Job summary
'Internal Applicants Only'

We are seeking a Band 7 Ward Manager with an interest in women's health to lead our gynaecology inpatient and emergency assessment unit for a fixed term of eleven months. This is an exciting opportunity to join a dedicated and compassionate team and could be a development opportunity as a secondment with manager's agreement.

The ward consists of 13 inpatient beds and an acute emergency assessment unit which runs alongside this. We are constantly evolving as the demand for the service grows and would like someone who is keen to be involved in further streamlining and the provision of consistent high standards of care.

The successful candidate will lead a team that is passionate about delivering safe, effective and patient-centred care in what can sometimes be a fast-paced environment but contrary to that patients can be experiencing difficulties or loss in pregnancy and require time, support and understanding. As Ward Manager, you will need to demonstrate strong clinical credibility, excellent decision-making skills and the ability to support your team in providing compassionate care and also whilst recognising and responding to deteriorating patients.

Main duties of the job

• Provide high quality patient care delivery maintaining standards in accordance with UK law, the NMC, & Trust guidelines, & able to meet the revalidation requirements.
• To manage effectively the funded establishment of the Department through recruitment, retention & development of staff
• To effectively manage own time & that of junior staff & students in a complex environment
• Be visible & maintain responsibility for the department
• Have processes & systems in place to support achievement of key performance indicators as applicable to inpatient areas
• Develop & implement actions plans, in conjunction with the Matron, to improve standards, as measured by key performance indicators
• To support flow & capacity within the clinical area to reduce length of stay & improve patient experience
• HR responsibility for the ward staff including managing performance issues if required
• To monitor sickness & absence to meet compliance of the trust's targets.
• To manage clinical governance & risk management.
• To monitor annual leave in accordance with WTE.
• To monitor duty rota & re-allocate staff in accordance with changing patient dependency

About us
The gynaecology ward is based in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and consists of 13 inpatient beds and an emergency assessment area which is open seven days a week until 20:30hrs.

With a team of over 9,000 employees, we are proud to be the largest employer in Gloucestershire and rank among the top 10 largest Trusts in the South West region. By joining our Trust, you will benefit from an excellent package that includes exclusive benefits, flexible working opportunities and the chance to gain valuable experience in one or both of our innovative hospitals.

As well as generous annual leave allowance, you will will have access to the excellent NHS pension scheme, competitive bank rates, discounts at local shops and restaurants, access to two on-site nurseries, discounted public transport, reward and recognition and a range of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Job responsibilities

• Ensure personal and professional development is progressed through IDPR
• Evidence of teaching and assessing, and appropriate qualification
• To act as a resource and support nursing teams in the care delivery of patients across specialities
• To contribute to the development of specialty protocols and guidelines
• To ensure that team completes mandatory training requirements, helping them to achieve this when necessary
• Able to work alongside individual nursing staff or teams, role modelling high standards of practice whilst assessing, delivering and evaluating patient care. Highlight areas of development for team members as required.
• Devise and oversee individual training plans for staff that are either new in post or requiring specific support or training, continually developing content in line with operational needs and evidence base.
• Providing feedback to support individual development
• Insight into own skills and knowledge and know when to signpost or ask for advice
• Keeping up to date with own skills and changes to clinical practices, both locally and nationally
• To consolidate and learn new skills and competencies relevant to area and practice, in order to provide holistic care.
• Provide professional leadership to nurses and students, acting as a role model within the department, surgical division and the Trust ensuring that competence in managerial and clinical practice is both developed and maintained.
• Lead on and facilitate complex care, discharge, or patient care issues, and on complaints being able to use analytical skills to problem-solve, and find solutions to ensure that best practice, and best patient care outcomes are achieved. To ensure that services are continually developed.
• This will include meetings with patients and their representatives to manage and resolve complaint issues
• Highly visible, accessible, and influential figure on whom staff, patients, families and carers can rely, to ensure the fundamentals of care are delivered effectively and efficiently.
• Provide assurance to the Chief Nurse and Divisional Director for Quality and Nursing that there is continuous improvement in the delivery of clinical services within the Department and are tailored to the needs of the patients.
• Provide clear clinical leadership for nursing. The post holder will deputise for the Matron as required
• Support the development of nursing skills in all aspects of the role, providing expert clinical knowledge and specialised advice.
• Provide nursing leadership, set and maintain professional nursing standards, provide professional nursing advice and direction to the staff. The post holder will be professionally and managerially responsible for the named staff in the unit at any one time.
• Demonstrate research-based practice and participate as required in audit
• Timely completion of mandatory audits and dissemination of results to include NEWS/MEWS audit, hygiene audit, ICAF audit
• Demonstrate understanding and implementation of research-based practice
• To lead and support QI projects in the clinical area, including evaluation. Deliver research-based presentations as part of in-service training. This will involve facilitating own learning opportunities, reflecting on practice and learning through this process.
• Develop speciality knowledge and skills to be able to provide clinical advice, support staff and patients
• Demonstrate understanding and implementation of research-based practice
• Evidence of implementing Quality Improvement projects in practice
• Have processes and systems in place to support achievement of key performance indicators as applicable to inpatient areas
• Undertake regular inspections of environment and escalate any concerns
• The ability to work cohesively with all members of the team
• The ability to communicate with colleagues, patients and their relatives with sensitivity and empathy
• Being able to work under pressure
• Be proactive and take initiative
• Act as good role model for others to follow
• Responsibility to ensure all aspects of the manual handling guidelines providing appropriate risk assessments
• Will be expected to frequently manoeuvre patients/objects over 15kg using appropriate aids, often in confined spaces
• Responsibility to manage clinical care following required Policies and Procedures pertaining to bodily fluids, infection control and COSHH regulations
• Responsibility to manage challenging situations and people
• To manage own time effectively

Person Specification
Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Current registration with NMC
• Recognised Nursing Degree
• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Self motivated and able to work under own initiative and prioritise workload
• Personally resilient and able to manage complexity and work in an ambiguous or changing environment
• Inspiring and compassionate leader
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Acts as a role model and area able to lead by example to ensure the Trust's values and behaviours are reinforced throughout their area of practice
• Experience of leading and managing a team at band 6 level or above
• Knowledge and experience of working in an acute NHS Hospital
• Reliable, adaptable, flexible and dependable
• Be both enthusiastic, perceptive, sensitive and self-aware
• Recognises scope of own practice/ own limitations and when to seek help
• Work with enthusiasm, insight and genuine interest within the multidisciplinary team

Desirable

• Recognised leadership training
• Compassionate leadership training
• Acute gynaecology experience
• Knowledge and experience in change management and quality assurance processes
• Knowledge of budget management

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).

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.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.