IPU Team Lead (SMH Band 7)

NHS; Basingstoke; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading palliative care organization in Basingstoke seeks an experienced senior nurse to lead their Inpatient Unit. The ideal candidate will possess strong clinical leadership and management skills, with a minimum of 5 years in palliative care. You will oversee daily operations and ensure that high-quality palliative and end-of-life care is provided, contributing to service development. Attractive benefits include 27 days annual leave and an extensive health plan.

Benefits

Free parking

Life assurance

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Extensive health and wellbeing plan

Company pension

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years experience in Palliative and End of Life care.
• Experience of a leadership role within an In-Patient Unit.
• Proven clinical leadership experience and team management skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and operational management to the Hospice inpatient unit.
• Work closely with the Clinical Leadership Team to ensure coordinated care.
• Deliver high quality, safe and effective care.

Skills

Clinical skills

Excellent written and oral communication skills

Ability to work under pressure

Good organisational and time management skills

Influencing and negotiation skills

Education

RN (Adult) 1st Level with NMC Registration

Degree level study or equivalent experience

Teaching qualification or experience

ReSPECT trained

Job description

An exciting opportunity hasarisen at St. Michaels Hospice to join our team. We are looking for anexperienced senior nurse Registered Nurse to lead our Hospice Inpatient Unit/Ward.You will have experience of working within a Specialist Palliative Careinpatient or community setting. You will bring demonstrable experienceof leading and managing clinical teams, with direct line managementresponsibilities and strong experience in overseeing the day-to-day operations of a ward.

St. Michaels Hospice is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults, children and youngpeople. All staff are expected to share this commitment. Successful candidateswill be required to undergo relevant background checks, including a DBS checkand provide satisfactory reference before starting the role.

Closing date - 25 January 2026

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will be workingclinically with a high level of skill and expertise in Palliative and End of Life Care. You will work closely with the Clinical Leadership Team and be amember of the Clinical Management Team, ensuring safe coordinated care isdelivered across the organisation.

You will have excellentleadership and management skills proven in your experience of managing teams.You will lead and operationally manage the Inpatient team providing consistentmanagement and clear leadership, you will ensure development opportunities areavailable for your team. You will work with the Quality & Governance Leadand the Clinical Director to ensure a high standard of care is provided to all.You will work with the Clinical Leadership Team to support service developmentin line with St. Michaels strategic objectives.

Key aspects of the role includeleading and supporting the clinical team, maintaining a strong clinicalpresence on the ward while role modelling high-quality palliative care. Thesuccessful candidate will support and develop the wider team through visibleclinical leadership and close collaboration with the Deputy Ward Leads.

Acareer in hospice care enables you to be part of a multi-professional team andprovide holistic care to patients who have life limiting illnesses. It is ouraim to ensure that our patients achieve the best quality of life.

About us

St.Michaels has a newly refurbished 10 bed In-Patient Unit, as well as Hospice atHome, Patient and Family Support services and a Living Well service, specialistclinics with support from our therapy team across all our services. We offerexcellent support and training opportunities as well as the potential todevelop specialist skills, initiating and contributing to evolving clinicalservices.

Weare dedicated to providing care to people throughout North Hampshire who areaffected by life limiting illness to attain the highest possible quality oflife by providing a choice of specialist care and support.

As acharity, we depend on the kindness and support of our local community tocontinue offering our services free of charge. This care is made possible bysupporters donating, taking part in fundraising events and activities, playingour lottery, shopping in our retail outlets, leaving gifts in their Wills orgiving freely of their time to volunteer.

Weoffer attractivebenefits, including, free parking, life assurance, 27 days annual leave plusbank holidays, and an extensive health and wellbeing plan and company pension.

Formore information or to arrange an informal visit please contact Karen Drake,Clinical Director at St. Michaels Hospice, on telephone number 01256 844744.

Job responsibilities

To provide strong leadership andoperational management to the Hospice in-patient unit (IPU), working clinicallyto a high level of skill and expertise in Palliative and End of Life Care.Working closely with the Clinical Leadership Team (CLT); and as a member of andwith the Clinical Management Team (CMT) to ensure safe coordinated care acrossthe organisation. To provide direct line management to a team of deputies andsupport the management of the IPU and service development in line with SMHstrategic objectives. To ensure specialist clinical nursing care, expertise,knowledge, and skill to ensure optimal care, quality, governance and safety ofpatients and their families.

Key Responsibilities

Maintain high standards of Professional Practice in line with NMC Code.

