Head of Nursing, Emergency Department

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King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1.7 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King's College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in the London Borough of Bromley.

Job overview

This is an exciting opportunity for a senior nursing leader to join the Emergency Department (ED) team at King's, Denmark Hill site, to play a pivotal role alongside an ambitious clinical team. You will be competent at managing a busy ED while delivering against required targets, ensuring quality and safety are always prioritised. Working collaboratively with all care groups across the Trust, you will develop a culture of respect and compassion in a supportive environment. You will understand how to drive performance, professional standards and improve clinical pathways. Style is important to us - we are looking for a modern, emotionally intelligent leader who can achieve through inspiring, empowering and influencing teams. Significant recent experience of managing an acute ED with proven management and leadership skills are essential for this role.

The Head of Nursing for our Emergency Department will work collaboratively with the General Manager and senior nursing team, reporting to the Clinical Director with professional accountability to the Site Director of Nursing.

We encourage applications from all sections of the community, particularly from underrepresented groups, including members of our Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities to improve the diversity of experience within our senior leadership team.

We strongly encourage informal discussions with Emer Sutherland, Clinical Director and Helen Fletcher, Site Director of Nursing.

Main duties of the job

Provide all necessary support to the overall leadership, direction and management of nursing staff within the care group, working closely with other members of the care group, leadership team, the site executive team and the executive nursing team.

Contribute to the development and implementation of care group business plans and service strategy, paying special attention to the clinical standards and service improvements that enhance patient care, within and outside the organisation.

Manage the delegated revenue budgets for the nursing workforce and ensure care group fiscal responsibility.

Act as a positive role model through the provision of effective, authoritative and accessible professional leadership.

Lead the development and implementation of standards of care and the patient experience, including for those patients that have pathways that cross care group and site.

Monitor and review clinical and professional standards and in liaison with the Clinical Director for the care group, monitor and manage service performance at all levels, instituting remedial action where necessary.

Manage and develop nursing staff within the care group, developing strong leadership potential and succession planning including leading and supporting workforce re-design aligned to an annual workforce plan.

Represent the Trust within the NHS and community, and with other partner organisations, working closely with them to institute integrated working in the best interests of patient care.

Working for our organisation

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Working Relationships

Internal

Trust and Site Executive, Site Director of Nursing, Chief Nurse, Heads of Nursing, Matrons, Ward Leaders, Nurse Consultants, Pharmacy, HR, Corporate Communications, Clinical Effectiveness and Audit, Learning and Development Team, Internal Audit, Health and Safety

External

NHS London, CNO's forum, Bank Partners, Care Quality Commission, Universities, Over View and Scrutiny Committee, Acute Trusts including the London Ambulance Service, and the local UTC provider.

Leadership

• To lead, manage and inspire clinical nursing teams
• To develop a culture in the care group where staff feel valued and motivated to deliver excellent patient care
• To deliver specific professional programmes of work for nursing
• To work with the senior leadership team to provide professional leadership to all nursing, care assistant and technician staff in the ED - advising, supporting and influencing nursing leadership and development
• Be responsible for the performance management and professional standards of Lead Nurses, Matrons, Advanced Care Practitioners and Nurse Consultants to ensure delivery of healthcare performance standards and Trust objectives within the care group
• Act as a positive role model through the provision of effective senior professional nurse leadership and demonstration of competent, accountable high quality clinical practic
• Facilitate and support Nursing staff to develop effective working relationships within the multidisciplinary team to enhance the care and management of patients to improve the patient experience and patient flows throughout the Trust
• Ensure adherence to the Trust's Opportunities Policy and promote equality and combat discrimination through own actions, challenging any behaviours that fall short of those expected
• Sit on the Nursing and Midwifery Board to contribute to the nursing agenda and improve nursing practice

Strategy and Planning

• To contribute to the development and implementation of ED and Trust delivery plans to give effect to service and business strategy, including Trust wide and external partnership working, through the development and monitoring of clinical and professional standards
• To effectively performance-manage all services within your span of control, preparing accurate and timely reports for Care Group and site management team meetings and participating in Care Group integrated performance reviews

Governance and Quality Control

• To contribute to the development and application of safe systems, control processes and risk management arrangements that ensure full compliance with internal and external governance and best practice requirements. This includes putting strong processes for Duty of Candour, reporting incidents and concerns etc
• To create a genuine learning culture with a clear message of safe care at all times
• To monitor and manage risk, undertaking assessments in local areas of responsibility in accordance with the Trust Risk Strateg
• Take the nursing lead for safety and quality for all services provided within the care group, undertaking investigations and producing reports where require
• Provide leadership, coaching and guidance in ensuring that all areas have systems in place to identify, report and manage risk taking action and monitoring work areas in accordance with Health and Safety legislation and guidance from the National Patient Safety Agency, working closely with the Head of Patient Safety
• Establish effective relationships with PALS and the Complaints team encouraging staff in the proactive resolution of concerns. Support adherence to the target time of 25 days for complaints resolution. Ensure that actions arising from patient complaints are progressed
• To undertake formal investigations, reporting back within the agreed time limits and ensuring lessons are learnt, action plans are implemented and progress is monitored and reported appropriately within PSIR

