Job summary
Are you a passionate and experienced nursing leader ready to make a real difference? Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust is looking for a dynamic Deputy Head of Nursing to join our Adult Acute & Urgent Care Division. This is a pivotal, high-impact role with the opportunity to shape nursing practice, strengthen clinical oversight, and improve the experience and outcomes for our service users.
As our Deputy Head of Nursing, you will:
- Provide visible, inspiring leadership to our nursing workforce across inpatient and community services.
- Lead the embedding of high standards of nursing practice, ensuring evidence-based care is delivered consistently.
- Drive quality improvement initiatives, using insight from incidents, complaints, and feedback to improve care.
- Support and deputise for the Head of Nursing, influencing strategy and shaping the future of nursing across the Division.
You will work in a forward-thinking, collaborative environment that values innovation, professional development, and patient-centred care. This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on the delivery of mental health services and to lead a team of dedicated, skilled professionals.
Interview - 29th April
Main duties of the job
Are you a passionate and experienced nursing leader ready to make a real difference? Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust is looking for a dynamic Deputy Head of Nursing to join our Adult Acute & Urgent Care Division. This is a pivotal, high-impact role with the opportunity to shape nursing practice, strengthen clinical oversight, and improve the experience and outcomes for our service users.
As our Deputy Head of Nursing, you will:
- Provide visible, inspiring leadership to our nursing workforce across inpatient and community services.
- Lead the embedding of high standards of nursing practice, ensuring evidence-based care is delivered consistently.
- Drive quality improvement initiatives, using insight from incidents, complaints, and feedback to improve care.
- Support and deputise for the Head of Nursing, influencing strategy and shaping the future of nursing across the Division.
You will work in a forward-thinking, collaborative environment that values innovation, professional development, and patient-centred care. This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on the delivery of mental health services and to lead a team of dedicated, skilled professionals.
About us
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from theCare Quality Commission.
Our family of over 4,500 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:
Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Deputy Head of Nursing is a core member of the Division and senior management team. They will work with the Head of Nursing to ensure all aspects of operational nursing is delivered to agreed high standards, providing the best possible experience and outcomes for service users.
The role of the Deputy Head of Nursing fundamentally centres on improving the patient experience. The role will oversee and champion evidence-based care and ensure that the fundamentals of care are actioned and evidenced to ensure high standards of care and support are in place across the different clinical pathways and services. Improving service user experience encompass how service users and their carers / families are involved in service development and delivery and how feedback is incorporated into practice and care decision-making.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Deputy Head of Nursing is a core member of the Division and senior management team. They will work with the Head of Nursing to ensure all aspects of operational nursing is delivered to agreed high standards, providing the best possible experience and outcomes for service users.
The role of the Deputy Head of Nursing fundamentally centres on improving the patient experience. The role will oversee and champion evidence-based care and ensure that the fundamentals of care are actioned and evidenced to ensure high standards of care and support are in place across the different clinical pathways and services. Improving service user experience encompass how service users and their carers / families are involved in service development and delivery and how feedback is incorporated into practice and care decision-making.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- First level Registered Nurse ( MH) in relevant field to the post.
- Management or leadership development
- Masters Degree or Equivalent Experience
- Teaching and assessing course
Desirable
- Evidence of education/training in specialist area (i.e., therapies, interventions, service-specialism)
- Postgraduate certificate in education or equivalent
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a senior nursing post in complex mental health & learning disability settings
- Demonstrable knowledge of service issues & priorities facing mental health & learning disability services
- Experience of senior nursing leadership to achieve results across a broad range of outcomes, whilst providing senior nursing
Desirable
- Experience of writing for publication and/or presenting to professionals and the public
- Experience of leading research/quality improvement initiatives, developing and evaluating new ways of working
Skills
Essential
- Well-developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust's and your performance expectations
- Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships
- Experience of improving though audit, benchmarking and using evidence-based approaches
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- First level Registered Nurse ( MH) in relevant field to the post.
- Management or leadership development
- Masters Degree or Equivalent Experience
- Teaching and assessing course
Desirable
- Evidence of education/training in specialist area (i.e., therapies, interventions, service-specialism)
- Postgraduate certificate in education or equivalent
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a senior nursing post in complex mental health & learning disability settings
- Demonstrable knowledge of service issues & priorities facing mental health & learning disability services
- Experience of senior nursing leadership to achieve results across a broad range of outcomes, whilst providing senior nursing
Desirable
- Experience of writing for publication and/or presenting to professionals and the public
- Experience of leading research/quality improvement initiatives, developing and evaluating new ways of working
Skills
Essential
- Well-developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust's and your performance expectations
- Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships
- Experience of improving though audit, benchmarking and using evidence-based approaches
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).
