Job summary
Laurel Ward is a specialist older adult inpatient service providing high-quality assessment, treatment, and recovery-focused care for individuals with functional mental health conditions and organic presentations, including dementia.
The Ward Manager will provide visible, compassionate clinical leadership and ensure the delivery of safe, effective, person-centred care. As the senior nurse on the ward, the post-holder will lead the multidisciplinary team, maintain high standards of governance, and ensure the ward environment promotes dignity, safety, and therapeutic engagement for older adults with complex needs.
The role requires strong leadership, excellent communication, and the ability to manage clinical risk, workforce planning, and service improvement. The Ward Manager will uphold the Trust's values and RDaSH's 28 Promises, ensuring that staff are supported, patients are involved in their care, and quality standards are consistently met.
Main duties of the job
- Provide visible clinical leadership as nurse-in-charge, acting as a role model and supporting staff with complex decision-making and risk management.
- Deliver evidence-based care across functional and organic pathways, including dementia and frailty.
- Ensure high-quality assessment, treatment, and recovery-focused care for older adults, overseeing care planning and documentation in line with MCA, DoLS, Mental Health Act, and safeguarding.
- Support physical health monitoring and therapeutic engagement.
- Coordinate daily ward activity, ensuring safe staffing, effective delegation, rota input, handovers, and MDT communication.
- Maintain a safe ward environment through checks, audits, and estates reporting.
- Complete and review risk assessments, respond to incidents and emergencies, and promote medication safety and governance compliance.
- Work collaboratively with psychiatry, psychology, OT, physiotherapy, and social care, involving families and carers in care planning and discharge.
- Support safe discharge pathways and community links.
- Contribute to audits, QI projects, and service development, using data and feedback to drive improvement and support compliance with CQC standards and Trust policies.
- Ensure accurate documentation of care plans, incidents, staffing, and RADAR reporting.
- Monitor equipment and stock, and support training and supervision records.
About us
Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) employ around 4000 talented colleagues who are very much appreciated, valued, and respected.
We have a wide portfolio which includes mental health, physical health, learning disability and drug and alcohol services.
We are passionate about enhancing the quality of our service and we work hard to attract and select the right colleagues for our organisation. Our goal is to employ those who share our passion for providing first class care while remaining committed to our vision and values. Please view our Strategy using the link below:
https://www.rdash.nhs.uk/documents/clinical-and-organisational-strategy-2023-to-2028/
To find out more about working for RDaSH and the fantastic benefits we offer visit our website:
https://workwithrdash.co.uk/
We are committed to inclusive cultures and really value people in our organisation, view our Allyship video on YouTube to find out more:
https://youtu.be/WMJSkLoTk4Q
The main terms and conditions of service can be found here:
https://www.nhsemployers.org/publications/tchandbook
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached job description and person specification to view the full details about the role
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if there are a high amount of applications
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached job description and person specification to view the full details about the role
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if there are a high amount of applications
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- R.M.N/RMNH
- Evidence of post registration training
- ENB 998 or other NMC approved mentor qualification or mentor qualification appropriate to discipline
Desirable
- PSI Training Formal Risk Assessment Training
- Older adult experience.
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable post registration experience at band 6 or above experience.
- Professional Experience of working in mental health.
- Experience of MDT working
- Skills in coordinating and planning inter-agency approaches in mental health care.
- Experience of assessing and managing risk
- Experience of change management
- Experience of managing staff
Desirable
- Experience of working with statutory and none statutory agencies.
- Experience of delivering evidence based treatments.
Knowledge
Essential
- Good understanding of Clinical governance
- Good Knowledge of the Mental health Act & Mental Capacity Act
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of the legislative framework for mental health services, particularly the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
Skills
Essential
- Excellent assessment skills, including risk assessment
- Excellent report-writing skills
- IT Skills
- Skills in co-ordinating and planning interagency approaches in mental health care
- Understanding of the importance of user/carer involvement in care planning
- Experience of Safeguarding
- Ability to work as part of a multi-professional team
- Ability to use initiative and work without immediate supervision
- Understanding of the CPA process
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding, empathic approach
Desirable
- Experience of working with statutory and none statutory agencies.
- Experience of delivering evidence based treatments.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- R.M.N/RMNH
- Evidence of post registration training
- ENB 998 or other NMC approved mentor qualification or mentor qualification appropriate to discipline
Desirable
- PSI Training Formal Risk Assessment Training
- Older adult experience.
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable post registration experience at band 6 or above experience.
- Professional Experience of working in mental health.
- Experience of MDT working
- Skills in coordinating and planning inter-agency approaches in mental health care.
- Experience of assessing and managing risk
- Experience of change management
- Experience of managing staff
Desirable
- Experience of working with statutory and none statutory agencies.
- Experience of delivering evidence based treatments.
Knowledge
Essential
- Good understanding of Clinical governance
- Good Knowledge of the Mental health Act & Mental Capacity Act
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of the legislative framework for mental health services, particularly the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act
Skills
Essential
- Excellent assessment skills, including risk assessment
- Excellent report-writing skills
- IT Skills
- Skills in co-ordinating and planning interagency approaches in mental health care
- Understanding of the importance of user/carer involvement in care planning
- Experience of Safeguarding
- Ability to work as part of a multi-professional team
- Ability to use initiative and work without immediate supervision
- Understanding of the CPA process
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding, empathic approach
Desirable
- Experience of working with statutory and none statutory agencies.
- Experience of delivering evidence based treatments.
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).
