Employer University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust
Employer type NHS
Site University Hospitals of North Midlands
Town Stoke-on-Trent
Salary £66,582 - £77,368 per annum
Salary period Yearly
Closing 18/06/2026 23:59
Head of Nursing-Specialised Surgery CBU
Band 8b
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for the permanent post of Head of Nursing for the Specialised Surgery Clinical Business Unit (CBU).
The Specialised Surgery CBU consists of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Major Trauma, Acute Rehab, Neurosurgery, Spines and Cardiothoracic.
As an experienced senior nurse, the postholder will take the lead on quality, safety and patient experience across their Clinical Business Unit / portfolio of work; contributing to the Quality Improvement plan as well as contributing to the wider Care Group and Corporate Nursing, Midwifery and AHP Agenda.
The Head of Nursing will have responsibility for the nursing strategy for the Clinical Business Unit/portfolio of work, ensuring effective implementation of both national and local strategies and the achievement of service objectives within the available resources.
The Head of Nursing will provide strong leadership across the portfolio of work ensuring that there are appropriate systems and processes in place to deliver on the objectives and drive services forward.
They will be expected to communicate highly complex and sometimes contentious information to large groups in a manner that is understandable and likely to achieve engagement.
The CBU Head of Nursing will deputise for the Care Group Director of Nursing as necessary and appropriate to their portfolio of work. On occasion the postholder will also provide cross-cover for the other CBU Heads of Nursing within the Care Group.
Main duties of the job
The Clinical Business Unit (CBU) Head of Nursing, Head of Operations, and Medical Director work as a flat triumvirate and are jointly expected to lead their Clinical Business Unit/portfolio of work. Together, they ensure that national and local quality targets are achieved along with ensuring all aspects of people, organisational development, quality, finance and performance are delivered as part of the Clinical Business Unit, Care Group and Trust strategic objectives.
You will work closely with the Care Group Director of Nursing and the Head of Operations for the CBU. You will be accountable for ensuring that patient flow is optimised and escalations are managed effectively. As a senior leader you will take a key role in the Planned Care Group. Your leadership will be instrumental in resolving operational issues, implementing Trust policies, redesigning and streamlining pathways across both sites for all of the specialties within the CBU and supporting staff across all departments.
Working for our organisation
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is one of the largest and most modern in the country. Based across two sites, Royal Stoke in Stoke-on-Trent and County Hospital in Stafford, we are proud to serve around three million people and we are highly regarded for our facilities, teaching and research. We are the specialist centre for major trauma for the North Midlands and North Wales.
All of our employees make a valuable contribution regardless of role here at UHNM and we are proud of our wide range of development packages aimed at ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their true potential.
UHNM create and encourage a culture of inclusion, providing equal opportunities for career development that are fair and transparent. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture in which all staff feel valued and respected. In return we ask all of our employees to make a commitment to the values, co-created by our staff, patients and carers, and that unite us as a Trust.
At University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust we know that investing in, supporting and developing our staff has a direct impact on the quality of care that we deliver. Our employees are as important as our patients and the population that we serve.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key Areas/Tasks
* Participate in Corporate, Care Group and Business Unit meetings and decision making as required
Participate in the Trust’s Tactical on call rota
Brief the Care Group Director of Nursing on professional issues across UHNM sites.
Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times, only releasing information obtained during employment to those acting in an official capacity in accordance with the Data Protection Act
Act as a role model, maintaining and upholding high standards of professional behaviours and maintaining own clinical skills
Be responsible for ensuring and maintaining high standards of clinical care for patients and providing a safe environment for patients
To receive, interpret and communicate highly complex and sometimes conflicting information to large groups of staff who may have conflicting views or objectives. Reconciling these conflicting views where there are significant barriers to accepting and/or understanding decisions
Provide, receive and act on sensitive or contentious information relating to the Trust’s highly specialist, complex service/modernisation issues which at times may be emotive and/or controversial
Ability to demonstrate the acquisition of additional specialist leadership/management knowledge (equivalent to master’s level), through training and experience acquired over time. This will include financial, HR and activity management as well as the leadership of a range of clinical services.
A sound working knowledge of acute service provision.
Able to act in accordance with the Nursing & Midwifery Council/Health and Care Professionals Council Code of Conduct
Be able to undertake clinical activity to monitor the quality of care and experience of patients in all clinical settings.
