OPD Manager
The closing date is 15 February 2026
We are excited to recruit a dynamic, enthusiastic Band 7 Manager to the Outpatient Department at St Richards Hospital. The post holder will be required to provide leadership and support within the Outpatient Department. You will be fully supported by the OPD Matron and the OPD Deputy Manager.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential along with the resilience to meet the challenges of our busy and stimulating work environment. You should have proven time-management and clinical organisational skills as you will be required to manage this busy outpatient department.
The post holder will be responsible for maintaining standards and quality in the day to day management of the department. This role will enable you to gain order demonstrate clinical skills in leadership and people management within the clinical environment. Your primary responsibilities will be to take charge of the department whilst supporting and developing junior staff by being a mentor and role model. You will manage the department ensuring appraisals, mandatory training and competency assessments for all nursing staff are kept up to date. You will manage the e-roster and the allocation of staff to clinics whilst ensuring they are working within their level of competence.
In return we will encourage your professional development by enhancing your skills and knowledge through a personal development plan with access to educational resources both locally and beyond.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will be a clinically based practitioner who will take a key role in strengthening the nursing contribution to patients and service users within the areas of outpatients across the organization. The post holder will have specific responsibility for the clinical leadership, management of resources including staff, budgets and quality assurance.
In partnership with the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), and in association with the OPD Matron, the post-holder will develop, implement and evaluate a seamless nursing service. The role is vital in delivering the highest standards of clinical care and supporting efficiency to drive improvements in outcomes.
Using expert nursing practice; takes personal responsibility for managing clinics across areas/sites. The post-holder will demonstrate highly developed knowledge and expertise and will be responsible for contributing to the ongoing development of innovative practice and standards of care. The post holder will provide clinical leadership for nursing staff and further develop the Outpatient Service in line with both local and national strategies and in association with the OPD Matron; assist the OPD Matron with strategic input for the ongoing development and provision of services, linking closely with users of the outpatient services; manage the nursing complement to accomplish the objectives of the outpatient specialty and Trust, as set out in the operational business plan and corporate strategy.
About us
Working for our organisation
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We\'re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
Candidate Pack
Job responsibilities
This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role-specific criteria. For example, applicants for the Senior HCA role must be able to evidence a minimum of 2 years experience in the same role to qualify for sponsorship.
If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
Main duties and responsibilities
Communication
Work collaboratively with clinical nursing experts including OPD Matron, Clinical Teams, Consultant Nurses, Nurse Specialists and Practice Development Nurses in the development of expert, person-centred practice.
Provide professional leadership within the department ensuring that all staff use evidence based practise and adhere to the NMC code of professional conduct.
Be able to demonstrate a high degree of motivation and innovation.
Deal with patient / relative complaints proactively to minimise the risk of them becoming formal. Appropriately investigate complaints in a timely manner, and provide response as required.
Communicate effectively with the department team ensuring that there are daily huddles and ensure robust systems exist so that staff feel informed.
To contribute positively to the effectiveness and efficiency of the teams in which he/she works.
Be able to work in a multi-professional environment ensuring most effective use of all members of those professional teams.
Display strong leadership and positivity to the department team during times of increased pressure on resources, staffing crises, or bed pressures, working with divisional leads to assess risks across the division and how these can be minimised.
Ensure any safeguarding issues are raised appropriately to lead nurses to enable investigation in relation to vulnerable adults or children.
Report / action any accidents, incidents or undue occurrences reported to you or witnessed by you in line with Trust policy. Ensure proactive investigation of any clinical incidents, undertaking root cause analysis if indicated, ensuring action plans are developed as needed.
Ensure that Infection control audits such as high impact interventions and hand hygiene audits are undertaken as required, and any issues or trends in poor compliance are addressed.
Strive to continually improve department environment to high standards ensuring action plans from patient environment audits are maintained.
Work in collaboration with clinical leads in relation to national initiatives, Care quality commission standards and NICE guidelines.
Contribute to the process of risk management within the Divisions particularly with regard to issues related to nursing and other professional matters.
Servicedelivery and improvement
Be able to develop, motivate and lead a team by using objectives in line with department, sub specialty and corporate goals.
Actively audit and proactively manage essential care against complaints, improvements, critical incidents and the essence of care benchmarking.