To bring specialist nursing practice, knowledge, skills and experiencein palliative and end of life care to IPU.

To be responsible for day-to-day clinical leadership and operationalmanagement of the ward.

Manage the ward skill mix and establishment on a day-to-day basis,ensuring safe, effective and fair rostering.

Maintain a high profile across the IPU, undertaking clinical shifts aspart of usual role responsibilities.

To maintain own clinical knowledge and skills through clinical decisionmaking and use of clinical judgement in relation to patient safety and clinicalgovernance.

To deliver high quality, safe and effective care to patients &their relatives, ensuring staffing levels and competencies are appropriate andmeet the needs of the patients/carers and to an appropriate level of skill mix,escalating concerns to the Clinical Director as required.

Responsible for good governance across the IPU.

To work with the Clinical Director to implement the SMH Strategy, SMHPolicy and Procedures, Staff Competencies and support nurse education andtraining.

Line management of the IPU team with direct line management of theDeputy Ward Leads.

Work closely with the Clinical Admin Team Lead to ensure robust supportfrom the Clinical Coordinators to the IPU with particular focus on utilisingthe Clinical Coordinator - IPU role.

To lead and manage, in partnership with the Human Resource Department,issues of performance, capability or ill health, to undertake delegated part ofinvestigation into disciplinary concerns and/or grievance procedures asappropriate for St. Michaels Hospice.

Attend SMH IPU related clinical meetings i.e., MultidisciplinaryMeeting (MDT), Morbidity and Mortality (M&M), Interprofessional Meeting(IPM), Admission Meeting, Ward Handover, this is not an exhaustive list,attendance at meetings will be delegated by the Clinical Director.

Active member of Clinical Management Team (CMT), Clinical GovernanceGroup (CGC), Medicine Management Group (MMG), Safeguarding Committee, and InformationGovernance Group. This is not an exhaustive list, attendance at meetings willbe delegated by the Clinical Director.

To work closely with the Clinical Leadership Team (CLT) to support thehighest standards of care being delivered across St. Michaels Hospiceservices.

To work with the Quality & Governance Lead to ensure robustgovernance and compliance of local and national safety and quality metrics.Such as audits, quality indicators, Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards ornational Standards.

To take a lead on and ensure Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)measures are adhered to and risk is minimised through good staff awareness,clinical and non-clinical. Working with the nominated lead for IPC.

Good knowledge and understanding of the PSIRF.

Working with the Quality & Governance Lead, lead incidentmanagement on the IPU guided by PSIRF, with regular effective After Action Reviews,supporting the IPU deputies with investigations and their ongoing developmentin this area.

To take a lead on medicines management within the IPU responsible forstock control, administration and safe keeping of all medications held on theIPU, working in accordance with standards determined by the Care QualityCommission, NMC standards and legal regulation.

To investigate and report on medicine administration errors oromissions, reporting controlled drug concerns and incidents to the ControlledDrug Accountable Officer (CDAO).

Lead the first response to IPU feedback, concerns and complaints,working with the Clinical Director as appropriate.

Be familiar with policies and guidelines particularly those relating tohealth and safety at work, governance, medicines management and risk managementand to support the review and writing of these as delegated.

To assist in the writing and update of policies, procedures, andguidelines.

Establish local networks, linking with other practitioners inindependent and NHS providers of palliative and end of life care.

Demonstrate effective communication between clinical and non-clinicalteams.

Communication

To be personally competent with advanced communication and able toadvise others. To assess capacity, gain valid informed consent and can workwithin a legal framework with patients who lack capacity.

To communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandableform to patients at the end of life, careers, and other staff.

To demonstrate and use effective communication skills.

To support staff who may be in distress or requiring support.

To ensure that you regard the individual customs, values and spiritualbeliefs of patients and staff.

To empower and motivate those around you to constantly strive to improve care and experience for patients and staff.

Engage with Fundraising, Marketing and Communications to support theirwork in promoting clinical services to achieve income generation and encourageall staff to do likewise.

Leadership

Behave as a leadership role model and continually aspire to the highestclinical care and practice standards.

Develop a high performing team which is motivated and hasclear focus and direction.

To be clinically present and credible in specialist palliative care anddemonstrate confidence in nursing practice and all it can deliver.

To provide challenge and questioning as appropriate.

To address any issues of professional behaviour or attitudes, qualityor safety in the moment and report to appropriate line manager.

To monitor annual leave, sick leave and general wellbeing of the IPUnurses and health care assistants and other members of the team as needed,liaising with the HR Team and relevant team managers/leads as appropriate.

