Job summary
Are you passionate about transforming care for people with learning disabilities and autism across Manchester?
We are seeking an exceptional Head of Nursing to lead our city-wide community Learning Disability and Autism services whilst also supporting this area of care across all of our acute hospital sites. This pivotal role will champion inclusive, person-centred care and drive integration with social care and community partners.
As Head of Nursing, you will:
- Lead the development and delivery of high-quality nursing care for people with learning disabilities and autism across Manchester's acute hospitals and city-wide community learning disability services.
- Work in partnership with social care, and wider system partners to ensure the delivery of seamless, holistic care.
- Shape policy and practice to reduce health inequalities and improve patient experience.
- Support and mentor specialist LD&A nurses and wider clinical teams.
- Drive innovation, workforce development, and service transformation.
- A registered nurse with significant experience in learning disabilities, autism, or complex needs.
- Proven leadership in multi-site or system-wide service delivery, including community-based care.
- Strong understanding of safeguarding, reasonable adjustments, and inclusive care.
- Commitment to co-production, advocacy, and equity in healthcare.
Main duties of the job
- Provide strategic leadership and direction for nursing services within this speciality within the Local Care Organisation and across Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust as a whol
- Develop and implement innovative care models and practices to enhance the quality of life for individuals with a learning disability and/ or autism
- Oversee clinical governance within this area, ensuring the highest standards of care and compliance with regulatory requirements
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, professional development, and excellence in nursing practice
- Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to deliver holistic and person-centred care across health and social care working with a variety of system partners
- Engage with service users, families and carers to ensure their voices are heard and are at the heart of service development and delivery
- Strong, visible and compassionate leader
About us
MFT is one of the largest NHS Trust In England with a turnover of over £3bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. We're creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.
Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 30,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so you'll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.
We've also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research, and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our Electronic Patient Record system which launched in September 2022.
We're proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. What's more, we're excited to be embarking on our Green Plan which sets out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.
At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open, and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. So that youre even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, youll need to take time to read the Candidate Essentials Guide that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how we care for you as you care for others. Most importantly, it also contains critical information youll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.
Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating, and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at resourcing@mft.nhs.uk.
Were looking forward to hearing from you!
Job description
Job responsibilities
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. So that youre even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, youll need to take time to read the Candidate Essentials Guide that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how we care for you as you care for others. Most importantly, it also contains critical information youll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.
Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating, and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at resourcing@mft.nhs.uk.
Were looking forward to hearing from you!
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- First level graduate registration Registered Learning Disabilities Nurse or RGN/RMN with significant experience of working within the learning disability specialism
- Masters or higher degree or equivalent experience
- Teaching Certificate of equivalent
- Evidence of relevant study and continuing professional development
- Operational management experience at lead nurse level or above
- Post registration leadership development
Desirable
- Leadership/management qualification
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge with regard to learning disabilities and/ or autism and appropriate knowledge of safeguarding and regulatory requirements
- Knowledge to professional development agenda in the NHS.
- Knowledge of regulatory and NHS strategy which impacts on education provision and experience of developing strategies to address changes.
- Understanding of the principles and practice of performance improvement and key performance indicators
- Ability to encourage, plan and implement strategies and service improvement.
- Evidence of experience in management of change. Evidence of collaborative working and learning.
Training and Experience
Essential
- Knowledge and experience of clinical audit
- Proven achievement in developing policy and service objectives, establishing and implementing innovative solutions.
- Knowledge and understanding of NHS Long Term Plan and implications for clinical leadership development.
- Current knowledge of relevant professional and NHS Policy Initiatives.
Desirable
- Experience of business planning
- Experience of research activities
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Evidence of strong leadership
- Critical thinker
- Ability to make decisions in a pressured environment. Excellent interpersonal skills and experience in interdisciplinary working/communication.
- Initiative, planning and finishing skills evidence
- Ability to produce reports, action plans, both written and verbal, with the ability of persuade and influence.
Desirable
- Project management skills
- IT Skills
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- First level graduate registration Registered Learning Disabilities Nurse or RGN/RMN with significant experience of working within the learning disability specialism
- Masters or higher degree or equivalent experience
- Teaching Certificate of equivalent
- Evidence of relevant study and continuing professional development
- Operational management experience at lead nurse level or above
- Post registration leadership development
Desirable
- Leadership/management qualification
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge with regard to learning disabilities and/ or autism and appropriate knowledge of safeguarding and regulatory requirements
- Knowledge to professional development agenda in the NHS.
- Knowledge of regulatory and NHS strategy which impacts on education provision and experience of developing strategies to address changes.
- Understanding of the principles and practice of performance improvement and key performance indicators
- Ability to encourage, plan and implement strategies and service improvement.
- Evidence of experience in management of change. Evidence of collaborative working and learning.
Training and Experience
Essential
- Knowledge and experience of clinical audit
- Proven achievement in developing policy and service objectives, establishing and implementing innovative solutions.
- Knowledge and understanding of NHS Long Term Plan and implications for clinical leadership development.
- Current knowledge of relevant professional and NHS Policy Initiatives.
Desirable
- Experience of business planning
- Experience of research activities
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Evidence of strong leadership
- Critical thinker
- Ability to make decisions in a pressured environment. Excellent interpersonal skills and experience in interdisciplinary working/communication.
- Initiative, planning and finishing skills evidence
- Ability to produce reports, action plans, both written and verbal, with the ability of persuade and influence.
Desirable
- Project management skills
- IT 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.
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).
