Job summary
We wish to recruit an enthusiastic interim Ward Manager for Ellington Ward based at Northwick Park Hospital, to cover a period of 6 months. The successful candidate should have a special interest in working in older adults mental health and will have the opportunity to develop this exciting role with support from the older adults inpatient and community services based at Northwick Park Hospital and the boroughs of Brent and Harrow.
The successful applicant will have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a compassionate and highly motivated Ward Manager with experience of managing others to lead a dedicated clinical team. This is an exciting opportunity to come and join an AIMS accredited older adults ward team in the Jameson Division.
You will be able to demonstrate progressive skills in leadership, advanced clinical practice, and service development. We are seeking senior nurses who are looking to further their career and you will be joining a multi-disciplinary team that is committed to the provision of high quality and patient-centred care, continuous service and staff development, and strong collaborative working with other agencies.
The role is pressured at times; you will need to be proactive and self-directed as well as working alongside fellow ward managers within the division and working closely with the matron to continue to strive for improvement to ensure that we are continuously providing high standards of care to all of our patients. The post holder will have relevant experience in an inpatient ward, and relevant knowledge of older adult mental health. You will have clear aims for the ward's development and be able to achieve goals set. Firm evidence of how you as a leader have positively affected team dynamics and improved clinical effectiveness is required. You must be able to motivate staff to achieve high standards, and possess excellent communication skills as components to achieve Trust goals.
About us
The successful applicant will work with the matron and Northwick Park colleagues to promote a culture that fosters staff involvement and a progressive attitude to service improvement, along with taking operational and clinical day to day management responsibility at team level using performance management systems to ensure the effective delivery of clinical activity and quality standards to meet service specifications. You will also work collaboratively and co-operatively with others to meet needs of patients and their families. You will need to ensure that as well as providing clinical leadership, responsibility for direct staff management and the running of an acute inpatient ward, you will also be working to a tight deadline and financial budget and other constraints.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Patient Care
You will be expected to:
- Build and maintain a caring, kind culture in the ward in which people respect each other and people are treated with dignity
- Be a role model and visible authoritative presence in the ward delivering compassionate care
- Be a resource, providing experienced advice to the ward
- Promote excellence in nursing standards and clinical leadership and monitor patient care programmes in accordance with agreed policies
- Ensure ward staff effectively manage the reception, transfer and discharge of patients and adhere to Trust policies
- Ensure care is delivered development and auditing of care programmes and standards of care including meeting, for example, the requirements of key NICE guidelines and the National Service Framework
- Carry out and demonstrate nursing care and procedures in accordance with Trust policies and Best Practice guidelines at a higher clinical
- Work with Domestic Service staff to ensure that the ward environment is maintained in a clean order and ensure that any shortfalls in cleaning standards are rectified
- Liaise with Infection Control Team regarding auditing clinical areas and control of infection among patients in the ward
- Innovate and improve practice, showing courage and commitment and utilising experience and excellence in patient care
- Ensure infection control policies and recommendations are implemented
- Be active in resolving patient / visitors problems, complaints and queries by liaising with the Patient Advice and Liaison Service and the Trust Complaints Department and implementing actions for improvement
- Liaise with the colleagues and patient flow team about bed management and discharge plan
Communication Skills
You will be expected to:
- Provide a visible accessible and authoritative presence within the ward in whom patients and their families can have confidence and to whom they can turn for assistance, advice and support
- Be visible and accessible on the ward on a daily basis, monitoring the team ethos and effectiveness of communication
- Build networks and relationships to engage and mobilise for excellence and improvement
- Cascade information to nurses and ward staff. Communicate information to managers, staff, patients and relatives which at times may be highly complex or sensitive and where there may be opposition to the message g. disciplinary matters, rostering conflicts etc.
- Resolve patient / visitors problems, complaints and queries
- Liaise with other senior nursing colleagues to review best practice, implement statutory and national requirements and quality based initiatives within wards to improve the patient experience
Staff management and development
You will be expected to:
- Ensure the ward is fully staffed with an appropriate ratio of registered nurses to health care assistants and substantive to temporary staff.
- Provide line management to the Band 6 nurses on the ward including undertaking their supervision and appraisal, development, management of sickness absence and performance management
- Be responsible for overseeing the human resource management of ward staff through the line management structure and ensuring adherence to all HR policies
- Ensure an effective learning environment to support pre-registration student learning needs and those of permanent staff and promote sharing of multi professional knowledge and expertise and lead development and teaching initiatives within the clinical area
- Ensure that staff support systems are in place across areas of responsibility including supervision and mentorship
- Ensure all members of staff undertake mandatory and statutory training in line with Trust policy.
Analytical and Judgement Skills
You will be expected to:
- Be aware of the potential for vulnerability and abuse amongst service users and their families / carers and ensure all staff adhere to the local policy to inform appropriate personnel in line with Safeguarding Children / Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and Trust policies.
- Be available for advice and support for all junior members of the clinical teams, to ensure that they develop in line with expectation. Support staff to complete the Trust competencies and work within a quality and evidence based method.
