagues Promote staff development through mentorship and support in partnership with Clinical Practice Educators Work with infection control to maintain high standards of cleanliness and infection prevention Support the CYP Matron in ensuring robust clinical governance and quality standards are met
Managerial
Support the patient pathway from CYP ED through admission, discharge or transfer Ensure appropriate allocation of patients and tasks, considering acuity and skill mix Promote staff wellbeing by managing breaks while maintaining clinical safety Provide strong leadership, delegating appropriately and empowering staff to problem solve Facilitate collaborative working across the multidisciplinary team Adapt management style to meet changing service needs Contribute to recruitment, retention, and workforce planning within the department Deploy staff and resources effectively, reviewing rotas and ensuring safe staffing levels Support the CYP Matron with disciplinary, capability and performance issues Contribute to service development, quality improvement and resolution of ongoing issues Undertake annual appraisals, agreeing objectives and development plans with staff Support staff through change management and service developments Ensure compliance with Health & Safety, COSHH, infection control and Trust policies Promote effective communication structures across the ward and MDT Foster a culture of addressing patient concerns proactively Deputise for the CYP Matron when required and attend relevant Trust meetings
Professional
Maintain and develop professional knowledge to meet revalidation and role requirements Actively share expertise as a clinical leader within the Trust Delegate responsibilities appropriately to support staff development Promote reflective practice within the ward environment Practice in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct Contribute to Trust-wide projects, committees and professional initiatives Participate in annual appraisal, agreeing objectives and a Personal Development Plan Undertake mandatory and in-house training as required
Educational
Foster a learning and research-focused environment aligned to Trust strategy Oversee staff education and competency development through work-based learning Work with the Clinical Practice Educator to plan, deliver and evaluate training needs Act as a professional resource for all staff groups within the unit Support the development of clinical guidelines and care pathways Initiate and participate in audit and research, sharing findings through presentations Maintain personal mandatory training and continued professional development Participate in benchmarking and quality improvement programmes Ensure all new staff receive a comprehensive induction and orientation Support divisional and Trust-wide projects and staff engagement forums Ensure staff understand incident reporting processes, complaints management and safeguarding procedures
Health, Safety & Security
Maintain a clean, safe environment that supports therapeutic care Be accountable for safe practice and ensure ongoing competence Promote evidence-based care in line with Trust policies and guidelines Identify and manage risks to staff, patients and visitors, following reporting procedures Ensure safe custody and administration of medicines in line with legal and Trust requirements Follow universal precautions for handling and disposal of body fluids
Information Processing
Ensure effective use of E-rota and electronic patient records (EPR) Record and manage data accurately in line with professional standards Support effective audit and monitoring processes
Provision of Care to Meet Health and Wellbeing Needs
Supervise staff in delivering high standards of care Ensure care planning reflects the Named Nurse initiative Advocate for children and families, providing information and signposting to support services Take appropriate action to address clinical issues and risks Respect dignity, beliefs and consent, involving families in shared decision-making Promote a patient-centred multidisciplinary approach in partnership with carers and agencies Ensure prescribed treatments are delivered and changes in condition are communicated promptly Support safe and timely transfer of patients in line with policy Ensure safe discharge planning in accordance with Trust discharge procedure
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- RN (Child)/ RSCN with current NMC Registration
- Mentorship Course/ Practice Assessor
- Paediatric HDU Course
- APLS/EPALS
Experience
Essential
- Minimum 1 year experience at Band 6 in acute paediatric environment
- Evidence of practice development and QI projects
- HDU course/ significant experience in caring for HDU patients
- Evidence of managing staff and resources
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of professional code of conduct
- Trust vision, values, strategic objectives
- Knowledge of clinical governance issues i.e. datix, complaints
- Safeguarding children and young people
Skills
Essential
- Knowledge and awareness of diversity and human rights
- Excellent communication skills
- Teaching skills
- Good IT skills
Desirable
- Evidence of presenting skills
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- RN (Child)/ RSCN with current NMC Registration
- Mentorship Course/ Practice Assessor
- Paediatric HDU Course
- APLS/EPALS
Experience
Essential
- Minimum 1 year experience at Band 6 in acute paediatric environment
- Evidence of practice development and QI projects
- HDU course/ significant experience in caring for HDU patients
- Evidence of managing staff and resources
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of professional code of conduct
- Trust vision, values, strategic objectives
- Knowledge of clinical governance issues i.e. datix, complaints
- Safeguarding children and young people
Skills
Essential
- Knowledge and awareness of diversity and human rights
- Excellent communication skills
- Teaching skills
- Good IT skills
Desirable
- Evidence of presenting skills
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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
