Job summary
The Unit Manager will provide visible operational, professional and clinical leadership for the Chartwell Chemotherapy Day Unit and Haematology Day Unit at PRUH and South Sites. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring the safe, effective, evidence-based and patient-centred delivery of Systemic AntiCancer Therapy (SACT), supportive treatments, blood products, haematology therapies and associated clinical procedures. The post holder will provide day-to-day leadership to nursing, healthcare support workers and administrative teams, ensuring safe staffing, effective patient flow, appropriate capacity utilisation, high quality care, regulatory compliance and achievement of service objectives.

The role includes responsibility for workforce development, clinical governance oversight, risk management, patient experience, quality improvement, and service performance. Working collaboratively with oncology, haematology, pharmacy, Acute Oncology Service, CNS, ACP, site management and operational teams, the Unit Manager will support the delivery of national cancer standards, Trust priorities, UKONS/SACT standards, financial sustainability and continuous service improvement across PRUH and South Sites.

Main duties of the job

• Clinical Practice: Provide visible clinical leadership and act as an expert resource for staff, patients and the multidisciplinary team within the Chemotherapy Day Unit and Haematology Day Unit.
• Ensure the safe delivery of SACT and supportive treatments in accordance with Trust policies, UKONS guidance, network-agreed pathways and relevant national standards.
• Provide visible, compassionate and inclusive leadership to nursing, healthcare support workers and administrative teams across both units.
• Work collaboratively with Practice Development Nurses, Haematology Practice Development teams and clinical educators to ensure staff receive appropriate induction, education, supervision and competency assessment.
• Support delivery and maintenance of UKONS SACT Passport requirements and relevant haematology and AOS competency frameworks.
• Lead the development, implementation and monitoring of audit, service evaluation and quality improvement programmes across the Chemotherapy Day Unit and Haematology Day Unit.
• Network recommendations and emerging best practice within SACT and Haematology services.
• Lead, coach and manage the performance of the team in line with good people management practices. Ensuring excellence is recognised and underperformance is addressed.

Infection control: The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role.

About us
The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. In June 2026, we launched our new strategy for 2026-31. Our vision is to transform healthcare, and we have agreed six strategic ambitions to help us improve care for patients, and the working lives of our staff.

Our six strategic ambitions are delivering high-quality patient care; creating a great place to work; leading pioneering research, innovation and education; building strong and successful partnerships; providing timely and efficient care; and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

We have also agreed four new organisational values - Caring, Collaborative, Inclusive, Innovative - and these underpin everything we do, and how our teams interact with the patients under our care.

We are at a pivotal point in our history, and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Job responsibilities
Clinical Practice: Provide visible clinical leadership and act as an expert resource for staff, patients and the multidisciplinary team within the Chemotherapy Day Unit and Haematology Day Unit. Provide leadership for the safe delivery of haematology supportive care, including blood product support, line care, supportive therapies and management of treatment-related complications. Ensure the safe delivery of SACT and supportive treatments in accordance with Trust policies, UKONS guidance, network-agreed pathways and relevant national standards. Maintain own clinical competence and ensure staff are appropriately trained, supervised and assessed as competent to deliver SACT and haematology supportive care. Ensure SACT administration is undertaken by appropriately trained and competent staff. Lead and support the management of SACT toxicities, hypersensitivity reactions, sepsis, transfusion reactions and oncological or haematological emergencies, ensuring timely escalation and appropriate action. Use advanced holistic assessment skills to identify clinical deterioration, treatment related complications and patients requiring urgent review or admission. Regularly review patient care documentation to ensure care is personalised, risks are identified, treatment plans are clear and actions are documented and followed through. Undertake clinical shifts as required to maintain competence, provide direct support to staff and facilitate education, supervision and learning in practice. Lead the day-to-day management of both units, ensuring efficient patient flow, chair utilisation and use of treatment capacity. Liaise with medical staff, pharmacy, CNS teams, consultants and site management colleagues to support safe, timely treatment and admission where required. Actively support Trust risk management processes by ensuring incidents are reported appropriately, learning is shared and actions are implemented to reduce preventable harm. Contribute to service development and positively influence and support others to adapt to change.

Manage delegated budgetary responsibilities in accordance with Trust and Care Group financial governance requirements.

Support delivery and maintenance of UKONS SACT Passport requirements and relevant haematology and AOS competency frameworks. Ensure registered and unregistered staff maintain mandatory training, statutory training and role specific clinical competencies. Promote a positive learning environment across both units, supporting reflective practice, supervision, preceptorship and continuing professional development. Lead audits relating to patient safety, service quality, workforce performance, patient experience, treatment delivery, waiting times and compliance with national and local standards. Monitor and analyse service activity, capacity and performance data, identifying trends and opportunities for service improvement. Lead patient experience initiatives including surveys, patient forums and engagement events, ensuring service users contribute to service improvement and redesign.

Ensure the team is compliant with all statutory, mandatory training together with any professional training requirements, ensuring they are up to date and fully compliant. Manage team absence, including sickness, in line with Trust policy, ensuring return-to-work processes are completed, e-rostering is maintained and productivity is optimised. Identify and fill any vacancies that arise within the team in line with the Trust's recruitment policy and process.

Attending mandatory training on safeguarding children and adults. Familiarising themselves with the Trust's processes for reporting concerns. Reporting any safeguarding child or adult concerns appropriately.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Significant post-registration experience in oncology or haematology and SACT services
• First degree or equivalent level of experience/qualification
• Recognised SACT training/accredited SACT course
• Evidence of ongoing SACT competence
• Post-registration qualification in oncology, haematology, cancer care or relevant specialty
• Mentorship, assessor, supervisor or practice assessor qualification

Desirable

• Master's level study or willingness to work towards this
• Leadership or management qualification

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.

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Princess Royal University Hospital, Farnborough Common, Orpington Kent, BR6 8ND, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.kch.nhs.uk/

Contact: Chemotherapy Nurse Consultant Bianca Mukwa, Bianca.Mukwa@nhs.net, 02032997982

Closing date: 02 November 2026

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