Head of Nursing

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Main area Management Grade Band 8c Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Participate in the Silver on call rota for North Middlesex health unit) Job ref 391-NMUH-8357739

Site North Middlesex University Hospital Town London Salary £85,641 - £97,746 Including Outer HCAS per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 08/11/2026 23:59

Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.

Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.

Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of technology that can perform various tasks that typically required human intelligence. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants.However, it’s important that examples and responses genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey. Further guidance can be found in the NLPSS Applicant Toolkit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1 .

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We are seeking an exceptional, inspiring and experienced nursing leader to join Royal Free London Group, as Head of Nursing for our Emergency Department at North Middlesex health unit. This pivotal role sits within our Divisional Leadership Team, shaping high-quality services and create environments where staff can truly thrive.

At Royal Free London we have set out an ambitious plan to enable our staff to deliver world-leading healthcare for all our patients, meet growing demand and create a healthier future for local people and those further afield who come to our hospitals for specialist treatment.

Our clinical vision is transforming how we deliver world-class care, and the way people access our services. Our hospitals have different opportunities and challenges based on the patients they care for. We have developed local clinical priorities that reflect the needs and expectations of those different communities

About You

You will be a credible, visible and values-driven nursing leader, able to:

• Envision and implement future models of nursing care aligned to system priorities.
• Lead through influence, collaboration and clinical credibility.
• Foster high-performing, compassionate teams and inclusive, positive working cultures.
• Balance strategic leadership with operational grip and delivery.
• Champion equality, diversity and inclusion for patients & staff.

Main duties of the job

As Head of Nursing for the Emergency Department, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across a diverse workforce, driving excellence in patient experience, quality, safety, workforce development and performance. You will work closely with clinical, operational and executive colleagues to shape the future of emergency care and ensure the department continues to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex healthcare landscape.

You will be a credible clinical leader who is highly visible within the clinical environment, approachable to staff, and committed to creating a positive and inclusive culture.

You will have:

• Significant senior nursing leadership experience within an acute setting.
• A proven track record of delivering improvements in quality, safety and patient outcomes.
• Strong experience of workforce planning, recruitment, retention and staff engagement.
• Excellent leadership, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• Experience of leading cultural change and service transformation.
• A passion for developing people and creating high-performing teams.
• The ability to balance operational pressures with strategic vision and innovation.
• Evidence of successful partnership working across professional and organisational boundaries.
• Ensure delivery of safe, evidence-based, compassionate and person-centred care.
• Strengthen patient pathways, improve outcomes, & enhance experience for service users.

Working for our organisation

North Mid is part of North Central London integrated care system – consisting of the NHS and Local authority organisations in Camden, Islington, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey. As with other IC’s, we are working increasingly closely with partners and indeed many of our financial and performance objectives are measured at this system level. Whilst all organisations remain as standalone, statutory bodies we have an IC infraestructura for making shared decisions and agreeing shared approaches.

We are proud of our staff and want to ensure their training allows them to provide excellent clinical care. We are also a training unit for medical students from UCL and St George’s University Grenada, and for nursing and midwifery students from Middlesex and City Universities.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at the NorthMiddlesex University Hospital

Person specification

Education & Professional Qualities

• Registered trained nurse MSc and/ or equivalent clinical experience that recognises highly developed and complex levels of knowledge
• Management/leadership qualifications or equivalent experience
• Specialist knowledge at doctorate level or equivalent experience in a related field
• Evidence of continuing personal development

Experience

• Significant acute operational nursing experience in a complex healthcare organisation
• Evidence of nursing leadership role in an acute setting
• Ability to analyse complex problems and to develop practical and workable solutions to address them
• Ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resources
• Experience in the supervision and management of staff and students
• Experience in complex employment related issues
• Experience of using acuity tools and triangulation of data to review and ensure safe skill mix
• Evidence of leading and managing change within a complex environment
• Experience of representing a service within a Trust setting
• Experience of managing a budget
• Experience of managing other staff groups
• Managing a cross site, complex function
• Experience of SLAs and contractual working
• Ability to self-evaluate and self-reflect
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills suitable for a range of audiences, including chairing of meetings
• Ability to initiate and implement change and improvements
• Good analytical and organisational ability
• Ability to demonstrate and model strong leadership skills
• Awareness of developments in the NHS and service delivery
• Ability to influence and facilitate MDT working
• Able to communicate with patients and families in an empathetic manner regarding their treatment and procedures and communicate complex sensitive information
• Effective problem-solving skills
• Experience of implementing Evidence Based Practice
• Applies working knowledge of relevant health legislation

Personal Qualities & Attributes

• Ability to lead by example, promoting the highest standards of personal and professional conduct, integrity and probity
• High level of work organisation, self-motivation, drive for performance and improvement and flexibility in approach and attitude
• Committed to the continuous development of staff and self
• To be flexible, decisive, using sound judgement in decision making in a timely and confident manner

Applications are welcome from people wishing to job share or work flexible patterns. We are committed to equal opportunities.

Please note:

• Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.
• Interview arrangements will be communicated via email so please check your email regularly following the closing date.

Please be advised that due to exceptionally high demand, all Royal Free accommodation is at full capacity and waiting lists are being held. Average waiting times are 12 months. Please do not rely on Trust accommodation when you commence your role and ensure you investigate alternative accommodation for your arrival.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Application numbers

We reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

Name Louise Gillard Job title Interim Divisional Director of Nursing Email address jayne.barry@nhs.net Telephone number 020 8887 3287 Additional information

Louise Gillard Interim Divisional Director of Nursing (UIAS) - contact via Divisional PA jayne.barry@nhs.net if you would like to arrange an informal meeting.

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