SCBU Ward Manager in North East

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has an exciting opportunity for an experienced neonatal nurse to join our team as ward manager for the Special Care Baby Unit at University Hospital of North Durham. The role is full time at 37.5 hours per week. The successful candidate will work collaboratively within the SCBUs and across perinatal services in CDDFT to provide leadership and management of the nursing team to ensure safe, effective and family focused care of infants requiring specialist support.

Main duties of the job

• The successful candidate will manage the nursing workforce within the SCBU and supervise and develop the team.
• They will be responsible for coordinating the provision of nursing services and ensure high clinical standards are maintained.
• They will role model compassionate and inclusive leadership and drive a culture of development and engagement to enable the team to deliver quality care whilst maximising the professional development of every member of the workforce.
• They will play a lead role in the governance of the SCBU, and support staff in quality improvement, audit and monitoring of performance.

Job responsibilities

• To strive for excellence in all aspects of the delivery of safe, high quality patient care, ensuring all nursing care is delivered in accordance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines.
• To act as a positive role model at all times providing professional and clinical leadership to establish a committed and motivated team with a clear purpose.
• Ensure a high level of professional awareness both personally and throughout perinatal services, paediatric services and CDDFT by chairing/attending appropriate meetings, seminars and other forums.
• Work as part of the senior leadership team in assessing implications of trends in workload, clinical or professional practice, identifying the effects on service provision and initiating change where appropriate.
• Working collaboratively across the SCBUs to manage the allocation of appropriate skill mix nursing resource, ensuring that the needs of the clinical areas are met in an effective and efficient manner.
• To effectively supervise and manage sickness absence, other leave and bank usage in accordance with Trust policies.
• Ensure that budget resources within the area of responsibility are deployed and used effectively and efficiently within budgetary limits.
• Take a leadership role in policy development and evaluation.
• Ensure that staff are fully conversant with and practice in accordance with statutory requirements, agreed policies and procedures.
• Regular competency review for nursing staff within the unit and coordinate professional development and appraisal.
• Provide leadership and development opportunities and supervise development of staff to ensure effective succession planning.
• Maintain oversight of delegated activities to ensure and gain assurance that performance is optimised.
• Communicate both formally and informally with other disciplines and support staff to ensure appropriate exchange of advice and information.
• To monitor and utilise Patient Experience feedback to improve and maintain an excellent patient experience.
• To ensure effective engagement with service users and their families; listening to them, demonstrating compassion, empathy and partnership working regarding care and treatment.
• To ensure care is delivered within duty of candour guidance.
• To adopt an open culture sharing learning outcomes of incidents and complaints with the clinical teams.
• To work with Human Resources on the resolution of complex HR issues.
• Undertake regular departmental walk‑abouts engaging with all patients and their families/carers.
• Monitor monthly environmental audits to ensure a safe and clean environment is maintained.
• To maintain and monitor a safe and clean environment within the ward/department.
• Provide active leadership to Trust wide neonatal transitional care provision developing local policy and practice.
• Proactively participate in meetings and forums, ensuring robust communication and feedback mechanisms.
• Ensure all nursing staff are kept informed of those clinical governance issues that pertain to the local and national agenda.
• To promote a culture of raising and escalating any patient safety concerns.
• To ensure there is an effective Risk Management process in place.

Person Specification

• Nursing Degree leading to UK NMC registration to part 1 of the UK NMC register (Children or Adult Nursing).
• Evidence of continuing professional development and specialist training including the neonatal nursing Qualification in Speciality (QIS).
• Supervisor / Assessor for Pre-registration learners or equivalent teaching qualification.
• Evidence of recognised teaching/assessors qualification.
• Evidence of Masters level post registration education.
• Good leadership and team working skills including individual appraisals and team development.
• Service development and quality improvement skills evidenced in developing guidelines, SOPS and leading governance processes.
• Able to communicate effectively (written, verbal and non‑verbal communication) with patients/relatives and carers and all members of the multi‑disciplinary team.
• Experience of managing a clinical ward.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.