Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Bed Manager to join our Team.

The bed manager role is a key role in the provision of safe patient flow across the Trust, ensuring patients receive the care they require in the most appropriate place. The bed manager will be part of the Operational site management team working 24/7 providing clinical expertise, managerial, leadership and coordination for the Trust across the Whiston, St Helens and Newton site.

The Operational Management Team is a key function in the provision of 5-star patient care across the Trust.

Main duties of the job

• The bed manager role is an important member of this team ensuring the effective utilisation of inpatient and day-case beds on a 24/7 basis whilst maintaining clinical quality and safety.
• They will assist in the coordination of elective and non-elective admissions across the 24 hour period, along with maintaining the various patient flow internal and external systems for monitoring and escalation.
• The postholder will provide nursing support, operational and clinical advice to all areas within the Trust.
• To develop the necessary skills and experience in patient flow and provide leadership.
• Act as deputy for the Operational Site Manager.
• To work according to NMC code of professional conduct and professional guidelines.

About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

Our services:
Acute Care: Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care: Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services: Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services: We provide the Mersey Regional Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers and Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing and AHP Preceptorship Programme.

Details
Date posted: 05 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year Per Annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 409-8285473-A
Closing date: 22 November 2026

Essential qualifications and experience

• Registered General Nurse with current NMC Registration (RGN)
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Substantial post registration experience within an acute setting
• Substantial experience relating to patient flow pressures
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures
• Knowledge of IPC Practices
• Evidence of quality improvement in patient care
• Excellent communication skills
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Ability to prioritise effectively
• Ability to work autonomously and as a multi-disciplinary team
• Leadership skills
• Good IT skills
• Ability to work a range of day and night shifts to support the team rotation

Desirable

• Teaching and Assessing Qualification/Training, or equivalent
• Immediate Life Support/Advanced Life Support
• Experience of clinical teaching
• Facilitated staff professional development

Contact
For questions about the job, contact Lyn Swift, Patient Flow Lead Nurse, at lyn.swift@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk or 01512904018.

Apply through our website

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Applicants must have current UK professional registration.