Job summary
Emergency Medicine Matron
Department: ED
Band 8A
Hours: 37.5, flexible working will be considered.
Do you have extensive experience within the Emergency Department? Are you ready to take on a senior leadership role?
#TeamMKUH are expanding our ED and are recruiting to a NEW role. As the Matron of Emergency Medicine, your responsibilities will include managing budgets, supporting staff development, and ensuring compliance with governance and infection prevention standards. You will also play a key role in strategic planning and service improvement, responding to the changing needs of the organisation and the community we serve.
Within your role, you will provide visible leadership and professional support to nursing and multidisciplinary teams, ensuring that high standards of patient care are consistently achieved.
If you have extensive experience in a leadership role, which includes acute and/or emergency medicine and have an exceptional track record of leading teams, then we would like you to be part of MKUH, championing the patient experience and continuing the development of nurse-led services.
Interview date: 03.02.2026
Main duties of the job
We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute
"- NHS Survey, 2024'' 94% feel that their role makes a difference to patience and service users.
- Support the Clinical Director with the Group management team in ensuring service objectives are met.
- Responsible for the timely and efficient management of governance processes e.g. complaints and investigations.
- Responsible for the development, monitoring and improvement of quality and performance key performance indicators.
- Ensure that the education, training and professional development needs of the nursing workforce are identified and appropriate plans are in place to meet needs.
- Lead the development and change of nursing practice and policy within the group, exploring new roles and ways of working to modernise the service and improve patient experience.
- Responsible for the support and delivery of effective workforce recruitment and retention strategies, including staff development and succession planning.
- Ensure that service delivery meets the standards expected by patients and that strategies are in place to maintain and improve high levels of patient satisfaction, responding appropriately to complaints and concerns raised.
- Undertake bleep-holder responsibilities for the hospital on a regular basis.
- Utilise information and IT systems to produce accurate and timely workforce and resource and performance data and reports.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
Improving service
- Ensure high quality, safe patient care is delivered by appropriately skilled and educated workforce, through effective leadership the setting and performance monitoring of those standards.
- Contribute to the development of strategic plans that provide patient centred care that meets the changing and complex needs of people who access our services.
- Actively seek and lead on opportunities for quality improvement through promotion of safe , effective performance that delivers positive patient experience.
- Promote commitment to actively engage in processes that provide patient feedback (e.g. Friends and Family) and use information from feedback to inform improvements and share learning across the organisation embedding positive practice.
Managing services
- Ensure medications are safely stored and administered following the Trust policy and the management of medicine errors process is undertaken in a supportive learning focused equitable way for all staff.
- Set and monitor standards for patient access to patient information, ensuring cultural and religious requirements are observed and that systems for patient feedback are in place and working effectively.
- Ensure best practice in infection prevention and control through ensuring a clean and safe environment. Identify infection risks and respond to outbreaks in a timely manner in collaboration with nursing and operational policies.
Education, training and development
- Develop and maintain a positive learning environment where teams evaluate and deliver evidence based care.
- Promote confidence in teams to challenge constructively and promote an environment of effective learning from reflection of individuals and team performance.
- To recognise the need for succession planning and develop staff with opportunities to gain insight and experience for their next role.
- Develop and nurture the leadership skills of the ward manager and senior nurses.
Operational
- Monitor patient acuity and activity and ensure that staffing in place is at a safe level and appropriate skill mix for the clinical area/division.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Trust to ensure patient safety, escalating areas of concern as appropriate.
- Promote and support local and national initiatives implemented to ensure timely and safe discharge of patients that is patient focused and promote the experience of discharge Ensure business continuity plans are in place for area of responsibility and teams are aware of safe processes in response to fire, security incidents and major incident.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Improving service
- Ensure high quality, safe patient care is delivered by appropriately skilled and educated workforce, through effective leadership the setting and performance monitoring of those standards.
- Contribute to the development of strategic plans that provide patient centred care that meets the changing and complex needs of people who access our services.
- Actively seek and lead on opportunities for quality improvement through promotion of safe , effective performance that delivers positive patient experience.
- Promote commitment to actively engage in processes that provide patient feedback (e.g. Friends and Family) and use information from feedback to inform improvements and share learning across the organisation embedding positive practice.
Managing services
- Ensure medications are safely stored and administered following the Trust policy and the management of medicine errors process is undertaken in a supportive learning focused equitable way for all staff.
- Set and monitor standards for patient access to patient information, ensuring cultural and religious requirements are observed and that systems for patient feedback are in place and working effectively.