Ensure the department objectives are set in line with the Divisional and Trust objectives.
Ensure that the quality of patient care is assured by involvement in the implementation of essence of care and regular benchmarking of the standards at department level.
Ensure the clinical environments reflect a high standard of cleanliness, be proactive in response to any issues raised in cleaning audits or patient environment inspections
Demonstrate a logical, flexible and innovative approach to problem solving.
Monitor key performance indicators, identify trends and take action to maintain levels of acceptable performance.
Prepare and evaluate staffing rosters, adjust accordingly to provide cover with the required skill mix making best use of resources available. Minimise the use for bank and agency staff by relocation of staff as needed to cover rota effectively.
Assume responsibility for appointing staff to your area in line with recruitment policy and budget allocation
Assess current and future manpower needs including a continual review of skill mix in conjunction with the OPD Matron.
Ensure equipment is regularly maintained and serviced in line with hospital policy and manufacturers recommendations.
Ensure medical devices folder for all equipment on the ward is kept updated with any new equipment and training records are up to date
To have responsibility for risk management and health and safety in the workplace, by being proactive in raising risks with divisional management team and ensuring adequate controls are in place to manage these risks.
Work with PALS to ensure that areas of concern are addressed effectively.
Support and promote the development and implementation of nursing care services that reflect the principles of Clinical Governance.
To contribute to a healthy and safe working environment by adhering to health and safety regulations and Trust policies.
Ensure high levels of patient satisfaction, ensure patient questionnaires are monitored and any required actions implemented
Manage the department budget under the guidance of the OPD Matron. Ensure that pay and non-pay costs are examined monthly and examine ways to bring budget in line, or raise cost pressures with OPD Matron
People management and development
Ensure a supportive teaching and learning environment is in place.
Ensure all staff are working to their required level of clinical and professional competence, developing all staff to attain competence as highlighted at appraisal
Act as a role model and ensure effective staff supervision with clinical practice, working with staff and patients in an advisory, teaching and support capacity and maintaining professional competence, authority and credibility.
To lead on and ensure appraisals are undertaken for all team members on an annual basis ensuring feedback on performance is given at regular intervals throughout the year. Recommend the needs for staff development and training where identified by this process, ensuring training needs analysis is provided for the department.
Teach and facilitate learning for all nursing students in liaison with the University, and for health care assistants undertaking NVQ/care certificate training.
To provide induction for new staff members which meet with legal requirements such as Health & Safety, Drugs etc. and set standards.
Ensure newly qualified nurses are provided with a preceptorship period
To promote the principles of Improving Working Lives amongst your team ensuring fairness and equity.
Ensure staff sickness is managed proactively within Trust policy.
To fully participate in the Trusts appraisal system review and personal development planning process on an annual basis.
Responsible for carrying out duties in line with the Trusts e-rostering processes, including managing rosters, supporting staff allocation, and contributing to effective budget reconciliation and workforce planning
Patient care delivery
Act as an expert practitioner demonstrating specialist knowledge, skills and expertise within the area of work and within the context of changing health care provision.
Ensure the control and custody of all medications and drugs in accordance with UHSussex trust policy and statutory regulations.
Ensure the needs of older people and their supporters are kept central to practice and service development.
Ensure privacy and dignity of patients and clients is key in provision of nursing care and clinical practice of all staff
Attend mandatory training updates as required.
Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.
Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.
Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager
Participate in the Trusts appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.
This job description is an outline of the role and responsibilities. From time to time due to the needs of the service, we may ask you to flexibly undertake other duties that are consistent with your role and banding, including project work, internal job rotation and absence cover.
The job description and person specification may be reviewed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the changing needs of the department and the organisation.
Person Specification
Professional registration
* Educated to Diploma/Degree Level
* Practice Supervisor/Practice Assessor
Experience/qualifications
* NMC registered
* Band 6 experience
* Experience working within the NHS
Skills
* Extensive clinical and professional knowledge
* Demonstrates a high standard of patient care
* Audit skills
* Understanding of budget management
People Management
* Experience managing a team
* Experience managing rosters and skill mix
* Conflict management and negotiation skills
* Managing staff appraisals
* Sickness and behaviour management
* Supporting staff with personal and professional development
Equality, diversity & inclusion
* Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).
* Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
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.
University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
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