MBU Ward 21 - Ward Manager

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Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, (LGT), is a community-focused provider of local and acute care, delivering high-quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, and Bexley. We provide whole-life care and are here to support our communities to live healthier lives as well as taking care of them when they need us the most.

Employing almost 7,500 colleagues, affectionately known as Team LGT, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham, and at over a dozen community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup.

We have recently launched our new vision and values to mark the LGT10 - the tenth anniversary of our Trust forming in 2013. Our trust vision is to be exceptional. In the quality of our patient care; our support for colleagues; and in the difference we make through our partnerships and in our communities.

To achieve this we value Respect, Compassion, and Inclusion; Being accountable over staying comfortable; Listening over always knowing best; and Succeeding together over achieving alone. You can read more about our visions and values here

Our hospitals and community sites provide a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, as well as emergency and planned care. The Trust is rated as "good" or "outstanding" in over three-quarters of the services inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

Every year our work includes performing 10,000 procedures in our theatres; bringing seven and a half thousand new lives into the world; carrying out 570,000 visits to patients in their homes or communities and providing emergency care for more than 300,000 patients arriving in our busy Urgent and Emergency Departments.

LGT is a centre for the education and training of medical students enrolled with King's College London's GKT School of Medical Education. We are a training centre for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. We are pioneering new roles that will support the changing needs of our patients and are one of the largest employers of physician associates in the country.

We are committed to working with our partners to deliver the best outcomes for our local communities. This means playing an active role in the South East London Integrated Care System (ICS), and in formal partnerships including the South East London Acute Provider Collaborative, provider partnerships with our local mental health trusts and borough-based boards of the ICS in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham.

Job overview

Ward Manager Band 7 - Macmillan Brook Unit Ward 21

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly experienced and motivated individual to take on this permanent role as the Ward Manager on Ward 21 QEH.

Ward 21 is a medical ward providing care for patients with solid tumours and haematological malignancies, as well as clinical haematology conditions. Ward 21 specialises in the delivery of Systemic Anti Cancer Therapies (SACT) (including chemotherapy) and the provision of augmented and supportive care.

Ward 21 also takes direct admissions from home for haemato-oncology patients. The length of Haematology inpatient stay ranges from 1- 6 weeks.

Ward 21 consists of 16 beds:

• 14 inpatients beds
• 2 day treatment (Day Treatment Suites) beds- utilised 7 days per week for day case ambulatory patients delivering Systemic Anti Cancer Therapy and other supportive therapies. Day treatment activity is scheduled and arranged by the chemotherapy day unit which is co-located with Ward 21.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be directly responsible for the leadership and management of the nursing and HCA team on Ward 21. Experience within the field of cancer and delivery of SACT is essential. The successful candidate will be expected to lead and role model the service ensuring the team deliver safe effective care and treatments whilst maintaining holistic, pro-active and dynamic approach to patient care.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Matron for Cancer Services, Chemotherapy Day Unit Managers across both sites and other key members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure quality and safety for our patients remains paramount.

The department has a strong work ethic, There is collaborative team working across inpatient wards, chemotherapy day units and other divisions in the organisation.

Working as part of wider multidisciplinary teams, we play a critical role in securing high quality care and excellent outcomes.

We foster an inclusive and diverse workforce with an open and transparent approach to communications.

Working for our organisation

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

1. Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
2. Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
3. Improving the experience of staff with disability
4. Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
5. Making equalities mainstream

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Summary

The Ward Manager focuses on the delivery of high quality, safe and effective care focused on improving outcomes and experiences for patients, families and carers. Nurses in this role will:

• Have continuous responsibility for Ward 21 on QEH Site.
• Be the key contact member for the multidisciplinary team
• Provide professional leadership and line management for a team of nursing and support staff;
• Delegate work and supervise colleagues accordingly;
• Assess patients, plan, implement and evaluate evidence based care;
• Provide expert clinical advice;
• Ensure patient pathways and cancer treatments are optimally managed;
• Manage budgets and resources efficiently and effectively;
• Be responsible for the safety of the clinical environment;
• Champion a culture of learning and quality improvement in the clinical area.
• Ensure his/her group of patients have a managed pathway and the resources within the unit beds are optimally utilised, seeking expert support if required.

