Associate Director of Nursing in Guildford

The ADN will have overall managerial responsibility for relevant staff within the Division and is managerially accountable to the Chief Nurse and operationally accountable to the Professional Director of Nursing and Midwifery & DIPC. In collaboration with the CoS and ADO, they are responsible for ensuring that the Divisional Clinical Governance Framework is embedded throughout the Division. The ADN will lead the Clinical Governance Assurance Framework and ensure the quality of care within the Division. They will ensure patient experience, patient safety and clinical effectiveness are of the highest standard, meeting national/local outcomes and achievement of agreed CQUIN targets. The ADN will deputise for the ADO in their absence.

The ADN will provide relevant staffing leadership across the Division ensuring appropriate structures are in place to support these staff at all levels. The ADN will support the development and implementation of Divisional-level strategies/plans within the relevant specialties in conjunction with relevant individuals. The ADN will lead on relevant professional standards and regulatory revalidation.

Service Delivery, Change Management, Service Performance and Improvement

The ADN is responsible for leading and driving transformation projects as agreed with the CoS and COO. They will:

• Integrate corporate AHP and nursing plans with the Divisional clinical service plans.
• Work with AHP/professional staff and nurses across the Trust to evolve and develop processes that support clinical quality and enable targeted interventions to improve outcomes.
• Demonstrate professional judgement and analysis in all aspects of the delivery of both professional and service agendas.
• Ensure the nursing/AHP agenda is delivered by providing leadership and professional management of relevant professional (nursing/AHP) staff within the Division.

The ADN is responsible for sustained delivery of budgets within the Division, through ensuring the nursing/professional staffing resource is used effectively, contributes to continuous improvement, increased productivity and realisation of benefits both in financial cost improvement savings, quality and safety and in resource terms. The ADN will lead on any reviews of nursing/professional staffing roles and establishment as directed by the CN so that new and expanded responsibilities are developed where appropriate and skill mix changes implemented as required.

The ADN will work closely with corporate nursing to provide professional leadership and advice on the formulation of establishments, monitoring and review of annual nursing workforce plans for the Division:

• Ensuring integration with the local delivery plan for optimal deployment of the nursing workforce.
• Working with finance to manage the budget setting process for nursing.

The ADN will contribute to the development of the nursing profession through proactive involvement in forums (local, regional and national) and represent the Trust and the CN when required. The ADN will take outputs from the relevant Trust forums and promote/maintain an evidence-based practice culture for staff.

The ADN will oversee the complaints process within the Division to ensure:

• Prompt responses (within Trust targets).
• Proactively remedying issues raised (implementing action plans and recommendations Divisionally/Trust-wide as appropriate).
• Learning and sharing of lessons learnt (Divisionally/Trust-wide as appropriate).

The ADN will lead management of the Divisional Patient and Public Engagement and Experience work, using corporate surveys/results and available tools to seek user views as appropriate and ensure action is taken (as appropriate). The ADN will establish and maintain systems/processes to support the delivery of kind, compassionate and respectful care; develop relationships with our patients that involve improved listening and decisions made; acknowledging and recognising people's preferences, beliefs and choices. The ADN will ensure that across the Division the delivery of care meets the individual needs of all patients.

The ADN will ensure the implementation of Trust wide policies, protocols and procedures in relation to quality of care and patient experience. The ADN will act in partnership with the CoS and ADO providing nursing/professional staffing expertise when identifying new opportunities for individual services within the Division, arising from changes to the external environment or internal innovation. The ADN will implement robust systems to ensure the nursing/professional staffing workforce is fit for purpose in relation to health and well-being and statutory and mandatory training, specialist training, leadership skills/competence.

The ADN will support the Division in ensuring that Quality Impact Assessments for all Divisional CIPS are undertaken, providing professional assurance of nil adverse effect to quality of safety, or create a situation where patient, public and staff are at risk of harm. The ADN will ensure robust assurance mechanisms within the Division for Safeguarding (including Vulnerable Adults and Children); Deprivation of Liberty; Mental Capacity; Learning Disabilities. The ADN is responsible for monthly returns to external bodies as designated by the COO and CN.

Clinical and Professional Development

The ADN will lead the delivery of the Trust AHP strategy in line with national guidance. The ADN will act as a role model, leading by example to maintain and uphold the highest standards of professional behaviour and clinical competence. The ADN will lead, manage and develop a culture and environment where safe and high-quality patient care is delivered consistently across the Division. The ADN provides senior leadership within the Division and influences services design and delivery.

In collaboration with the Professional Leads, the ADN undertakes:

• A regular review of the relevant workforce establishment.
• A review when a change in service occurs.

The ADN will demonstrate understanding and application of advanced skills and practice such skills where appropriate and necessary. The ADN will support the Triumvirate in interpreting complex health service policy and strategy, in order to establish goals and standards within the Division, particularly as they relate to their professional expertise.

The ADN will be an active member of the Nursing and Midwifery/AHPs Steering Group, contributing to the planning and development of the Trust's Nursing and AHPs agenda. The ADN will work with the Board of Directors, CN, Deputy Directors of Nursing to contribute/lead work streams relating to the implementation of Nursing/AHP patient experience and quality of care agendas. The ADN will ensure systems of staff support and development are embedded in the Division (e.g. preceptorship, clinical supervision and mentorship).

The ADN will provide professional advice in matters relating to relevant staff and wider professional agendas to the Chief Nurse. The ADN will lead upon the delivery of relevant initiatives that support clinical quality external accreditation within the Division. The ADN will provide professional leadership to relevant staff in the Division.

In collaboration with Matrons/Lead Nurses/Heads of Service within the Division:

• To ensure the provision of services exceeds the standards outlined by the Professional Code(s) of Conduct.
• Take robust action when professional standards fall short of those acceptable, leading where necessary taking disciplinary action and reporting to the relevant registration body.

The ADN will support the delivery of change as part of the triumvirate team, embedding a culture of continuous quality improvement, innovation and use of technology that meets the changing needs of patients and users. The ADN will be responsible for the implementation and ongoing development of the Achieving Excellence Programme within the Division to:

• Develop and promote a positive and open culture within the Division.
• Enable continuous quality and service improvement.

The ADN will respond in a timely fashion to frequent and unpredictable day-to-day operational issues as required. The ADN will liaise directly with patients and staff to resolve urgent concerns, including resolving stressful or distressing challenging complex situations. The ADN will undertake annual performance development review of relevant staff, ensuring each has a personal development plan to optimise their performance and potential for career progression. The ADN will lead, within the Divisional triumvirate on the engagement with and response and action planning, in relation to the patient public involvement agenda.

Governance and Policies

The ADN will ensure patient safety and experience is at the centre of planning, analysis and delivery within the Division. The ADN will work in support of the CoS and with the ADO, to ensure that clinical governance systems in the Division are highly effective and robust, and that they work reliably to identify and mitigate risk. This will involve commissioning and overseeing audits across a range of quality measures in the Division in order to assess quality against the evidence of current practice and take commensurate action. Audit work will be ongoing and strategically driven.