Job summary
- Main area
- OPS
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 153-ME06713
- Employer
- University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Bournemouth Hospital
- Town
- Bournemouth
- Salary
- £49,387 - £56,515 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 22/09/2026 23:59
- Interview date
- 29/09/2026
Employer heading
Clinical Leader - OPS/SDEC
NHS AfC: Band 7
As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with ‘university hospital’ status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.
We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state-of-the-art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.
In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you’ll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we’re also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.
We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.
We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.
At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.
As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.
We are aware that some candidates may choose to use AI tools to support the preparation of their application. While this is not discouraged, we kindly remind applicants that submissions should remain an honest and accurate representation of your own experience and suitability. Personal integrity is an important part of the recruitment process.
Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for a Nursing Clinical Leader for Older Peoples Same Day Emergency Care.
Ops SDEC has recently adopted the SDEC first approach and increased their activity by over 40%.
OPS SDEC Team is a Multiple disciplinary team of ACP’s, Consultants, HCA’s and recently recruited Band 5 Nurses.
Main goal is to facilitate a Front door Service, in reaching into the Emergency Department and accepting referrals from the ambulance Service.
Ultimately providing timely assessment and comprehensive decision making of the Older Person.
The Clinical Leader for OPS SDEC will need to have a fundamental understanding of pathways through the organisation, a proven ability to facilitate quality improvement in a changing service and most importantly work as part of the multidisciplinary team across the network of services which facilitate Older peoples Services.
Interview Date: Tuesday 29th September 26
Main duties of the job
Provide leadership and demonstrate a high quality of clinical care and practice
Coordinate and manage the delivery of care for all patients referred to the SDEC service.
Ensures the prompt instigation of appropriate treatment and investigations
Ensure clear lines of communication between the SDEC team and the OPAU Co- Ordinator.
Demonstrates effective communication skills in highly distressing or emotional circumstances, this includes breaking bad news.
Ensuring all patients are assessed in a timely manner with appropriate investigations. To ensure all patients are updated with progress.
Ensures patient care is delivered in accordance with established policies and protocols and to the agreed standard
Contribute to developments in the Trust in response to Trust objectives and develops practice accordingly
Takes the lead on ensuring the safe custody and administration of medicines in accordance with established procedure and law.
Working for our organisation
UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service-specific questions at interview.
If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.
UHD has active networks including Women’s, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.
AI tools may be used, but applications must honestly reflect your own skills and experience. Integrity is key to our recruitment process.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To lead and develop OPSSDEC to meet the needs of the service promoting an SDEC first approach for all referrals to the acute take.
To lead and manage the development and provision of a high-quality nursing service and environment for patients in our SDEC service.
To provide specialist nursing knowledge, expertise and advice, facilitating the provision of evidence-based patient-centered care pathways
To ensure that resources are efficiently and effectively managed to deliver a high-quality service - To ensure the day-to-day smooth running of SDEC working closely with the OPAU Co-Ordinator.
To work closely with OPS Consultants, ACP’s, Matrons, and directorate managers to provide a high quality and cost-effective patient focused service
To establish a balance between clinical and managerial demands to maintain clinical credibility.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Registration on Part 1, or 12 of NMC Register (RGN/RN Adult) or equivalent
- Teaching Qualification, SLIP/Mentorship
- 1st level degree
Desirable criteria
- Deteriorating Adults Course
- HAPE or Equivalent
- ALS
- Leadership and Management qualification
- Qualification in the specialty
Experience
Essential criteria
- Demonstrable post-registration experience, band 6 experience expertise in acute setting
- Working in partnership with all levels of staff
- Recent experience in specialty and knowledge of Front door Working
- Teaching Practice and developing staff
- Experience in leading and managing a team
- Experience in managing change
- Experience in service and practice development
- Experience in recruiting and selecting staff
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Understand the importance of timely flow promoting an SDEC first approach
- Has knowledge of Acute Medicine protocols
- Understand the roles of the Emergency department co-ordinator & the Clinical Site Team
- Able to competently manage the phone hub, ensuring patients are streamed to the correct pathway
- Have an in-depth knowledge of SDEC pathways and other available appropriate pathways for patients.
Desirable criteria
- Have knowledge of protocols regarding mental health patients, transport, safeguarding etc
Technicsal Skills
Essential criteria
- Proven leadership ability
- Able to deal with demands of rapidly developing and changing service, problem solving and prioritising abilities. Clinical reasoning, problem solving and decision make skills at an advance level
- Ability to work in a busy environment and cope when the service is under pressure.
- A strong sense of personal and team accountability coupled to a clear understanding of the boundaries around delegated authority, responsibility and accountability.
- Extended role skills, examples as appropriate to role e.g. IV drug administration, cannulation and phlebotomy, wound Care, ECG and ABG
- Able to conduct an RCA
- Ability to motivate and lead a team
- Commitment to personal and professional development and development of others
- Computer literacy particularly working with: spread sheets/ Health roster/ Electronic Clinical Diary/
- Planning and prioritisation skills
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Victoria Knapman
- Job title
- Acting Matron for OPS
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 019 8143
List jobs with University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust in Nursing and Midwifery