NursingNetUK

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain Professional Registratior.
• Adhere to relevant NMC Code of Practic
• Act as a role model by demonstrating leadership and expertise, and by maintaining credibility within the care group, the wider health care community, and external agencies, ensuring a positive image of the Trust is maintained.
• Maintain high visibility in the clinical areas and be aware of current issues through undertaking activities such as clinical practice or observations of care. Develop a work programme that enables designated clinical time based on the unit.

QUALITY

• Ensure effective measurements are in place to promote a safe environment for patients, carers and staff.
• Ensure there is a robust system in place to ensure lessons are learnt with subsequent changes in practice when highlighted through incidents, complaints, and claims both trust wide and within the Community Services.
• Ensure national guidance is implemented in a timely and appropriate way, i.e., CQC standards, policies and guidelines and systems and processes are in place to prepare for and monitor external assessment, accreditation, and regulatory inspections.
• Provide patient safety and governance reports for the care group and trust committees, collating key quality indicators to support assurance mechanisms to demonstrate compliance with key standards and to escalate where improvements need to be made.
• Ensure all senior nurses participate in monthly nursing audits, ensuring that action plans are implemented within agreed time frames.  
• Ensure that the Community Division has systems in place to identify, report and manage risk which involves taking action and monitoring work areas in accordance with Health and Safety legislation and guidance from the National Patient Safety Agency.
• Undertake Clinical Risk Assessments as appropriate and discuss with the HON and Directorate Manager.
• To ensure systems are in place for assessing and prioritising the purchasing of medical devices and ensuring staff are appropriately trained in their use. Work with the divisional management team in the procurement, implementation and decontamination of medical equipment. Ensure systems are in place for training and recording competency in the use of new devices.
• To ensure that there are high standards of documentation and care planning in all areas of practice. Ensuring there are regular reviews of all documentation, and focused action plans are produced when areas of concern are identified.
• Lead and coordinate staffing response to a major incident.
• Oversee trials of new equipment and ensure appropriate legislation and safety measures are adhered.

Patient Experience

• To ensure that there are systems in place to capture and act upon information related to the patient experience.
• Promote patient centred service delivery by providing visible and accessible senior professional presence to which staff, patients and their carers can turn to for assistance.
• Maintaining effective channels to obtain views and concerns of service users and to take action as appropriate where in use produce weekly reports derived from Patient Experience Audit.
• Ensuring that the patient experience remains the focal point for service improvement within the Directorate.
• Establish effective relationships with PALS and the complaints team encouraging the staff in the proactive resolution of concerns. Ensure that actions arising from patient feedback are progressed

Clinical Effectiveness

• Implement strategies to ensure clinical care within the Directorate complies where appropriate with National Standards for care such as are contained in the Essence of Care, Our NHS our Future (Lord Darzi recommendations) and National Service Frameworks.
• To ensure the implementation of national, local and Trust standards of best practice and quality and monitor performance against these that informs the corporate performance review programme. and is utilised to improve the effectiveness of clinical practice and service delivery.
• Support the Involvement and delivery of local and national clinical audits.

LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide leadership on making changes and improvements in quality of care and development of clinical teams, ensuring that plans are implemented by monitoring and reporting on the impact of change.  
• Provide advice and guidance on plans to encourage patient and public involvement activities in clinical areas, monitoring activity, and making recommendations for improvements.
• Develop and maintain systems and processes to ensure that work is appropriately prioritised and allocated, and that effective supervision is in place to support staff.
• Develop and maintain systems and processes to ensure that staff appraisal is in place for all staff in the service.
• Ensure that recruitment, staff induction and orientation, and mandatory training take place according to Trust policy.
• Support the Directorate by the effective use of resources, e.g., staff, budget, premises, equipment, supplies and materials.
• Develop and maintain systems and processes to promote, monitor and maintain a healthy, safe, and secure working environment, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, maintaining accurate documentation and reporting any concerns.

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

• In Liaison with Finance department actively seek solutions to improve cost efficience.
• To contribute to the development of robust financial management systems. To ensure processes are in place to optimally utilise the Community Care Group resources.
• Meeting annual financial targets including Cash Releasing Efficiency Savings.
• Ensure business risk evaluation of all service developments.
• To be accountable for the cost effective and efficient use of resources, ensuring that all senior staff are trained in resource management strategies.
• Monitor agency and temporary staffing usage justifying against vacancies and staff absence (maternity, sickness etc).
• Ensure all staff make efficient and effective use of financial and other resources.

RESEARCH & AUDIT

• Take an active role in the co-ordination and development of research and audit programmes within the nursing arena and apply the outcomes to improve patient care and service delivery.
• Instigate and implement new innovations within nursing and develop these in collaboration with the nursing staff and team.

For further information please refer to the  Job Description and Person Specification for the role.