Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 Charge Nurse / Senior Sister post to work across the Harrison Wing Outpatients and Neurology Outpatients Departments. The Charge Nurse / Senior Sister post would suit an enthusiastic, motivated and experienced senior nurse with at least 2 years experience in a leadership role. We are looking for someone someone who has excellent communication skills, as well as managerial and leadership skills. You will be expected to manage and lead the nursing teams, set and maintain clinical and professional standards.
Participation in the management structure of the unit is key with responsibilities for Quality Improvement projects and service development initiatives.
Over 4000 patients are registered for their care at the Harrison Wing making us one of the biggest and busiest HIV outpatient departments in the capital. We are a supportive, working collaboratively to provide a wide range of services to our patients including: Nurse-Led and Pharmacy-Led Clinics
Metabolic Clinic
Young Adults Clinic
HIV and Hepatitis Coinfection Clinic
Womens Health
Health Advisor, Health Navigator and Peer Mentor support
Psychology Support
You will oversee the Neurology Outpatients Department, which include both Neurofibromatosis and Neurology clinics. You will work closely with the Multi-Disciplinary team, including Clinical Nurse Specialists, Social Workers, Physiotherapists, administrative teams and doctors.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking an experienced, highly motivated nurse to lead a team dedicated to delivering holistic care with compassion and commitment to meeting the varied needs of our patients.
We require individuals who are passionate about HIV and Neurology nursing with strong leadership skills and a positive attitude towards change. You must demonstrate dedication to maintaining the high clinical standards we aspire to and ensuring our exceptional service continues to develop.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the effective and efficient operational management of the unit, providing professional leadership within the clinical area and direction and inspirational leadership to all members of the team.
The Harrison wing is committed to audit and research. We have close links with local, nationally renowned educational providers which enables us to provide a wide range of educational programmes.
Working for our organisation
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.
We are among the UK’s busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.
We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Applicants are expected to clearly demonstrate experience of and interest in HIV at both the application form and interview stages of the recruitment process.
Clinical Leadership and Managerial
- Lead the Department team and build successful links between key
professionals to support and promote effective multi-disciplinary team
working.
- Manage the department nursing staff, ensuring the patients receive high
quality clinical care and a good patient experience, having regard for their
customs, religious beliefs and doctrines.
- Be wholly accountable for his / her practice in line with the NMC code of
professional conduct and takes every reasonable opportunity to sustain
and improve his / her knowledge and professional competence.
- Communicate effectively and efficiently and liaise with other members of
the multi-disciplinary team to ensure that patients receive seamless care
within the trust and in the community.
- Act as a professional nurse leader and role model to the staff. To apply
clinical skills of the highest standard and to take a proactive approach to
the development of clinical competence in self and others.
- Maximise use of clinical resources, implementing best practice in patient
flow, admission and discharge arrangements.
- Monitor monthly budget statements, identifying trends, understanding
spending patterns in order to stay in budget and to take action as required.
- Comply with the Trust’s standing financial instructions.
- Ensure that the departments have adequate resources / equipment to
provide an effective service.
- Develop and maintain effective channels of communication between all
members of the multi disciplinary team.
- To ensure the Matron is informed when changes to circumstances may
affect safe competent practice.
- Participate in nursing and multi professional research and audit and to
implement actions identified from quality initiatives.
- Identify and intervene where circumstances contribute to an unsafe
environment for patients and staff. To bring instances to the attention of
the Matron / Head of Nursing for the area.
- Lead and support the ward team through the process of change,
demonstrating tenacity, drive, professional integrity, balance and
perspective.
- Deputise for the Matron as appropriate
- Responsible for the correct administration of prescribed medication
including and injectables.
- Be responsible for assessing and recognising emergencies in the
speciality. To interpret information and take appropriate action and to lead
others to do the same.
- Act as an advocate for patients within the department, to ensure a patient
orientated approach to the delivery of care and to meet standards within
the NHS Plan and other relevant guidelines.
- Recognise and avoid situations that may be detrimental to the health and
wellbeing of the individuals.
