Job overview
Are you ready to have an impact on wellbeing, support and professional growth? We are looking for a qualified PNA or PMA to lead the PNA service across both hospitals sites.
As our PNA Lead, you’ll be at the forefront of embedding restorative clinical supervision, elevating professional standards, and empowering nurses to be their very best. You’ll influence practice across the organisation, recognise and support innovation, and play a key role in shaping a forward-thinking, supportive environment where staff feel valued, listened to, and able to grow. If you have:
1. A passion for supporting and developing others
2. Strong leadership and communication skills
3. A forward‑thinking mindset with the confidence to challenge, influence, and innovate
4. Commitment to creating a positive, inclusive, and psychologically safe workplace
We want to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
The role will develop, implement and monitor the implementation of Professional Nurses Advocates and support the delivery of frontline professional mentorship, through the implementation of the “A-EQUIP” (advocating for education and quality improvement) model.
To facilitate staff and team development and ensure effective communication systems operate within the Service lines.
To lead on the strategic implementation of the Professional Nurse
Advocate (PNA) programme for the Trust and support PNA workforce in the audit and monitoring of data and activity of PNA’s.
To embed restorative clinical supervision into clinical practice and ensure the delivery of quality supervision practices.
To lead on the strategic deployment of the model “A-EQUIP” at
BHFT, which provides a continuous improvement process that builds upon personal and professional resilience, enhances quality of care for patients and supports preparedness for nurses in appraisal and professional revalidation.
To develop, lead and deliver supervision training through the use of the A-EQUIP” model across the Trust with a specific focus on Registered Nurses and Student Nurses training in BHFT. The ultimate aim is that this continuous improvement process of the “A-EQUIP” model will become an intrinsic part of everyone’s job, every day in all parts of the
Trust and wider ICS system. Thus the post holder will assist the Trust by
implementing the elements of the A-EQUIP model utilising the guidance issued by NHS England.
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Main duties
1. Use their expert knowledge in nursing practice to support the implementation and monitoring of practice, ensuring that there are robust clinical governance assurance systems in place to monitor the delivery of supervision.
2. Provide support to Registered nurses in sharing of good practice learnt through the risk management processes with the aim of reducing the incidence of harm and litigation cases. Chairing the community of practice and events for all PNAs across the trust.
3. Be involved in continuous monitoring and maintaining quality standards of clinical practice through a variety of ways for example clinical audit, working clinically with nurses for those who require additional support and development.
4. Act as a role model at all times and promote a high standard of safe and effective care, which is based upon best evidence.
5. Meet with nurses in their designated area and/or caseload on either an
appointment or ad hoc basis.
6. Use effective communication strategies and influencing skills to achieve desired outcomes and make appropriate referrals for advocacy, mediation or arbitration.
7. Communicate and collaborate effectively with clinical educators in the Trust. To provide high quality, patient centred, research-based education that ensures the delivery of high quality care for patients delivered by staff who have the required education and development to meet the patient needs in accordance with individual scope of professional practice, guidelines and code of conduct and standards as
define by UK regulator.
8. Lead on the utilisation of agreed metrics to demonstrate on going added value of the role of Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) and monitoring outcomes for staff and patients e.g. reduction in complaints, improved satisfaction surveys, reduction in sickness absence for registered Nurses as well as improved retention.
9. Identify, collate, analyse and interpret quantitative and qualitative data to inform the development of reports regarding the process, impact and outcome of the PNA role and the A-EQUIP model. Taking a lead role to ensure monthly reporting to Associate Director of Nursing.
10. To lead the delivery of restorative clinical supervision to staff when requested and need is identified.
11. Demonstrate understanding of the role of the Professional Nurse Advocate within the context of national governance policies and procedures.
12. Ensure that they maintain their own knowledge and clinical skills by all appropriate means.
13. Mentor and Supervise Trainee PNAs to complete required competency.
14. Support and attend external meetings on PNA programme representing the Trust.
15. To actively promote research awareness and contribute to the research agenda, working closely with the Trust research and innovation department.
16. Lead the development of policies and procedures, working with relevant internal and external stakeholders for developing and modernising clinical practice.
17. To promote the PNA training amongst registered Nurses to achieve the ambition of 1 x qualified PNA to every 20 Registered Nurses, this will equate to supporting the training of 130 plus registered PNAs.
18. To triage expressions of interest for the PNA course trust wide.
19. Produce ongoing evaluation of the impact of the PNA programme,
communicating outcomes trust wide.
2. Systems and equipment
1. Daily use of IT systems and equipment, including laptop, projectors etc
2. Daily use of Microsoft office IT software in everyday working
3. Some use of clinical equipment as necessary
3. Decisions and judgements
1. Develop and maintain communication with people on complex matters, issues and ideas and /or in complex situations.
2. Set goals and expected standards for others.
3. Interpret and apply national guidance / policy and evidence based practice.
4. Able to act independently, decisively and effectively.
5. Watch and listen to implicit key messages and respond appropriately.
6. Able to effectively and appropriately deal with criticism and challenging people and situations.
7. Positively and creatively, challenge current thinking in order to develop new and better policy and operational working practices.
8. Influence others who are based externally to achieve Trust objectives.
4. Communications and relationships
1. Expected to manage/chair meetings.
2. To provide advice on the professional training, development requirements of staff, to maintain registration, Continuing Professional Development and ensure that the workforce is fit for the current and future delivery of patient care.
3. To participate in the development and implementation of business development and marketing strategies for services.
4. To advise Service Managers on professional aspects of any development and review of the service plan, working with them on the effective implementation and monitoring of developments and service changes.
5. To provide professional advice to the service managers, senior management team and staff, to facilitate appropriate leadership, management & strategic direction of the service.
6. To represent the profession, as required, to assist the organisation achieve its strategy and objectives.
7. To develop, implement and monitor communication channels that effectively liaise and communicate (e-mail, meetings, briefing papers, reports and presentations) on professional issues, both internally to staff and managers and externally to professional bodies, further education institutes and professional colleagues within the NHS.
8. To produce formal reports, action plans and briefings pertaining to issues and developments in their professional group.
9. To work with the Service Managers on communication aspects in the delivery and implementation of significant developments and changes
10. To liaise with professional colleagues at local, regional and national level, and feed information back to the organisation, and staff.
11. To provide appropriate clinical advice in regards to complaints specific to discipline.
12. To liaise to ensure the effective planning and organisation of professional aspects of training and supervision.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
5. NMC registered
6. Completed PNA/PMA course
7. Mentorship qualification
Desirable criteria
8. Counselling course
9. Education qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
10. Has experience of working in a PNA/PMA role
11. Has experience of leading teams
12. Has experience of working with different stakeholders (internal and external)
Desirable criteria
13. Experience of managing projects
Knowledge
Essential criteria
14. Is able to confidently use a range of IT systems
15. Knowledge of A-EQUIP and PNA role
16. Is able to demonstrate an understanding of nursing practice/culture and challenges
Desirable criteria
17. Knowledge of service improvement techniques
Personal skills
Essential criteria
18. Demonstrates passion in their application
19. Ability to communicate clearly through written expression
20. Has described time management and prioritisation skills
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.