Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

• Agree service requirements with relevant service/nursing leads, Ward Managers, Sisters and Charge Nurses.
• Plan service requirements as identified, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain a healthy, safe, and productive working environment in line with legal, organisational and professional requirements.
• Monitor the quality of nursing and midwifery services through Quality Care Indicators (QCI) and local metrics.
• Provide nursing/midwifery knowledge and skills to undertake the operational management and strategic development of the service.
• Escalation of any professional nursing concerns to the Divisional Nursing Lead and the Clinical Director/Manager as appropriate.
• Contribute to performance management of the service ensuring delivery of key targets by assisting in collecting and collating evidence necessary to demonstrate compliance with CQC essential standard and escalate to the relevant manager.
• Maintain a high profile in the clinical areas being accessible to staff, patients and their families providing support and advice and addressing any problems
• Lead, facilitate and chair meetings across the Division, Service or Trust, providing clinical expertise, professional leadership, and management for designated project.
• Participate and lead in Division/Service and nurse management issues.

SERVICE QUALITY, IMPROVEMENT & DEVELOPMENT

• Manage and lead change in work methods and practice that will improve the standards of care for patients.
• Identify opportunities for improvements in nursing, midwifery and clinical practices as highlighted through evidence, research-based practice and national standards, e.g. National Service Frameworks, National Institute of Clinical Excellence, local QCI and metrics and statutory inspections.
• Evaluate proposed changes for benefits and disadvantages and plan the implementation of changes in work methods and practice/midwifery practice and facilitate compliance within Quality Care Indicator standards.
• Comply with all relevant policies, procedures and training on infection prevention and control and lead IPC principles within their services.
• Improve the patients’ experience within designed clinical areas by assuring the highest standards of clinical/non-clinical care through effective line management and professional leadership of the nursing workforce.
• Ensure the delivery of nursing/midwifery care and the environment, particularly in relation to complex and/or vulnerable patients, is patient focused and best practice.
• Ensure action is taken in relation to all statutory feedback through audits and CQC/Friends and Family Test/complaints feedback related to patient experience.
• In partnership with Divisional Nursing lead, ensure that nursing/midwifery complaints and incidents are promptly investigated within national and local timeframes and resolved, lessons learnt and fed back to staff, and remedial action implemented. Ensure that any complaints are dealt with at first point of contact wherever possible and written complaints relating to nursing are responded to within designated time frames.
• In partnership with the Divisional /Service Manager and Clinical Director ensure that patient flow is effective and efficient.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the service through meeting key performance indicators and local and national initiatives/standards.
• Effectively manage all aspects of clinical governance within their remit being able to offer assurances and recognising when to escalate concerns.

BUDGET & RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

• Manage the use of physical resources in consultation with Ward Managers, Sisters and Charge Nurses, to ensure a safe, effective, high-quality service that is cost effective is provided.
• Be responsible, accountable within delegated budget and authorise expenditure in line with Standard Finance Instruction (SFI).
• Ensure robust systems are in place for budgetary management and achievement of finance targets.
• Authorised Signatory for timesheets and temporary staffing authorisation.
• To develop managers/leaders in understanding and adherence to the Trust’s Financial Regulations/Standing Financial Instructions
• To actively participate in identifying cost improvement plans (CIPs) and implement CIPs within the Division/Service.
• To be responsible for the compliance, efficiency, and effectiveness of each E-roster within their service.
• Ensure E-rostering is implemented, monitored, and managed within Division/service to ensure the provision of safe, effective service in line with Trust policy.
• Attend regular monitoring meetings to demonstrate compliance of E-roster for designated ward.
• To support managers and leaders to effectively manage the use of bank and agency nursing staff to remain within budget and reduce expenditure on agency staff.
• To work in partnership with the relevant senior leadership team to lead the service lines in a business-like way to ensure safe and effective management of resources.
• Maintain the use of physical resources in line with budget allocation.
• Be responsible and accountable within scope of role for ensuring the environments in which care and services are delivered are fit for purpose and meet the standards required for cleaning and infection control.

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

• Maintain and develop own professional competence and expertise and always comply with the NMC statutory regulations.
• Act as role model for nursing/midwifery and clinical staff ensuring that their practice is in accordance with his/her job role, job description and professional parameters.
• Continuously develop individual knowledge and skills, particularly in relation to evidence-based practice.
• Prioritise work to meet personal and organisational objectives.
• Ensure other practice in accordance with the NMC Code of Conduct and other applicable professional standards.

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and maintain productive working relationships to ensure a high standard of patient care.
• Enhance the trust and support of senior staff, colleagues, and the multi-disciplinary team.
• Ensure all staff within area of responsibility are up to date with mandatory and role specific training and have up to date training records available.
• Undertake performance management activities for staff in line with Trust policy.
• Implement, maintain and be responsible for a robust annual leave process in the Division/Service that enables effective service continuity, in line with E-roster policy.
• Implement and maintain appropriate sickness management processes are in place and contribute to the Trust and business unit targets.
• Provide appropriate guidance and support to staff in line with the Trust’s disciplinary and sickness procedures. Lead, and be responsible for, the implementation of HR policies within the departments and participate in formal stages of the procedures as requested by senior service leaders.
• Plan, implement and manage change processes or service reviews, paying particular attention to clinical staffing, nursing practice and operational systems within the Division/Service.
• Role model Trust leadership attitudes, behaviours, and values. Challenge inappropriate attitudes or behaviour and recognise & value appropriate behaviour, consistent with Trust values & the Trust leadership model.
• Cultivate an open & honest culture where people feel able to raise concerns & share good practice – through role modelling & positive reinforcement. Ensure concerns are listened to, acted upon & feedback is given. Take ownership of problems, and/or influence if outside control.
• Develop team morale and motivation through effective personal leadership ensuring views and decisions are communicated up and down the management structure.
• Regularly communicate Trust and service strategic objectives and key issues to all staff.
• Create opportunities to enhance staff involvement in the operational running of the service, encouraging staff to get involved, put forward ideas, concerns & suggestions.
• Responsible for the health, safety and wellbeing of staff within the speciality/unit, ensuring the effective implementation of trust policy.
• Responsible for ensuring recruitment and other people management processes and practices are in line with the Trust policy.
• Responsible for staff complying with mandatory and role specific training/appraisal and on-going development for staff.
• Pro-actively manage staff to ensure compliance with recruitment and retention processes and mandatory/role specific training.
• Support the team and the individuals in the team to develop and maintain performance.
• Identify the development needs of teams and individuals through the Personal Development Plan process.
• Plan the development needs of teams and individuals and identify/implement succession planning strategies.
• Develop teams to improve their clinical knowledge, skills, patient centred care and performance.
• Support individual learning and development, in line with service development and trust vision.
• Effectively manage the performance of teams and individuals
• Agree objectives and work plans within team.
• Ensure appraisals and Personal Development Plans are facilitated in line with the Trust policy.
• Assess the performance of teams and individuals against job descriptions, service developments, Trust values and vision.
• Support team members who have problems affecting their performance
• Pro-actively support and manage staff through formal performance/capability processes in line with Trust policy

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

• Work always within the NMC Professional Code of Conduct, taking accountability for professional action and ensure that other nurses within the speciality/unit do the same.

MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION

• Provide information to support decision making.
• Obtain information for decision making as necessary.
• Record and store information safely in line with information governance processes.
• Analyse information to support decision making.
• Advise and inform others as necessary