To ensure that information and records held on paper or electronicallyare maintained to in line with SMH policies, standards, and professionalregulations and relevant data protection legislation.

To demonstrate patient advocacy through all aspects of care.

To take an active part in patient case reviews.

Provide senior cross-cover within the CMT and support other serviceareas during periods of need or absence.

Educationand training

To have a specialist knowledge across a range of work practicesincluding Achieving Priorities of Care (APOC) and ReSPECT.

To demonstrate current evidence-based practice and to share this thisknowledge to ensure delivery of high-quality care.

To promote a positive research-based approach.

To support the Nurse Consultant / Education Lead with the delivery ofthe internal and external education and training programmes, includingsupporting student placements.

To ensure there is a culture of reflection and learning through allclinical teams. Support staff development, clinical supervision, audit, andresearch in clinical practice to ensure high quality services are provided andmaintained.

To take responsibility for ensuring that appropriate clinical /managerial supervision is in place and attended for yourself and team members.

ResourceManagement

Awareness of the funding of independent/charity sector.

IPU budget responsibility. Make effective use of the IPU budget thatdemonstrates responsiveness, flexibility, efficiency, and creativity.

Ensure the skill mix and establishment of the unit is efficient.

1st line management and responsibility for the IPU budget.

To use the clinical resources in a timely and effective manner

To provide timely and accurate activity date and/or quality information,as required by the Clinical Director or wider senior leadership team (SLT)

To ensure safe and effective use of equipment.

Ensure safe staffing levels are maintained at all times.

Lead the recruitment of staff on the IPU.

Lead staff retention initiatives, fostering a positive workplaceculture and implementing effective succession planning to ensure continuity.

Ensure the Acuity and Dependency Tool is completed on a daily basis andthe results collated to be presented at the Clinical Governance Committee.

Promote, influence, and develop innovative opportunities to usevolunteers to support care and administrative roles throughout your areas ofresponsibility.

Work to maintain the values,vision and aims of St. Michaels Hospice.

Additional Duties In discussion with the line manager undertake work,as and when required, in support of St. Michaels Hospice as an organisation.

Public Relations Represent St. Michaels Hospice in the community andpublic domain as appropriate.

Undertake all statutory andmandatory training, as required.

Be conversant with and adhere to St. Michaels Hospice Policies andProcedures.

This is an outline job description and may be subject to change,according to the needs of the service, in consultation with the post holder.

Take responsibility for own personal safety and of others whilst atwork. You will take appropriate action or report any concerns to address anyhealth and safety issues that you or members of your team may be aware of.

Person Specification

Skills, Knowledge, Abilities

• Clinical skills
• Ability to assess, plan, implement and evaluate plan of care.
• Can demonstrate insight into the needs of Family and carers.
• Demonstrate experience of clinical governance and risk management.
• Ability to assess and escalate changing needs of a patient.
• Ability to work within a multidisciplinary team, with team skills.
• Influencing and negotiation skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work on own and in conjunction with other senior clinical and non-clinical colleagues.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Good organisational and time management skills.
• Good understanding of end-of-life care priorities and initiatives both locally and nationally

Qualifications

• RN (Adult) 1st Level with NMC Registration with active PIN (no restrictions on practice).
• Degree level study or equivalent experience in appropriate clinical area
• Ability to study at masters level
• Teaching qualification or experience of formal and informal education provision
• Advanced Communication Course
• Evidence of recent relevant CPD
• Relevant continuing professional development in leadership and management
• ReSPECT trained.
• Clinical Supervision facilitator training

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years experience of working in a Palliative and End of life care setting.
• Experience of a leadership role within an In-Patient Unit
• Proven clinical leadership experience with management of teams and with excellent leadership and management skills.
• Experience of workforce management and development.
• Evidence and experience of being able to lead in and assist others in clinical audits, quality assurance, patients safety, clinical governance, and research & service development.
• Experience of change management.
• Evidence of prioritising own workload and that of others.
• Experience of medicines management
• Experience of working in the community setting.
• Experience of service development and improvement.
• Experience of CQC inspections and quality governance reporting.
• Experience of supporting and developing individuals and teams to develop and excel
• Professional at all times.
• Motivated and able to motivate others
• Calm, objective and flexible
• Good interpersonal skills
• Effective multi-professional working
• Ability to work across SMH services as needs dictate.
• Positive and enthusiastic attitude
• Willingness to learn.

Other requirements

• Car driver (Full clean UK license)
• Ability to work shifts, weekends, bank holidays and occasional nights when needed

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Clinical Director and Registered Manager