Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join our Critical Care team as a Ward Manager at Darlington Memorial Hospital. This key leadership role has responsibility for the day-to-day management and professional leadership of the nursing team, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality patient care.

We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated Critical Care Nurse with strong leadership and communication skills and a passion for developing people and services. Working with the wider Critical Care leadership and multidisciplinary teams, the Ward Manager will provide visible and compassionate leadership, support workforce development and safe staffing, and lead improvements in quality, governance and clinical practice.

Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will provide visible, professional and clinical leadership to the Critical Care nursing team, with responsibility for the safe and effective day-to-day management of the unit. They will provide specialist clinical expertise and ensure the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care reflects current evidence and delivers consistently high standards of safe, patient-focused critical care.

Working closely with the Matron and wider multidisciplinary team, the Ward Manager will lead and develop the nursing workforce, promoting a positive and inclusive culture where staff are supported to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice. They will have responsibility for safe staffing and skill mix, workforce planning and development, quality and governance, performance and the effective use of resources.

About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.

You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

Job responsibilities
The post holder will contribute to the development and implementation of specialist protocols, standards and services within Critical Care, using evidence, audit, incidents, patient feedback and clinical outcomes to drive continuous improvement. As a senior clinical leader, they will work collaboratively across professional and organisational boundaries, representing Critical Care at relevant meetings and providing assurance regarding the quality, safety and performance of the service.

Person Specification
Statutory Registration
Essential

• Registered Nurse (adult) on part 1 of the NMC register
• Valid UK NMC PIN

Special Requirements
Essential

• Able to travel across Trust sites to meet the requirements of the post

Experience
Essential

• Substantial post registration nursing experience
• Experience within a leadership role
• Clinical expertise in the area of practice
• Awareness / experience of budget and resource management
• Experience of staff line management
• Experience of Risk Management
• Experience of managing challenging situations

Special Skills & Knowledge
Essential

• Effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrate emotional intelligence
• Effective organisational skills
• Management of budgets
• Experience of change management, Quality / service improvement.
• Ability to deal with non-routine and unpredictable nature of workload and individual patient contact working with high levels of concentration.
• Competent IT Skills
• Be able to work flexibly within the service needs.

Qualifications
Essential

• Nursing Degree or equivalent qualification
• Post graduate critical care qualification
• Evidence of continual professional development
• Teaching/assessors qualification / certificate

Desirable

• Leadership qualification
• Step 4 Critical Care competencies in management and leadership

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
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).

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.