Job summary
The Band 7 post will provide clinical and operational leadership within the nurse-led Pre-Operative Assessment Service, ensuring the delivery of a safe, effective and responsive service for patients awaiting elective surgery. The post will oversee the coordination of daily activity, support the assessment and optimisation of complex patients, and provide clinical supervision and leadership to the nursing team.

The post will play a key role in workforce planning, service development, clinical governance and quality improvement, identifying opportunities to improve patient pathways, reduce avoidable cancellations and delays, and maximise effective use of theatre capacity.

The post will work collaboratively with surgical, anaesthetic, nursing and operational teams to ensure patients progress safely and efficiently through the elective pathway, while supporting delivery of organisational and national performance requirements.

Main duties of the job

• Lead and coordinate the day-to-day delivery of the nurse-led Pre-Operative Assessment Service.
• Provide senior clinical assessment and decision-making for complex patients, including identification of clinical risks and appropriate escalation.
• Ensure patients are appropriately assessed, investigated and optimised prior to surgery.
• Work closely with anaesthetic, surgical, nursing and multidisciplinary teams to support timely patient progression through the elective pathway.
• Provide clinical leadership, supervision, support and development for the Pre-Operative Assessment team.
• Manage workload, staffing and capacity to ensure service demands are met safely and effectively.
• Monitor activity, waiting times, cancellations and service performance, identifying and implementing improvements.
• Lead service development and quality improvement initiatives to improve patient pathways, efficiency and patient experience.
• Support clinical governance, audit, risk management, incident review and compliance with relevant policies and standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve skill mix, clinic utilisation and processes to maximise substantive capacity and reduce reliance on WLI.
• Contribute to workforce planning, recruitment, induction and performance management within the service.
• Promote evidence-based practice and ensure consistent standards of Pre-Operative Assessment across the service.
• Support delivery of organisational and national elective care and waiting-list performance requirements.

About us
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only NHS trust to hold dual accreditation for the Investors in People. We invest in people and we invest in wellbeing standards and have been awarded Gold status for both. The Walton Centre is a leader in the treatment and care of neurology and neurosurgery, placing the patient and their family at the heart of everything we do. As the only specialist hospital trust in the UK dedicated to providing comprehensive neurology, neurosurgery, spinal and pain management services we are proud to be rated as an Outstanding Trust by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and champion change throughout the field of neuroscience. Originally formed in 1992, the Trust received Foundation Trust status in 2009.

With around 1,450 staff, The Walton Centre treats more than 127,000 outpatients and 18,000 inpatients each year. We have leading specialists and incredibly dedicated staff delivering excellent clinical outcomes for brain, spinal and neurological care nationally and internationally. Teams across our site in Fazakerley, Liverpool, offer a world-class service in diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses affecting the brain, spine and peripheral nerves and muscles, and in supporting people suffering from a wide range of long-term neurological conditions.

Job responsibilities
The post holder will provide clinical and operational leadership for the generic nurse-led Pre-Operative Assessment (POA) Service at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust.

The role is responsible for the development, implementation and ongoing improvement of the service, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and evidence-based pre-operative care for patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures and interventions.

The post holder will work autonomously to undertake comprehensive pre-operative assessments, including detailed medical, surgical and anaesthetic histories, clinical examination and appropriate investigations in line with national guidance. They will interpret clinical findings, identify and manage risk, initiate appropriate referrals and liaise with anaesthetic, surgical, pharmacy and wider multidisciplinary teams to determine patients fitness to proceed with surgery.

The role will ensure appropriate follow-up of investigations and referrals and identify any additional communication, cultural, social or specialist support requirements.

The post holder will provide effective clinical and operational leadership to the POA team, including workforce planning, rota management, recruitment, induction, supervision, appraisal, performance and attendance management, competency development and education. They will act as a clinical role model and support the development of staff through teaching, supervision and evidence-based practice.

A key responsibility will be the continued development and optimisation of the POA pathway, including implementation of appropriate IT systems and processes to support safe and efficient service delivery. The post holder will monitor activity, quality and key performance indicators, undertake audit, manage incidents and contribute to clinical governance and service improvement.

The role will work collaboratively across surgical, anaesthetic, medical and nursing teams to ensure effective patient flow and timely progression to surgery. The post holder will contribute to the development and implementation of Trust policies, national standards and evidence-based practice, ensuring the service remains responsive to changing patient and organisational needs.

The post holder will maintain specialist knowledge of neurosurgical procedures and interventions and undertake ongoing professional development through clinical supervision, appraisal, education, networking, audit and research. They will support relevant research and audit programmes and identify opportunities to improve patient safety, experience and outcomes within the pre-operative pathway.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• First Level Registered Nurse
• Current NMC Registration
• Degree level education or equivalent experience
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Teaching, mentorship or practice assessor qualification
• Non-Medical Prescribing Qualification
• Preoperative Association Advanced Course
• Leadership or management qualification

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Post-registration clinical experience including neurosciences practice
• Experience of pre-operative assessment and patient pathway management
• Experience of leading and supporting staff within a clinical setting
• Experience of incident investigation and management
• Experience of undertaking appraisals and supporting staff development
• Experience of workforce management including roster management, attendance management and performance management processes
• Knowledge of national guidance relating to pre-operative assessment and perioperative care

Desirable

• Experience of service development, quality improvement
• Experience of clinical audit and governance processes
• Experience of managing budgets or resources

Skills and Attributes
Essential

• Ability to undertake comprehensive pre operative assessment
• Ability to interpret and act upon investigation results in accordance with agreed pathways
• Ability to work autonomously within agreed scope of practice
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients, carers and multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to lead, motivate and develop staff
• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise workload and service demands
• Proficient IT skills including use of electronic patient record systems, Microsoft Office and data analysis tools
• Ability to contribute to service improvement and change initiatives
• Ability to undertake staff appraisal, supervision and performance management.
• Ability to monitor compliance with mandatory training, competencies and professional standards.
• Ability to provide assurance regarding service performance, quality, patient safety and workforce compliance.

Desirable

• Advanced clinical assessment skills

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.

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).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).