Ward Manager

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust; Orpington; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated clinical leader to oversee nursing operations within their mental health unit. This role involves managing a multidisciplinary team, ensuring high standards of patient care, and maintaining financial oversight of the ward's budget. The ideal candidate will possess substantial managerial experience and a strong understanding of the challenges in Older People's Mental Health. Join a supportive environment that values professional development and quality improvement, making a significant impact on patient outcomes and team dynamics.

Qualifications

• Strong clinical leadership and managerial experience required.
• Professional registration and evidence of ongoing development essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead and supervise nursing teams to ensure quality patient care.
• Manage ward budgets and staffing levels effectively.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety protocols.

Skills

Clinical Leadership

Team Management

Financial Management

Infection Control

Multi-disciplinary Team Collaboration

Quality Improvement

Education

Professional Registration

Management Qualification

Job description

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Duties and Responsibilities of the Post

Staff Management and Supervision

• Exercise strong clinical leadership to support and inspire colleagues, improve standards and quality and to develop professional practice.
• To be visible and accessible for all team members and other Heads of Department.
• Acting as Team Leader within the nursing framework and work collaboratively with the multi-disciplinary team to ensure all staff development needs is maintained.
• Ensuring adequate staffing levels and balanced cover to meet the patients' needs within the financial restraints placed on the unit budget.
• Co-ordinating the nursing teams in providing care for the patients with the ward.
• To ensure that all staff have yearly job development reviews.
• To monitor and manage sickness absence within the team.
• To ensure annual leave is taken and cover is maintained.
• Lead in selection and recruitment of staff within each ward.
• Ensuring safe practices are in place and to act on areas of concern e.g. Health and Safety.
• To ensure that staff rota covers the wards needs in line with need to manage resources.

Financial Management

• To manage the ward's current budgets.
• Safe and effective rostering practice
• Ensuring that all members of the ward team take into account during the course of their working day the financial constraints imposed upon the ward.
• Ensure the financial constraints are adhered to in relation to ad-hoc usage of agency/temporary staff.
• To meet monthly with the service manager to discuss budgets and identify potential cost pressures/savings.

Quality and Standards

• Responsible for infection control including audits, best practice and use of protocols with the ward environment.
• Responsible for ward cleanliness in association with Initial Services.
• Handling complaints from patients, members of the public and staff in accordance with the Trust's Policies and Procedures.
• Implement policies and propose changes to practice, procedure for own area.
• Contribute to policy and practice changes arising from eg audits and complaints.
• Investigating complaints and preparing a structured response following the investigation of complaints or clinical incidents.
• To evaluate the service against national and international benchmarks, which are characteristic of the best evidence-based practice and through networking and by comparison and sharing, promote further improvements in services provided by the team.
• To set, monitor, audit and lead on appropriate practice protocols and standards within the Trust's clinical governance framework. To undertake clinical audits and surveys in order to maintain best practice in compliance with the Trust's clinical audit programme and Essence of Care programme.
• To play a key role in clinical governance by providing expert advice, working to secure quality improvements, liaising with and influencing other disciplines, the wider organisation and across organisational boundaries.
• Participate in clinical audit and review results that affect own area and patient care.
• Provide leadership in evaluating service against national benchmarks, including essence of care, National Service Framework for Older People and the NHS plan.
• Deputise for Matron at clinical meetings.

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Professional registration
• Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to role

Desirable criteria

• Management qualification (or working towards)

Experience

Essential criteria

• substantial experience in managerial/supervisory capacity

Desirable criteria

• Previously held manager position

Skills/ability/knowdledge

Essential criteria

• Understanding of key issues/challenges in the field of Older People's Mental Health
• Experience of effective MDT working
• evidence of involvement in Qi/supporting or managing change

Desirable criteria

• previous experience in older people's mental health

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. Remember, if you meet the minimum criteria for this role and you have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme - Please ensure you select this on your application form. We would encourage you to be open about your needs so we can work with you to design a comfortable and accessible interview experience. Any information you provide regarding a disability or a need for adjustments will be treated in confidence and will only be shared with colleagues who are supporting this request.

If you require any adjustments to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know by adding the relevant details when scheduling your preferred interview date and time. Please feel free to contact the appointing manager to discuss your needs.

We encourage applicants to contact the hiring manager before their interview, if they have any questions about the role or the process. This is a great way to get clarity and prepare effectively for the interview.

Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process. We also discourage overuse of AI during the application process because this can negatively impact the quality of your application and may hinder your chances of being shortlisted. Thank you.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Documents to download

• Job description (PDF, 280.4KB)
• Person Specification (PDF, 48.5KB)
• Important Additional Information For Candidates (please read carefully) (PDF, 160.6KB)
• Privacy Notice for Staff (PDF, 268.6KB)
• Staff Benefits (PDF, 2.5MB)