Monitor complaints and incidents, relating to patient flow/site and operational management across the Trust ensuring appropriate responses and action plans.
Be an effective leader of change, embedding a culture of continuous quality improvement.
Work with the Deputy Chief Nurse-Operations/Professional Lead Quality and Operations and Care group senior leadership teams to embed systems to deliver high standards of safe care based on best practice and clear evidence.
Be able to competently use Trust electronic systems to analyse information and take appropriate action to maintain Trust performance.
Challenge practice, to ensure that best practices are identified and shared Trust wide, enabling awareness of the need to change practice and provide evidence-based care
To act as an expert resource and provide advice on patient care in relation to clinical interventions, policies, service development and delivery.
Able to cope with interruptions whilst in periods of concentration and manage conflicting priorities.
Participate in Trust investigations and disciplinary hearings as required.
Take action when professional standards fall short of those acceptable.
To support the implementation and monitoring of performance against local and national Key Performance Indicators, taking action to continually improve performance.
Support and encourage multi-disciplinary working, which focuses upon patient pathways ensuring the smooth transition of the patient through the care process including facilitating the movement of patients through care locations, to ensure patients are cared for within an optimum time frame.
Be able to deal with distressing or emotional situations
Recognise the impact on staff, patients, and visitors of sometimes tragic and distressing situations. Give appropriate advice and support as needed whilst maintaining a calm professional manner
Be competent in basic IT skills including the use of Word, Excel and Trust BI dashboards
Competently use Trust electronic systems and BI dashboards to analyse data and inform decisions
Ensure compliance with manual handling training and use of appropriate techniques.
Support the development of the clinical research agenda.
Develop communication methods to help reduce barriers to change, using appropriate language to engage with staff in a positive manner
Support and promote the development of continuous improvement methodology capability within your team and its application in delivery of service outputs.
Utilise the Improving Together tools, routines and behaviours to coach and develop the capability of your team to do a little every day to improve and deliver exceptional care aligned to the UHNM strategic priority domains.
Personal/Professional Development
Maintain professional registration (NMC, HCPC.) and qualifications, including working towards or holding a master’s degree in a relevant field.
Engage in personal development planning, appraisal processes, and ongoing training to enhance leadership competence.
Demonstrate advanced leadership and management knowledge, including financial, HR, and activity management.
To have a minimum of 2 years in a recent senior nursing role in an acute setting.
This job description is not an exhaustive document but reflects the current position. Details and emphasis may change in line with service needs after consultation with the post holder.
Person specification
Qualifications
* NMC/HCPC registration
* Evidence of Masters level Study
* Leadership, Management or teaching qualification
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
* Experience of managing a diverse team utilising the full spectrum of HR practices
* Ability to work autonomously and be accountable for own actions
* Ability to understand, interpret and critically analyse data and information
* Senior Nurse Experience (minimum of 3 years)
* Experience of delivering quality improvement projects
Important information about your application
* All correspondence will be sent to you via the email address you applied from. Please ensure you check your emails regularly.
* References - please ensure you provide email addresses for all referees for the last three years of employment.
* We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from everyone regardless of ethnicity, disability, gender, age, faith or sexual orientation. Appointment will be based on merit alone.
* Flexible working will be considered in line with Trust policies
* New recruits are required to pay for their Disclosure and Barring Service check (and admin fee) prior to starting if the role requires a DBS check.
* We work with ‘trac.jobs’ to support our recruitment process. If you have any queries regarding this please read this privacy notice.
UHNM supports the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist in preparing your supporting statement. However, we reserve the right to reject applications where AI has been used in a misleading manner, for example, by implying experience or understanding that the applicant does not possess or where its use is excessive or unfair. If AI has been used to support your application, you must declare this within your submission.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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.
Name Jill Potts-Ayres
Job title Director of Nursing - Planned Care Group
Email address jill.ayres@uhnm.nhs.uk
Telephone number 01782674982
Additional information
For more information contact Patrick Wilkinson (Head of Operations) for Specialised Surgery CBU - patrick.wilkinson@uhnm.nhs.uk
Please note - the interview process will include a stakeholder panel, made up of an unprepared presentation/competency based exercise and a formal interview.
Note: This refined description excludes non-essential formatting and promotional language while preserving core job content.
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