Key Result Areas

1. Helping People to Stay Independent, maximise Wellbeing and Improving Health Outcomes

2. Work with the multi-disciplinary health team, Social Services (where appropriate), carers, families and other agencies to achieve health goals during planned treatment.

3. To ensure there is an effective handover process in place that enables members of the health care team to support patients in the event they become unwell following treatment.

1. Working with People to Provide a Positive Experience of Care

1. Be a role model for 'Compassion in Care' and the Trust's Values and Behaviours, adhering to the NMC Code, and challenge any colleagues who do not demonstrate these attributes.
2. Daily communication with patients attending the unit seeking feedback, to ensure that their experience of nursing care is positive, and act to put things right if any concerns emerge.
3. To ensure that patient information is readily available and that there is an effective process tor gaining and responding to patient feedback.
4. Ensure all staff in the clinical area are compliant with the Trust's Dress Code and Uniform Policy.
5. Demonstrate the principles of equality and diversity in practice, respecting the rights of individuals and groups.

1. Delivering High Quality Care and Measuring the Impact

1. Monitor the standards of care being delivered in the unit on a daily basis through patient review, documentation review, supervision of staff, and seeking feedback from the multi-disciplinary team.
2. To undertake supervisory role on average 40% of the time.
3. To ensure that all aspects of clinical care, including interventions and investigations, are performed, assessed and reported upon in a timely fashion and in a manner consistent with legislation, policy and procedures.
4. Ensure high infection prevention and control standards in patient care and the unit environment, evidenced through practice and environmental audits.
5. Ensure the unit has the right clinical equipment and medical devices and that these are maintained in a good condition.
6. Ensure the correct storage and administration of medicines in accordance with Trust and Local Policies and procedures.

1. Ensure that quality and performance indicators (Safer Nursing Tool, ward safety audits, FFT, and workforce and roster management) are collected on a weekly/monthly basis or as required and the results used to inform staff of their performance.

1. Ensure clinical incidents are reported and investigated, with relevant feedback to staff.
2. Manage complaints at a local level wherever possible, and ensure that formal complaints are responded to with agreed time frames.
3. Ensure that the clinical area has effective clinical governance arrangements that meet statutory responsibilities (e.g. local risk register, fire training,
4. To produce, monitor and evaluate action plans to address poor compliance/areas of improvement following audit, complaints, or incidents.

1. To be aware of, and participate in, where appropriate, clinical research trials for patients within the clinical areas, liaising with relevant health care professionals as required.
2. Building and Strengthening Leadership

1. Actively pursue own professional development as a clinical leader.
2. To provide and role model clear visible clinical leadership and management support for all the nursing and clinical team ensuring this meets with professional standards and corporate requirements, as evidenced by workforce metrics and staff and patient surveys.
3. Participate in peer and network activities, and support the wider divisional management capacity and capability.
4. Develop leadership and management skills in junior staff as succession planning within the organisation.
5. To ensure that all organisational policies, procedures and guidelines are adhered to as well as contributing to the development of new and/or local ones.
6. Act as an ambassador for the Unit, service and Trust at all times.
7. To work in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and the Trust's Values and Behaviours, taking accountability and responsibility for your own actions.

1. Ensuring we have the Right Staff, with the Right Skills, in the Right Place

1. Ensure the E-roster is completed, and that staff annual leave is managed to meet the needs of the service according to the Trust policies.

1. Actively manage sickness among staff, according to Trust policy.
2. Ensure Bank staff are booked to cover essential needs and that the staffing levels are managed within budget.
3. Ensure that all temporary staff working in the clinical area have an orientation to the area at the beginning of their shift, including a written information sheet for reference.
4. Ensure Safer Staffing Boards are completed daily, and that escalation is performed according to policy.
5. Safer Staffing reports are completed as required.
6. Work with Matron for Cancer Services to ensure staff are deployed appropriately across the service ensuring risk is managed across multiple service areas and across sites.
7. Ensure staff PDR and mandatory training is up-to-date and completed.
8. Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff, and engage in retention activities. Work closely with the Recruitment team, ensuring all deadlines are met and vacancies are managed proactively in order to maintain an agreed nursing establishment.
9. Use Trust policies effectively to manage staff absence, capability, behaviour and performance.