Staff Management, Education and Training
- Motivate, develop, support and identify training needs for department staff.
- Implement and work within the Trust’s HR policies on all staffing matters,
including sickness, capability and disciplinary issues. Take corrective
measures if indicated in liaison with Human Resources and the Matron.
- Work with the Matron and Human Resources Department in the
recruitment, selection, appointment and retention of staff.
- Monitor recruitment and retention and use all available strategies to retain
and motivate staff flexible working policy.
- Participate in appraisals and the setting of objectives for junior staff in the
department to enable them to achieve optimal effectiveness and to
understand their contribution to the directorate.
- Ensure that appropriate written induction programmes are available and
utilised for all new staff within the department
- The post holder will ensure that relevant clinical based teaching programmes are in place and maintain accurate training records.
- Actively participate in teaching of junior staff and students.
- Ensure that nursing staff receive appropriate training and professional
education in accordance with the NMC’s PREP Recommendations.
- Ensure that staff attend and assist in training where appropriate on
mandatory training sessions and maintain accurate records of these.
- Liaise with affiliated Institutes of Higher Education to ensure that the
learning environment is appropriate for both pre and post registration
learners and undertaking any action identified through audit.
- Participate in the education and assessment of staff undertaking a
specialist course or further education programmes.
- Keep abreast of developments and research in Nursing Practice.
- Adhere to trust and departmental policies and procedures, ensuring that all staff do the same.
- Ensure optimised skill mix within the department/ward and reviewing the
skill mix as required and monitoring the use of bank and agency staff.
- Organise team meetings at an appropriate frequency, recording and
circulating minutes of these. To ensure a good method of communication
within the department at all times and to encourage the exchange and
implementation of new ideas and evidence based practice.
Clinical Governance, Audit And Research
- Ensure that the delivery of care to all patients meet the standards set by
yourself and the Trust.
- Take responsibility for ensuring the highest standards of infection
prevention and control are practiced at all times.
- Demonstrate a high level of commitment to and enthusiasm for research,
evidence based practice, audit and education in the clinical area.
- Actively contribute to reconfiguration projects, service redesign
developments and Directorate business planning as required.
- Be proactive in the risk assessment, management, clinical incident
reporting and management of complaints..
- Undertake clinical and associated audits as appropriate for the given area.
- Record and report all incidents, accidents and complaints involving staff,
patients and visitors in accordance with the trust policies and initiate
investigations as required.
- Participate in, and comply with, the trusts framework for clinical
governance within the department area.
- Assist in the investigation and timely resolution of complaints, incidents
and comments
Service Development
- Lead on the implementation of the clinical and organisational model for the area.
- Lead on ensuring that the area continues to be based upon sound
business projections, good financial planning and delivered according to
appropriate standards within financial resources.
- Contribute to and to be aware of the business plan and its implication for
service delivery and nursing.
- Lead on monitoring the overall activity for the area.
- Identify opportunities to develop new ways of working and challenge,
change and expand roles, working in conjunction with the Education and
Practice Development Team/s, Matrons and Head of Nursing.
- Proactively seek feedback on patient and public experience in order to
address concerns in a timely manner and build on success.
- Assist with the development, implementation and evaluation of
departmental protocols ensuring coherence and consistency across both
sites.
- To undertake audit and monitoring of the department and participate in the implementation of changes to improve service delivery
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Registered Nurse on the NMC register. To hold the appropriate level for the area of speciality
2. Degree or equivalent qualification or experience in HIV
3. Mentorship Course/teaching qualification
4. Evidence of ongoing Post registration Courses in Relevant speciality
Desirable criteria
5. Leadership Course
Strengths of clinical leadership
Essential criteria
6. Advanced clinical, managerial and leadership skills in speciality
7. Proven listening skills with ability to manage complex situation and appropriately deliver sensitive and difficult outcomes
8. Ability to clinically lead and influence staff
9. Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal and communication skills
Values and Behaviours
Essential criteria
10. Demonstrates trust values and Behaviours
Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.