Paediatric Ward Manager - Ormskirk
Band 7, Full Time

Due to the promotion of the current Ward Manager, an exciting opportunity has arisen for a permanent Ward Manager on our Children's Ward at Ormskirk Hospital.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and highly motivated leader to manage our Children's Ward which includes 17 inpatient beds, 4 day case beds and a 6 bed Assessment and Observation Unit, caring for children from 0 - 16 years.

You will be responsible and accountable for the leadership, development quality improvement and management of services within the Children's Ward ensuring the provision of safe, efficient and quality of care to children, young people and their families across a 24 hour period, 7 days a week.

You will work closely with the Paediatric Matron and other Paediatric Managers to ensure the safe running of the Department.

Main duties of the job

• Responsible for providing leadership and management to nursing and support team and associated staff to ensure effective running of ward/department.
• Provide leadership, specialist advice and support working with nursing teams to ensure appropriate assessment of patients needs, development of care plans, implementation of care plans and maintenance of associated records.
• Liaise with other agencies in planning programmes of care and/or health and education programmes.
• Responsible for ward/department budget management.
• To work within the NMC Code and professional nursing guidance.

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 & 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 & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Details
Date posted: 15 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 409-8354878

Essential qualifications

• Registered Children's Nurse. Degree / Diploma Level
• Current NMC Registration
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Leadership training or qualification or equivalent experience

Essential knowledge and experience

• Able to demonstrate knowledge of NMC professional standards for practice contained within the code
• Experience of managing teams
• Experience of service development, such as clinical pathway management
• Substantial experience of working in a clinical environment
• Understanding of budget management within the NHS at departmental level
• Experience of involvement in relevant research/audit to underpin evidence-based practice
• Understand key features of clinical governance and risk

Essential skills

• Current up to date and relevant clinical skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent organisational and management skills
• Able to act as a leader, effectively managing staff in the department
• Accountable for own professional actions
• Ability to network and build relationships at all levels and act as a change agent
• Computer literacy e.g. experience of electronic patient record

Essential other requirements

• Frequent sitting or standing in a restricted position; occasional moderate effort for several short periods.
• Walks, stands most of shift; occasionally moves, occasional manoeuvres patients.
• Frequent concentration, work pattern unpredictable. Concentration for patient clinical work.
• Dealing with frequent interruptions and competing demands.
• Occasional highly distressing or emotional circumstances. Deals with patient complaints, conveys unwelcome news, management of complaints/concerns arising from incidents, communicating to patients and relatives.
• Working in ward environment providing direct clinical care.
• Potential blood or body fluids exposure.

Essential values

• We are kind
• We are open
• We are inclusive

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.

Closing date: 29 October 2026
Shortlisting date: 30 October 2026
Proposed interview date: 10 November 2026

For questions about the job, contact:
Paediatric / Neonatal Matron, Shirley Coward, shirley.coward@merseywestlancs.nhs.uk, 01695656287

Please note this vacancy may close early if a high number of applications is reached.