Neurology Matron

Transformation Unit; Canterbury; Hybrid; GBP 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Neurology Matron (Band 8a) to provide senior nursing leadership across our Neurology Service in Canterbury. You will work with consultants, specialist nursing teams and operational leaders to ensure safe, high-quality patient care and an excellent patient experience.

The post focuses on workforce planning, recruitment and governance, service transformation and development of specialist nursing teams.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse with NMC registration and current practice in nursing leadership.
• Masters degree or working toward one and teaching qualification.
• Experience in patient safety, clinical governance, and leadership development.
• Leadership and management training or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

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

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Budget management

Governance

Education

NMC registered nurse

Master's degree

Teaching qualification

Leadership & management course

Job description

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

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'.

Qualifications

• 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
• Leadership & Management Course
• Previous experience of specialism
• Attended/completed Matron’s Development Days or equivalent

Clinical Skills

• 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
• Project Management
• Quality Improvements
• Conducting audits
• Interview skills and experience
• Experience of working under operational pressure with safe decision making

Personal/Professional Attributes

• 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

Governance

• 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
• Conducting complex investigation/SIs Thematic analysis
• Creating Action Plans

Other

• 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 othersGood IT skills and ability for teaching/presentations
• Customer Care

There are lots of great opportunities at East Kent Hospitals, where staff are caring and put patients first, innovation flourishes and you can develop your career. We’re on an exciting journey of transformation. With a local Medical School at the centre of our community, a focus on research, clinical leadership and making our trust a rewarding and friendly place to work, there’s never been a better time to join us. The Trust fully supports the SAS Doctors Charter and is committed to their development through its CPD Framework.

We have a relocation policy for eligible candidates, parking available at Trust sites but we encourage other options, like car sharing or public transport.

The Trust is committed to supporting flexible working to fulfil our pledge as part of The Trust’s People Strategy to help staff to achieve a healthy work/life balance.

The ability to converse easily and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for all customer facing roles.

Most positions require a Disclosure and Barring check and will be exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Posts working regularly or unsupervised with children or vulnerable adults require an enhanced check.

Applicants for eligible roles requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship must meet UK Visas and Immigration eligibility criteria.

We operate a no-smoking policy on all our sites and grounds.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.