Financial Management

• To manage specified services, staff and budgets within the Care Group to ensure that expenditure and income is within budget and to ensure compliance with financial protocols
• Work with your teams to ensure nursing teams demonstrate fiscal responsibility and are working towards full recruitment and zero agency spend
• To contribute to budget setting and business planning decisions within the Care Group, ensuring that nursing budgets are effectively managed contributing to the achievement of financial balance
• Ensure that there are effective systems and processes in place for the management of sickness and annual leave
• Ensure bank and agency spend across the care group is minimised (and within Trust/national targets). Lead bank and agency meetings on a regular basis ensuring systems and processes are in place to hold departmental teams to account and maintain budgetary control
• Maintain a proactive approach to recruitment and retention across the Care Group, participate in regular recruitment and retention meetings and ensure workforce KPIs are monitored with action plans to address areas of concern
• Work with the Associate Director of Nursing for Practice Development and Education to play an active role in commissioning of pre and post registration education programme. Act as a resource for the educational needs of staff working in the care group and the wider Trust

Operational Performance

• To contribute and lead on full compliance with waiting time standards - developing robust pathways for patients to access care and promoting the development of integrated inter-professional care
• To ensure the implementation of national, local and Trust standards of best practice and quality, and monitor performance to inform continuous improvement
• To contribute and lead on CBRNe preparedness in partnership with the Trust EPRR team
• To continuously support and review major incident planning for the care group, and in partnership with the other HONs, for the trust.

Communication and Representation

• To represent the Trust in liaison with the NHS, the community and other partnership organisations and stakeholders on all professional and patient involvement issues, in order to enhance the reputation of the Trust and receive feedback on service delivery
• To ensure that staff feel well informed and listened to
• To act as a role model by demonstrating excellent communication and listening skills with patients, relatives and staff, supporting the Trust's values and behaviours
• Maintain confidentiality for patients and staff and ensure that staff adhere to the Data Protection Act, Freedom of Information Act and the Caldicott Principles
• To use highly developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, engage and maintain effective two-way channels of communication within the nursing structure and with other disciplines across the Care Group, site and wider Trust
• To establish lines of communication with other colleagues in the Trust and wider healthcare community, to ensure that services are integrated and opportunities for improvements are maximised
• Identify and share good practice across the Trust, wherever appropriate. Using the highest degree of motivational and negotiating skills, ensure an atmosphere of collaboration across the service area to deliver a programme on continuous improvement in a challenging and demanding environment
• To produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships within/across the Care Group and the wider Trust and with external stakeholders
• To apply judgment and understanding of services, complex policy and diverse interest groups, to know when and how to escalate upwards, interpreting and implementing changes to respond to policy change

Research and Service Development

• To support a culture of nursing research and development strategy, in collaboration with our research team and academic partners, ensuring this is consistent with (i) the needs of patient and other stakeholders, including academic partners, (ii) the Trust's vision, priorities and policies and (iii) the regional and national requirements
• To contribute effectively to service developments both within specialties and at strategic level as required ensuring that current and planned services are properly co-ordinated
• To ensure that the Trust delivers high standards of patient care using evidence based practice and research

People Management and Performance

• Lead, coach and manage the performance of the team in line with good people management practices. Ensure excellence is recognised and under performance is addressed
• Participate in regular performance appraisal meetings and ensure each member of the team has a clear set of objectives and development plans
• Ensure the team is compliant with all statutory and mandatory training together with any professional training requirements, ensuring they are up to date
• Manage team absence and attendance in line with Trust policy ensuring the appropriate return to work meetings occur, e-roster is updated and productivity is kept to the highest possible level
• Identify and fill any vacancies that arise within the team in line with the Trust's recruitment policy and process
• Identify talent and support the internal talent management process in order attract and retain and succession plan for your people

Person specification

Knowledge/Skills

Essential criteria

• Recent experience at senior nurse level in an Emergency Department
• Extensive knowledge of complex service improvement (staff management/financial management and change management) including sound knowledge of public involvement
• Extensive knowledge of and experience in the operational management of hospital services
• Sound understanding of UEC performance and operational/clinical standards
• Sound understanding of Health Service policy
• Sound understanding of the National nursing and patient agendas
• Advanced management/leadership experience of clinical teams
• Sound understanding of Clinical Governance and Risk Management processes
• Experience of working strategically to translate strategy into operational planning and performance management
• Proven ability to manage a budget/multiple budgets
• Proven experience in identifying CIP/FIP in line with trust/care group objectives
• Clinically credible
• Commitment to promoting equality and diversity in the workplace and in service delivery and development
• Excellent people management skills
• Ability of conveying highly complex and contentious messages
• Highly developed leadership and influencing skills
• Able to lead, motivate and influence individuals both within and external to the organisation
• To facilitate good working relationships with other colleagues across Trust and Health Economy
• Able to interpret complex information and take appropriate action and to provide expert advice as a result
• Demonstrate political astuteness and intellectual flexibility
• Identify and interpret trends taking appropriate action as required
• Ability to plan and organise broad range of complex activities
• Commitment to self-development
• Competent computer skills
• Service improvement and methodology training

Desirable criteria

• Service improvement and methodology training
• Proven ability to develop highly specialised programmes of care and care packages
• Previous knowledge and experience in developing and leading training for Major incident and CBRNe
• Experience with EPIC or similar EPR system modifications and development.

Education

Essential criteria

• Registered Nurse/Midwife, 1st Level/1st Level Degree
• Masters level qualification or evidence of post graduate study (or equivalent experience)
• Management qualification or additional short courses or experience at Doctorate level
• Current NMC registration, UK

Desirable criteria

• Leadership training

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Click here to see the range of benefits we offer
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust's criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Due to a high volume of applications, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. It is therefore recommended that you apply promptly

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Annual Reports and Other Corporate Publications

King's Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre Website

King's College Hospital is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between King's College London, and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.

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

• Job Description and Person Specification (PDF, 336.4KB)
• Denmark Hill Site Map (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Visa and Sponsorship Information (PDF, 352.6KB)