Deputy Ward Manager - Eating Disorders Unit

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South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

This is an all-gender service for adult patients (age 18 and above) with an eating disorder. The ward is a 16 bedded unit where individuals are offered treatment for a period of 6 to 16 weeks. We use a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach to treatment. We are a national service and provide treatment for both local and national patients.

We have pioneered a number of innovative treatment pathways for people with eating disorders and autism spectrum disorders, and eating disorders and diabetes and would encourage the successful candidate to champion these and other treatment pathways.

The service is inspected by CQC and is unique in that it is dual accredited with the QED network and the National Autism Service, in recognition of the innovations implemented for patients with anorexia and traits autistic traits.

Main duties of the job

We are looking to recruit a Deputy Ward Manager to our Eating Disorder Unit (EDU) to help support our growing nursing team and work alongside our ward manager in maintaining professional and high standards of care to our patients.

We are looking for an assertive, dynamic, approachable and driven individual to take on this. As the deputy ward manager, you will be responsible for supporting the day to day running of the EDU including role modelling high standards of care, reviewing referrals, service development, promoting good practice, maintaining patient and staff safety, completing weekly and monthly audits, supporting the ward to maintain accreditation, rostering, monitoring KPIs, reviewing incident reports and much more.

Working for our organisation

South London and Maudsley' Adult Eating Disorders Inpatient service, is one of two specialist eating disorders inpatient units within the South London Partnership (SLP). The SLP is a collaboration between South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, and South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. The Partnership brings together clinical expertise, experience and innovation, aiming to improve quality, use resources most effectively, and deliver best practice consistently to the service users and families across South London.

About the Location:

You will be based at Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3BX. While Bethlem is set in beautiful grounds, consisting of ancient woodland and nature trails with free on-site parking, staff can look forward to moving to new purpose-built premises at Maudsley Hospital, a few minutes' walk from Denmark Hill station, zone 2, in 2025.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

South London and Maudsley' Adult Eating Disorders Inpatient service, is one of two specialist eating disorders inpatient units within the South London Partnership (SLP). The SLP is a collaboration between South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust. The Partnership brings together clinical expertise, experience and innovation, aiming to improve quality, use resources most effectively, and deliver best practice consistently to the service users and families across South London.

As a Deputy Ward Manager you will promote and develop clinical leadership and clinical practice and be a positive role model to junior members of the team through the practice of evidence-based care. You will be expected to support professional development through clinical appraisal and supervision and contribute to the ongoing educational programme for staff, fostering a positive learning environment.

Successful candidate must be a qualified nurse who has successfully completed preceptorship and have registered as an approved NMC mentor.

We offer excellent training and development opportunities to obtain specific competences for this specialist role and we also support leadership development programmes via the NHS Leadership Academy. There is a range of apprenticeships programs offered by the Trust to support your professional development. Funding for long courses as part of continued personal development is available after 1 year in post and many of our staff have completed courses in cognitive behavioural therapy or family therapy training. There are flexible working opportunities, including long days. We ensure individual and peer supervision, alongside reflective practice, as we acknowledge that the nursing within this setting maybe can be challenging, intense and diverse.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered nurse
• Mentorship qualification

Desirable criteria

• Masters degree

Experience and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Experience of research-based/reflective practice
• Significant relevant clinical experience
• Knowledge of clinical governance and audit
• Knowledge of relevant Professional and Clinical legislation

Desirable criteria

• Experience of taking responsibility for a ward / clinical unit
• Experience of supporting practice development in clinical areas

Skills and abilities

Essential criteria

• Able to provide quality care without close supervision
• Teaching ability
• Resilient: able to cope with difficult interpersonal situations

Desirable criteria

• Problem solving, ability to identify problems, review options and take appropriate action without a predetermined framework

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• That we are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion , Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe'

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Documents to download

• Band 6 JD (PDF, 292.7KB)
• SLaM Staff Benefits (PDF, 1.1MB)
• Happy to Talk Flexible Working (PDF, 680.1KB)