- Ensure best practice in infection prevention and control through ensuring a clean and safe environment. Identify infection risks and respond to outbreaks in a timely manner in collaboration with nursing and operational policies.
Education, training and development
- Develop and maintain a positive learning environment where teams evaluate and deliver evidence based care.
- Promote confidence in teams to challenge constructively and promote an environment of effective learning from reflection of individuals and team performance.
- To recognise the need for succession planning and develop staff with opportunities to gain insight and experience for their next role.
- Develop and nurture the leadership skills of the ward manager and senior nurses.
Operational
- Monitor patient acuity and activity and ensure that staffing in place is at a safe level and appropriate skill mix for the clinical area/division.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Trust to ensure patient safety, escalating areas of concern as appropriate.
- Promote and support local and national initiatives implemented to ensure timely and safe discharge of patients that is patient focused and promote the experience of discharge Ensure business continuity plans are in place for area of responsibility and teams are aware of safe processes in response to fire, security incidents and major incident.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Registered Nurse / Midwife
- Evidence of Masters degree or equivalent working experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Leadership qualification
- Demonstrates senior clinical credibility
Desirable
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner at Level 7
Experience
Essential
- Proven experience at ward/department manager level
- Experience of working across organisational boundaries
- Proven experience of visible and knowledgeable leadership
- Budget management
- Involvement in evaluation and audit
- Governance experience of risk assessment and root cause analysis
- Experience of responding to complaints both formal and informal
- Evidence of learning from incidents and improving practice
Desirable
- Experience of successful change management within a multidisciplinary team
- Participation in business case planning
- Experience of harnessing patient and public involvement in standard setting
Skills
Essential
- Well-developed influencing and negotiating skills
- Ability to set a clear vision of the service
- Excellent time management skills
- Able to work under pressure with competing priorities
- Clear decision maker, able to use initiative and meet deadlines
- Flexible and adaptable to changing needs of the service
- Understanding of how own area of responsibility contributes to the Trust operational and quality objectives
- Able to motivate staff and promote positive team working ethic
- Able to teach and provide a positive learning environment
Desirable
- Coaching to empower staff/staff development/leadership skills
Personal and people development
Essential
- Positive attitude
- Evidence of personal insight, emotional intelligence with ability to reflect and embed learning
- Able to build and development high functioning teams
- Able to recognise and challenge poor performance and provide appropriate support to address
- Passion and drive for providing high standards of care delivery for patients and staff
- High standards of personal conduct and behaviour, acting as a role model in valuing and respecting others
Communication
Essential
- Excellent negotiation skills
- High standard of verbal and written skills
- Ability to analyse reports and complex data sets
- Able to work successfully within multi-disciplinary teams
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Registered Nurse / Midwife
- Evidence of Masters degree or equivalent working experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Leadership qualification
- Demonstrates senior clinical credibility
Desirable
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner at Level 7
Experience
Essential
- Proven experience at ward/department manager level
- Experience of working across organisational boundaries
- Proven experience of visible and knowledgeable leadership
- Budget management
- Involvement in evaluation and audit
- Governance experience of risk assessment and root cause analysis
- Experience of responding to complaints both formal and informal
- Evidence of learning from incidents and improving practice
Desirable
- Experience of successful change management within a multidisciplinary team
- Participation in business case planning
- Experience of harnessing patient and public involvement in standard setting
Skills
Essential
- Well-developed influencing and negotiating skills
- Ability to set a clear vision of the service
- Excellent time management skills
- Able to work under pressure with competing priorities
- Clear decision maker, able to use initiative and meet deadlines
- Flexible and adaptable to changing needs of the service
- Understanding of how own area of responsibility contributes to the Trust operational and quality objectives
- Able to motivate staff and promote positive team working ethic
- Able to teach and provide a positive learning environment
Desirable
- Coaching to empower staff/staff development/leadership skills
Personal and people development
Essential
- Positive attitude
- Evidence of personal insight, emotional intelligence with ability to reflect and embed learning
- Able to build and development high functioning teams
- Able to recognise and challenge poor performance and provide appropriate support to address
- Passion and drive for providing high standards of care delivery for patients and staff
- High standards of personal conduct and behaviour, acting as a role model in valuing and respecting others
Communication
Essential
- Excellent negotiation skills
- High standard of verbal and written skills
- Ability to analyse reports and complex data sets
- Able to work successfully within multi-disciplinary teams
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
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).
