Job summary
We are looking for a Head of Nursing who has community nursing experience who would be able to join us as soon as possible for the next 6 months.
The Head of Nursing is a key position within the Divisional Management Team, reporting to the Divisional Director of Nursing and Governance. The role focuses on the day-to-day delivery of high standards of patient care across integrated care pathways and services, including community care. The post holder supports the Divisional Director and other senior managers in the day-to-day clinical business of the Service and may carry delegated responsibilities for nursing or midwifery development programmes, recruitment and retention, and measuring and improving standards of care and patient experience, in line with objectives, targets, quality standards, controls and resources. The post holder will demonstrate a visible, authoritative and democratic leadership style aligned with the Trust values and may deputise for the Divisional Director when required.
Main duties of the job
* Provide professional and clinical leadership to the Division with a framework to ensure nursing, midwifery and AHP staff are managed and developed so they are efficient, effective, engaged and highly motivated.
* Partner with the Chief Nurse and Clinical Services lead to implement the Trust's corporate Nursing and Midwifery priorities and strategy.
* Maintain a highly visible leadership profile, conduct quality rounds and engage proactively with service areas as required.
* Support Matrons to supervise clinical areas requiring management measures or additional support to maintain patient safety and meet improvement objectives.
* Collaborate with other health care professionals to ensure safe, effective and professional standards of patient flows, care management and delivery.
* Ensure patient care is delivered with care and compassion to a high standard, achieving clinical quality standards measured through clinical indicators and High Impact Intervention audits.
* Ensure a consistent approach across pathways and services so that all clinical staff comply with Trust-wide policies and procedures.
About us
Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches the patients we serve. We are committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) and have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events to advance inclusion. We outline five aspirations below:
* Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development.
* Widening access (anchor institution) and employability.
* Improving the experience of staff with disability.
* Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of Trust staff through training and development.
* Making equalities mainstream.
Details
* Date posted: 27 March 2026
* Pay scheme: Agenda for Change
* Band: Band 8c
* Salary: £76,965 to £88,682 a year plus HCA
* Contract: Fixed term
* Duration: 6 months
* Working pattern: Full-time
* Reference number: 197-AJ-R-7799-A
* Job locations: University Hospital Lewisham, Lewisham High Street, Lewisham, London SE13 6LH
Job responsibilities
* Work with Divisional management team and service leads to provide professional and clinical leadership to the Division, ensuring a framework for managing and developing nursing, midwifery and AHP staff.
* Implement Trusts corporate Nursing and Midwifery priorities and strategy; maintain a visible leadership profile and engage with service areas as required.
* Supervise clinical areas requiring special management measures to ensure patient safety and improvement objectives are met.
* Ensure safe, effective and professional standards of patient flows, care management and delivery with other health care professionals.
* Deliver patient care with compassion to a high standard, achieving clinical quality standards via relevant indicators and audits.
* Ensure a consistent approach across pathways and services; manage budget and achieve KPIs; contribute to divisional business and service strategy; lead quality and service improvement projects.
* Deliver Equality and Diversity strategies in recruitment, retention and development of non-medical staff; manage nursing/midwifery innovation and development where relevant.
* Support development of systems, control processes and risk management to ensure governance compliance; investigate complaints and incidents relevant to nursing/midwifery; manage risks in non-medical clinical staff areas.
* Represent the Trust with NHS and partner organisations; involve patients in assessing service quality and improvements; develop patient feedback systems and act on learning from complaints and incidents.
* Support education and training programmes for nurses and midwives; participate in the Trust on-call manager rota.
* Lead clinical and non-clinical teams and develop capability and resilience of management teams; recruit, manage and develop non-medical staff; ensure staffing levels, leave management, mandatory training and appraisals; address HR issues including recruitment, retention, discipline and performance; maintain appraisal systems in line with policy.
* Financial management of pathways and services, ensuring activity and access targets are achieved and budgets signed off within agreed limits; advise on trends and variances.
Partnerships
Internal and external stakeholders include Patients, carers and service users; Divisional Directors; Clinical Leads and medical staff; Heads of Nursing and other nursing staff; Allied Health Professionals; Trust Board and external bodies such as commissioning bodies, Local Authority, NHS London, GPs, NHS trusts, educational bodies, and voluntary sectors.
Person specification
Experience
* Essential: Registered Nurse / AHP
* Essential: Experience at 8a
Desirable: Community experience at senior level
Education
* Desirable: Masters level qualification
Role
* Essential: Registered Nurse / AHP
* Desirable: Community experience at senior level
Additional notes
Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a DBS disclosure is required.
Certificate of Sponsorship: Applications from job seekers who require UK skilled worker sponsorship will be considered. See UK Visas and Immigration guidance for overseas applicants.
UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration.
Employer details
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
University Hospital Lewisham
Lewisham High Street, Lewisham, London
SE13 6LH
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