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Job summary

Main area
Neurology
Grade
Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Mon-Fri)
Job ref
344-9853KCH
Employer
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Kent and Canterbury Hospital
Town
Canterbury
Salary
£57,528 - £64,750 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
02/11/2026 23:59

Employer heading

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust logo

Neurology Matron

Band 8a

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated nurse leader to join East Kent Hospitals as Matron for Neurology Services. This role will provide senior nursing leadership across our developing Neurology Service 

You will work alongside consultants, specialist nursing teams, allied health professionals and operational leaders to ensure the highest standards of patient care, safety and experience.

This is an exceptional opportunity for an ambitious individual who is passionate about service transformation, workforce development and delivering outstanding care for patients with complex neurological conditions.

About the Role

As Neurology Matron, you will:

  • Provide visible and compassionate leadership across Neurology Services.
  • Lead the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality patient care.
  • Drive quality improvement, innovation and service transformation.
  • Develop and support specialist nursing teams.
  • Lead workforce planning, recruitment, retention and succession planning.
  • Ensure delivery of excellent patient experience and patient safety outcomes.
  • Work collaboratively with regional neuroscience networks and external partners.
  • Contribute to strategic planning and future development of Neurology Services.

Come and help shape the future of Neurology Services at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust.


Informal Enquiries

For an informal discussion please contact the Associate Director of Nursing 

Closing Date: 13/08/26
Interview Date: 20/08/26

 

Main duties of the job

The Neurology Matron will provide visible authoritative presence, inclusive leadership and professional accountability ensuring delivery of well-led, safe, effective, responsive and compassionate care. The Matron has a pivotal role in creating best experiences in the safest environment for our service users where patient is always put in the centre of everything we do. 

The Stroke Matron will lead service improvement, workforce establishment, and governance in line with the role expectations set out in the NHS England Matron’s Handbook (2021). The post holder will act as a clinical leader, role model, and advocate for service users and staff groups. It is envisaged that 80% of this role will be spent on Leadership and Management and 20% spent on the direct Clinical Capacity.

The Neurology Matron works within the Care Group’s Corporate Team to drive the Quality and Compliance for NHS Fundamentals of Care. There is an expectation that the post holder will work closely with other Matrons and Multidisciplinary colleagues within the department and Care Groups and Trust boundaries in the interest of patient care.

The job holder will have developmental opportunities within the Corporate Team supported by the Directors of Nursing and Quality.

Working for our organisation

We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinics serving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from great people'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected and confident that we are making a difference’. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals, called 'We care'. It's about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We're looking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, families and carers we care for every day.

Please note that if you require a Certificate of Sponsorship to work in the UK you must declare this on your application form, even if you currently have a certificate of sponsorship or a work permit for another role and are already working in the country. Please note we are only able to sponsor candidates on a Skilled Worker Visa applying for roles Band 5 and above.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please scroll down to access the full Job Description and Person Specification located in 'supporting documents'.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • RGN 1st level qualification Currently Registered Nurse on the NMC
  • Master’s Degree or equivalent or willingness to work towards
  • Knowledge & qualification on Patient Safety and Clinical Governance Process
  • Teaching qualification or equivalent
  • Demonstrable CPD
Desirable criteria
  • Leadership & Management Course
  • Previous experience of specialism
  • Attended/completed Matron’s Development Days or equivalent

Clinical Skills

Essential criteria
  • Proven Leadership and management experience at a senior level
  • Proven record of leading & effectively managing clinical services in Acute Sector
  • Experience of successful resource & budget management
  • Experience in managing risks within department and service development
  • Experience of Workforce Management & Development
Desirable criteria
  • Project Management
  • Quality Improvements
  • Conducting audits
  • Interview skills and experience
  • Experience of working under operational pressure with safe decision making

Personal/Professional Attributes

Essential criteria
  • Strong communication and influencing skills
  • Demonstrable ability to produce complex reports and formulate policies
  • Ability to prioritise and meet deadlines
  • Ability to use initiative for decision making and deal with sensitive/complex situations and professionalism under pressure
Desirable criteria
  • Emotional Intelligence

Governance

Essential criteria
  • Seven Pillars of NHS governance - Experience of Clinical Risk management
  • Patient Safety & Knowledge and experience of National Patient Safety framework and application
  • Good understanding of handling Formal Complaints
Desirable criteria
  • Conducting complex investigation/SIs Thematic analysis
  • Creating Action Plans

Other

Essential criteria
  • Professional credibility
  • Ability to demonstrate Trust’s Values and leading by example, ability to show compassion and emotional support
  • Self-motivation and ability to motivate others
  • Good IT skills and ability for teaching/presentations
Desirable criteria
  • Customer Care

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardThe Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion is the leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion in the workplace.Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerThe Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei) is the UK's leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion issues in the workplace.Prince's Trust - Proud to support the Prince's trust - Youth can do itStep into healthHappy to Talk Flexible WorkingArmed Forces Covenant

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.

Application numbers

To help us manage recruitment effectively, we use an application limit and we will close this vacancy early if we receive a high number of applications and the limit is met. If you are interested in joining us, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Ann Croft
Job title
Associate Director of Nursing
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07955320812
Additional information

We would love to receive any queries prior to the application or during to provide further information regarding this post. We would also be delighted to show you around if you wish to visit us.