Job overview
Band 6 Team Leader- Recovery/PACU
An exciting opportunity has opened up for a Band 6 Team Leader in our fast paced Recovery Units.
You may already be working as a Band 6 in Recovery/PACU in another hospital but looking to move elsewhere. We are also looking for experienced, enthusiastic, adaptable and self-motivated Band 5 Recovery practitioners if you want to climb the career ladder and expand their horizons.
This is an exciting time to join our Theatre's Team as we move into our new Acute Services Block which will provide state of the art facilities for our clinical teams to work (including 8 new Theatres- two of which are hybrid to undertake interventional work, including major vascular). There is also a new 14-bed Recovery Unit for first-stage post-operative care.
Applicants must have excellent written and spoken communication skills and a high level of inter-personal communication skills, who thrives in a busy team environment.
We are seeking applicants who can work a variety of shifts to cover core hours, nights and weekends.
The Department has a structured orientation programme and competencies that will help settle you into the role and make a positive contribution to the Theatres Management team.
Main duties of the job
To take a lead role in the planning and delivery of care for patients in the Recovery Room and in other parts of the Theatre complex.
To co-ordinate all staff and patient activity in the Recovery Room for all aspects of continuing operational management
To function as a highly skilled practitioner in the Recovery Room caring for patients in the pre and post-operative period.
To lead in the provision of a safe environment and to ensure the highest standards of care is received by patients during the Perioperative journey.
To act as a clinical and professional role model for all levels of staff and students working in the Department. This includes mentoring, supervision and teaching responsibilities.
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. It is an exciting time at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital as maternity, neonatal, critical care and theatre services will be moving to the brand new Acute Services Block (ASB) and New Ward Block in Autumn 2025. Care will be delivered in modern, uplifting and fit for purpose environments and will enhance the patient experience.
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.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. Please ensure that you make your application as soon as possible.
All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering their first six months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required.
Please review all documents attached to this advert to ensure you familiarise yourself with all requirements of the job.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Roles and Responsibilities.
1. Act as a professional member of the Recovery/PACU team in accordance with NMC/HPC Code of conduct. This will include the carrying out of the highest standard of individualised patient care and ensuring that all documentation is accurate and comprehensive.
2. To ensure that the recovery Unit is set up for use for all patient activity and post-operative care.
3. To liaise with all members of the Theatre and MDT and ensure changes are communicated quickly and accurately to all team members.
4. To work with other Trust departments and wards to facilitate maximum use of operating sessions and ensure optimum flow of patients between the wards and theatre.
5. Assist in the development and maintenance of patient care packages and review their effectiveness by means of audit.
6. Working with the Theatre Services Operational Manager and Senior
Practitioners to develop and implement clinical audit and effective programmes for all staff working in the department.
7. To take charge regularly in regard to staffing, equipment and resource issues..
8. Assist in the deployment of staff making use of available resources and
identifying skill mix to meet the needs of the service.
9. To provide supervision, mentorship and support to learners and other junior staff working within the department.
10. To participate in planning the duty rota maintaining a flexible approach to ensure adequate staffing levels over a 24 hour period.
11. To adhere to the trust's sickness and absence policy. annual leave and any other HR related terms of employment.
12. To take part in interviewing and selection of staff for Band 5 and below,
13. To appraise Theatre staff from band 5 and below, within the remit of Trust policy and the Agenda for Change KSF framework
14. To participate in wider Theatre work involving policies and procedures affecting patient care, as appropriate.
15. To monitor stock levels of pharmacy items and disposables and maintain agreed levels.
16. To ensure that the custody and registration of controlled drugs is carried out in accordance with Trust policy. This also includes reporting any discrepancies in the handling of controlled drugs immediately and instigating any necessary investigation.
17. To assist the Theatre Services Operational Manager in department budgeting and to be economic in the use of stock and clinical requisitions, avoiding waste whenever possible.
18. Assist in leading the department team by an appropriate management style that maintains good moral and team approach to work.
19. To assist in establishing appropriate systems within the department for the monitoring of quality standards, facilitate audit of services, risk assessment, investigation of complaints and act on them accordingly
20. To be actively involved in promoting good communication styles and systems across the multi-disciplinary team.
21. To be conversant with and lead in ensuring compliance to Trust policies and procedures amongst the multi-disciplinary team.
22. To contribute to the department learning environment through teaching and by example
23. To act as mentor to learners with particular attention to monitoring and continuous assessment of students and in conjunction with the Practice &
Development Practitioner, helping to create an atmosphere conductive to learning for all staff.
24. To ensure accurate input of data into IT systems.
25. To undertake appropriate activities to update clinical knowledge and skills in conjunction with an annual appraisal, and the Knowledge and Skills Framework.
26. To assist the Procurement Manager for the servicing and safe use of equipment in the clinical area. This includes assisting with the maintenance and utilisation of equipment (in accordance with manufacturer’s instruction), training other
staff in its use, and reporting any defects as per Trust policy.
27. Attend and actively contribute to relevant meetings and working groups.
28. To be conversant with policies and procedures relating to Fire and Health & Safety.
29. To report all accidents and complaints in accordance with agreed policies and assist in investigations of complaints and accidents as required.
30. To uphold the principles of the NMC/HPC Code of Professional Conduct & Ethics, standards for CPD and maintaining registration.
This is an of the outline job description designed to given an overview of the responsibilities of the current post. This post-holder will also be expected to be flexible to respond to change and organisational need, The post-holder will also be expected to contribute to the wide corporate and organisational needs of the Trust, in consultation with the post-holder, as appropriate.
Person Specification- Please see for detail
Person specification
RGN or ODP
Essential criteria
1. NMC or HCPC registration
2. Management/leadership skills/qualification
3. recent CPD activity
Desirable criteria
4. Understanding and knowledge of perioperative issues- particularly Recovery/PACU knowledge
Recovery experience and related skills
Essential criteria
5. Extensive experience caring for patients recovering from a wide range of surgery and anaesthesia
6. Recent Recovery experience (within last 12 months)
7. Team leading experience
Desirable criteria
8. able to make decisions and problem solving skills
9. good communication and inter-personal skills
Teaching and Assessing qual
Essential criteria
10. MSPP course or equivalent (Practice Assessor/Supervisor training)
Desirable criteria
11. Teaching and Assessing experience
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.