Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Ward Manager
The closing date is 29 July 2026
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, motivated, and compassionate registered Nurse to join Whitbread Ward as a Band 7 Acute Ward Manager.
As Ward Manager, you will provide visible and inspirational leadership, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe, and person-centred care within our acute inpatient service. You will lead a multidisciplinary team, promote a positive culture, and drive continuous service improvement while maintaining the highest standards of clinical practice and governance.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be responsible for the day-to-day operational management of Whitbread Ward, ensuring effective clinical leadership, workforce management, and the delivery of excellent patient care.
You will work closely with senior leaders and multidisciplinary colleagues to support patient care, improve patient outcomes, and ensure compliance with national standards and organisational policies.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarise yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job responsibilities
Provide strong clinical and operational leadership to the ward team.
Ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate patient care.
Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary workforce.
Manage staffing, budgets, and resources effectively.
Maintain high standards of clinical governance, quality improvement, and risk management.
Support staff wellbeing, supervision, appraisal, and professional development.
Foster a culture of learning, innovation, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
Work collaboratively with patients, carers, community teams, and partner agencies to promote recovery and positive patient experiences.
Person Specification
Essential & Desirable
- RGN with active membership of N.M.C
- Masters degree or equivalent level of experience
Experience
- 2 years working in an acute setting
- Band 6 for at least 2 years
- Experience in mentoring, assessing, coaching
- Leadership management, leading a team
- Experience in managing bed capacity and flow within the hospital.
- Educational link responsibilities
- Experience of leading service development
- Up to date knowledge of relevant political & professional issues in health care
Knowledge
- Audit / research/presentation skills
- Knowledge of clinical governance and safeguarding
- Evidence of influencing and implementing change
- Knowledge of performance management
- Excellent personal and communication skill
- Problem solving and decision making skills
- Working knowledge of Mental capacity Act, safe guarding policies.
Personal Skills & other
- Organisational ability
- Role Model
- IT Skills
- Demonstrate ability to think creatively and laterally
- Able to work under pressure
- Adaptable, reliable and dependable
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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