1. Supporting Positive Staff Experience

1. Ensure new starters to Ward 21 have a strong induction and preceptor period with a suitably qualified and experienced buddy or mentor.
2. Work with staff to foster a team spirit and ethos of collaborative working.
3. Engender a culture of giving positive and constructive feedback to staff.
4. To ensure that all staff are supported to develop and understand how they are performing.
5. To manage study leave appropriately and ensure equitable access to teaching and development opportunities for the nursing team helping them to achieve their learning outcomes and maintain clinical competence.
6. To work with the Practice Development Team to ensure the clinical environment is conducive to learning and development to maximise the potential of nursing staff through the exchange of information, ideas and experiences.
7. To welcome students as guests as part of their placement in other areas and ensure they receive a full orientation to the unit and are allocated a mentor for the duration of their visit. To liaise with the university where appropriate
8. To promote equality and value diversity supporting individual's customs, values and spiritual beliefs ensuring anti-discriminatory practices are maintained
9. Ensure that staff are offered an exit interview on leaving the organisation to inform future retention strategies.

1. Managerial Responsibilities

1. To hold 24 hour continuing accountability for the nursing care and management of Ward 21.
2. To work in close partnership and co-operation with the Lead Chemotherapy Nurse\Matron to manage Ward 21's budget and ensure the economical use of resources and that financial and performance targets are met and sustained.
3. To maintain up to date and accurate training records for the nursing team.
4. To assist in facilitating and encouraging the setting of standards and development of guidelines and protocols, which ensure provision of high quality, up-to-date, evidence based service.
5. Maintain up to date Medical Devices Training records.
6. To deputise for the Lead Chemotherapy Nurse\Matron as appropriate, being available for clinical advice and being responsible for the assessment of staffing needs. Seek advice from the Senior Nursing Team where appropriate.
7. To know, understand and act upon the Divisional Business Plan.

Person specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential criteria

• Registered general nurse
• ENB 998 or equivalent Mentorship qualification
• Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (including Chemotherapy) SACT qualification and training.

Desirable criteria

• Masters level qualification or evidence of continuing professional development to masters level or desire to undertake masters level qualifications
• Advanced Clinical Assessment skills or willingness to undertake
• 3 years post registration experience in caring for the needs of patients receiving Systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT)

Experience

Essential criteria

• Minimum of five years post registration experience, of which 2 years at Band 6 with leadership and management experience
• To demonstrate up to date knowledge of current nursing issues
• Cannulation and phlebotomy skills
• Care and management of central venous access devices i.e. PICC lines\Hickman lines

Desirable criteria

• To have experience of working in a teaching environment.
• To have experience in service development and change management.
• To have experience of working with patients with haematological and solid tumours

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Demonstrate ability to lead, manage change and motivate staff
• Evidence of workforce planning and development
• Ability to produce reports and involvement in management meetings
• Able to undertake audit and analyse information
• Knowledge of supporting staff with HR processes i.e. absence, capability
• Knowledge of supporting staff with HR processes i.e. absence, capability

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of SACT treatment and supportive management of patients with haematological and solid tumours and non-malignant disease.
• Knowledge of national policy and drivers for chemotherapy services.
• Evidence of involvement in Peer Review process

We reserve the right to close the post before the stated closing date, please apply early. We do not contact applicants with the outcome of the shortlisting. If you have been shortlisted, you will receive an invite to an assessment day or interview.

As a local employer and anchor institution we work closely with our community to recruit locally and we welcome applications from the widest variety of people to ensure our workforce are reflective of the local communities which we serve. We encourage all suitable candidates to apply including if you are Black, Asian or other ethnic minorities, live with a disability (visible or not) or are LGBT+. We have a number of active staff networks including Disability, LGBT+, Multicultural Inclusion and Women's staff networks to bring staff together and celebrate diversity across our whole workforce.

Please note, not all roles will meet the criteria for a skilled worker visa.

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 & Person Spec (PDF, 389.5KB)
• Working at LGT (PDF, 4.2MB)