- Investigate serious incidents and make judgements and recommendations about outcomes, implications and action
Job description
Job responsibilities
Patient Care
You will be expected to:
- Build and maintain a caring, kind culture in the ward in which people respect each other and people are treated with dignity
- Be a role model and visible authoritative presence in the ward delivering compassionate care
- Be a resource, providing experienced advice to the ward
- Promote excellence in nursing standards and clinical leadership and monitor patient care programmes in accordance with agreed policies
- Ensure ward staff effectively manage the reception, transfer and discharge of patients and adhere to Trust policies
- Ensure care is delivered development and auditing of care programmes and standards of care including meeting, for example, the requirements of key NICE guidelines and the National Service Framework
- Carry out and demonstrate nursing care and procedures in accordance with Trust policies and Best Practice guidelines at a higher clinical
- Work with Domestic Service staff to ensure that the ward environment is maintained in a clean order and ensure that any shortfalls in cleaning standards are rectified
- Liaise with Infection Control Team regarding auditing clinical areas and control of infection among patients in the ward
- Innovate and improve practice, showing courage and commitment and utilising experience and excellence in patient care
- Ensure infection control policies and recommendations are implemented
- Be active in resolving patient / visitors problems, complaints and queries by liaising with the Patient Advice and Liaison Service and the Trust Complaints Department and implementing actions for improvement
- Liaise with the colleagues and patient flow team about bed management and discharge plan
Communication Skills
You will be expected to:
- Provide a visible accessible and authoritative presence within the ward in whom patients and their families can have confidence and to whom they can turn for assistance, advice and support
- Be visible and accessible on the ward on a daily basis, monitoring the team ethos and effectiveness of communication
- Build networks and relationships to engage and mobilise for excellence and improvement
- Cascade information to nurses and ward staff. Communicate information to managers, staff, patients and relatives which at times may be highly complex or sensitive and where there may be opposition to the message g. disciplinary matters, rostering conflicts etc.
- Resolve patient / visitors problems, complaints and queries
- Liaise with other senior nursing colleagues to review best practice, implement statutory and national requirements and quality based initiatives within wards to improve the patient experience
Staff management and development
You will be expected to:
- Ensure the ward is fully staffed with an appropriate ratio of registered nurses to health care assistants and substantive to temporary staff.
- Provide line management to the Band 6 nurses on the ward including undertaking their supervision and appraisal, development, management of sickness absence and performance management
- Be responsible for overseeing the human resource management of ward staff through the line management structure and ensuring adherence to all HR policies
- Ensure an effective learning environment to support pre-registration student learning needs and those of permanent staff and promote sharing of multi professional knowledge and expertise and lead development and teaching initiatives within the clinical area
- Ensure that staff support systems are in place across areas of responsibility including supervision and mentorship
- Ensure all members of staff undertake mandatory and statutory training in line with Trust policy.
Analytical and Judgement Skills
You will be expected to:
- Be aware of the potential for vulnerability and abuse amongst service users and their families / carers and ensure all staff adhere to the local policy to inform appropriate personnel in line with Safeguarding Children / Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and Trust policies.
- Be available for advice and support for all junior members of the clinical teams, to ensure that they develop in line with expectation. Support staff to complete the Trust competencies and work within a quality and evidence based method.
- Investigate serious incidents and make judgements and recommendations about outcomes, implications and action
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- RMN Nurse qualification
- Diploma/ degree in a subject related to mental health
Desirable
- Evidence of post-graduate study/ continuing professional development
- Experience or qualification in physical health
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience as a qualified mental health nurse
- Risk assessment/management.
- Evidence of leadership skills
- Ability to apply research to practice
- Knowledge of counselling skills/cognitive behavioural skills/psychosocial interventions/brief solution focused therapy
- A successful track record in making improvements in service delivery or operational effectiveness
- A successful track record in managing staff effectively, including improving performance
- Experience of safeguarding and investigations.
Desirable
- Experience in leading or participating in quality improvement projects
- Experience managing budgets
- Exposure to delivering service change
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES
Essential
- An understanding of the Mental Health Act, the Mental Health Code of Practice and the CPA process.
- An understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and its Code of Practice.
- Ability to engage challenging and/or acutely distressed patients in potentially hostile and/or antagonistic situations and use de-escalation techniques effectively.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with multidisciplinary teams and other external agencies
- Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach which considers the needs of the whole person.
Other
Essential
- Able to exercise initiative, flexibility and tact
- Ability to meet deadlines
- Willing to use peer and group supervision creatively.
- Understanding/implementation of Equal Opportunities
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- RMN Nurse qualification
- Diploma/ degree in a subject related to mental health
Desirable
- Evidence of post-graduate study/ continuing professional development
- Experience or qualification in physical health
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience as a qualified mental health nurse
- Risk assessment/management.
- Evidence of leadership skills
- Ability to apply research to practice
- Knowledge of counselling skills/cognitive behavioural skills/psychosocial interventions/brief solution focused therapy
- A successful track record in making improvements in service delivery or operational effectiveness
- A successful track record in managing staff effectively, including improving performance
- Experience of safeguarding and investigations.
Desirable
- Experience in leading or participating in quality improvement projects
- Experience managing budgets
- Exposure to delivering service change
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES
Essential
- An understanding of the Mental Health Act, the Mental Health Code of Practice and the CPA process.
- An understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and its Code of Practice.
- Ability to engage challenging and/or acutely distressed patients in potentially hostile and/or antagonistic situations and use de-escalation techniques effectively.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with multidisciplinary teams and other external agencies
- Ability to treat service users with respect and dignity at all times, adopting a culturally sensitive approach which considers the needs of the whole person.
Other
Essential
- Able to exercise initiative, flexibility and tact
- Ability to meet deadlines
- Willing to use peer and group supervision creatively.
- Understanding/implementation of Equal Opportunities
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).
