Clinical unit manager for dementia care | Medway Community Healthcare CIC in Gillingham

• Clinical unit manager for dementia care | Medway Community Healthcare CIC
• Company: Medway Community Healthcare CIC Salary: £49,387 - £56,515 per annum

Location: Gillingham, ME7 3AL Job type: Permanent Posting date: 21 Jul 2026 Closing date: 20 Aug 2026

• Are you a senior experienced practitioner with an interest in dementia and mental health?

• Are you passionate and resilient in senior leadership?

• Are you looking to develop your skills?

If you answered yes, we’ve got the perfect role for you!

MCH are looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic Clinical unit manager to support the leadership team in the management of this specialist Dementia Care unit.

Darland House is a large nursing home situated in Gillingham, with a capacity of 40.

We manage highly complex individuals with dementia presentations.

We are a nursing led unit with regular input from a local GP practice.

Our residents display complex behaviours and our aim is to ensure their quality of life is maintained in a safe and supportive environment.

We are a large team - made up of approximately 80 clinical staff including senior nurses, staff nurses and support workers.

We also hold our own catering and housekeeping team which will be overseen by this post holder alongside the support of the general manager.

We are looking for a senior practitioner with extensive experience in the field of dementia care and/or mental health.

Being a registered general adult nurse with previous experience in mental health is an advantage but we would welcome applications from those with evidence of experience and a willingness to consider post-graduate training in this specialism.

The successful candidate will have responsibility for the day to day management of the staff and residents within the nursing home.

Ensuring the delivery of high quality, safe, person centred care which is implemented and reviewed as appropriate for the individual.

The role requires a strong clinical background, with expert clinical decision making skills and a variety of clinical competencies.

It also includes budget management, rota management, day to day HR management of staff including recruitment and performance management and ensuring quality standards are met in terms of patient care and taking the lead for quality initiatives and research.

You will work closely with the General manager for the team and Head of Service and will have good access to training and development opportunities.

We are looking for a dynamic, resilient, passionate and experienced senior leader to manage a large clinical team with residents with complex needs.

This is a clinical role - the successful post holder will be required to support the team daily with clinical tasks, attending handovers - including completing clinical supervision for staff so the individual needs to be flexible in their working approach.

Clinical shifts are from 7am-7.30pm day shifts and 7pm-7.30am night shifts.

The hours can be discussed in more detail at interview.

So what else?

• This is your chance to join a progressive and innovative service in a social enterprise that is patient and staff focused - you’ll even have the opportunity to become an MCH shareholder.
• We encourage staff to get involved in exploring new ways of working and service development.
• We’ll provide well established, in-service training, one to one supervision, and appraisals with regular support.
• You’ll be able to develop your skills in a friendly and supportive team.

Would you like to work flexibly?In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important work life balance is.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you.

Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.

• The small print
• Informal visits can be arranged on request.
• We will offer you the choice of two pension schemes; the NHS Pension scheme and the scottish widows group pension scheme.
• MCH encourages all staff to be double COVID vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, their family and their patients.
• MCH is considering merging with Kent Community Health Foundation Trust (KCHFT).

If the merger goes ahead, the proposed transfer date is 30th September 2026 and this role will be subject to TUPE transfer to KCHFT.

• 1. Communication and relationship skills
• Ability to build relationships, communicate and work effectively with internal staff and external partners e. g.
• GPs, Consultant Psychiatrist , Continuing Healthcare and other allied health professionals
• Ability to effectively communicate with staff, residents and their families to give sound professional advice and provide motivation and support
• Actively working with the General Manager to ensure cohesive service delivery and early identification of problems or challenges
• Able to provide and receive highly complex and sensitive or contentious information requiring empathy and the use of persuasion and reassurance.
• Able to identify barriers to understanding and to find methods for overcoming challenges leading to communication difficulties
• 1. Knowledge, training and experience
• First level Registered General Nurse with at least four years’ experience and specialist knowledge in the care of people with dementia.
• Able to show vast experience of working as a senior leader, managing teams and service delivery.
• Able to work using own initiative and accepting personal accountability.
• Specialist knowledge underpinned by theory and experience. Including a strong clinical background.
• Proven ability to motivate and develop a team with experience in managing change. This includes experience in quality assurance.
• Mentorship or other recognised teaching and assessing qualification.
• Able to manage rotas ensuring safe skill mix and authorisation of agency use.
• 1. Analytical and judgement skills
• Able to analyse, compare and interpret complex facts or situations and provide a range of options and solutions
• To act as the audit lead for the home, devising and completing clinical audits, sharing findings with appropriate others and implementing action plans
• Support others in developing and completing audits ensuring the implementation of action plans and the sharing of lessons learnt/new practices.
• Able to manage and support others to manage admissions and discharges, assessing and advising as appropriate.
• Ability to ensure that a person centred approach to resident care is assessed, implemented and reviewed regularly.
• Deputise for the General Manager and in their absence make clinical and managerial decisions.
• Required to be on call as per rota for the Inpatient Units.
• 1. Planning and organisational skills
• Able to plan and organise a broad range of complex activities or programmes, ensuring the implementation of any required adjustments.
• Able to plan, disseminate and measure service objectives.
• Able to monitor compliance and plan training for all staff within the home, working in partnership with colleagues in support services.
• To oversee the best use of staffing establishment.
• Ability to work with the General Manager to consider service changes, produce appropriate action plans and lead on changes, keeping within agreed time scales.
• Set and monitor clinical standards of care for residents, ensuring these are achieved through individual care plans.
• 1. Physical skills
• Able to perform a number of physical skills obtained through practice which require dexterity and accuracy.
• Keyboard skills with an understanding of various software packages, including the intranet and internet and the formulation of spread sheets.
• 1. Responsibility for patient / client care
• Develop and monitor specialist programmes of care for residents.

Ensuring these are achieved through individual care plans, using the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation process.

• Able to provide highly specialist care and advice for people with Dementia and their families/carers.
• 1. Responsibility for policy and service development implementation
• Responsible for the implementation of local policies and practices within the home, within agreed time frames.
• Actively propose changes to practices and procedures.
• Contribute to policy and practice changes arising from service development e. g. audit. Disseminating this information appropriately and supporting others to embed changes.
• Contribute to policies that impact upon other areas within the organisation.
• 1. Responsibilities for financial and physical resources
• Responsible for the use and care of equipment and resources within Darland house.
• Able to plan staffing, using internal resources as a priority and identifying/booking external staffing cover when required.
• Authorised signatory.
• Assist the General Manager in maintaining budgets within spending limits and ensuing the best use of resources.
• Check and authorise timesheets .
• This advert closes on Tuesday 4 Aug 2026
• Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
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