Specialist Palliative Care In-Patient Unit Manager

Job responsibilities

JOB TITLE: Specialist Palliative Care In-Patient Unit

Manager

RESPONSIBLE TO: Matron

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Director of Clinical Services

JOB SUMMARY

The Specialist Palliative Care In-Patient Unit Manager will carry 24-hour continuing responsibility for the effective and efficient management of The Kirkwoods In-Patient Unit, providing management and professional leadership of the nursing team.

A key element of this role requires the personalising of individual patient care based upon the needs and wishes of the patient and their family, support by the wider MDT in delivering this service. The post-holder will also be directly involved in succession planning of existing staff.

The post-holder is responsible for ensuring the assessment of care needs and that the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care are maintained to a high standard. You will support and empower staff to lead and develop services and promote a multi-professional approach with shared care and accountability, with the aim of further developing models of care across the hospice setting that support delivery of the highest standards of personalised patient care. There will be a focus on the closer integration of the In-patient Unit and Community clinical nurse specialists to support continuity of care and a sharing of skills and knowledge. The In-Patient Unit Manager will ensure cost effective use of resources, managing the administrative and financial aspects of the unit.

The In-Patient Unit Manager will also focus on patient and service user involvement to ensure services are inclusive and co-designed with patients, families and staff to ensure services meet the needs of patients across all communities in Kirklees.

JOB DIMENSIONS

Current services comprise of 16 inpatient beds (9 side rooms and two bays), this service also includes advice and support line 24 hours a day which supports direct admission from the community and hospitals into the unit. The role requires direct management of approximately 45 whole time equivalent nurses and support staff. The jobholder is also responsible for the ward/department clinical budget and effective use of resources.

THE KIRKWOOD SUPPORT LIFE VALUES

Our values are part of what make us different from other hospices, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our six values are:

Respectful & Inclusive

Passionate & Determined

Open & Honest

Kind & Compassionate

Forward Thinking

Strive for Quality and Excellence

All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values.

CORE VALUES

Commitment to delivering high quality evidence-based care.

Commitment to working in a multi-disciplinary team.

Commitment to the clinical area, valuing the contribution of all team members, encouraging a positive and creative working environment.

Commitment to own personal and professional development and to the development of others within the team.

CORE BEHAVIOURS AND SKILLS

Communication skills.

Teaching and assessment skills.

Preceptorship skills.

Organisational skills.

Time management skills.

Change management skills.

Understandingof research-based practice research conscious.

Team player.

Learns from lessons learnt in users complaints and all feedback.

Conflict management.

Managing stress.

Uses initiative to resolve issues within their own control.

Ability to act professionally at all times.

CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

Understanding of the local and national nursing agenda.

Understanding of organisational structures.

Understanding knowledge interaction with Hospice UK.

Collaborative partnership working with all centres.

PRINCIPLE DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Clinical

Provide a clinical lead and role model to the nursing team by delivering high quality care as an expert practitioner.

Set, monitor and seek to continuously improve standards and the quality of patient care utilising benchmarks.

Maintain a safe working environment.

Supervise and maintain accurate records in accordance with NMC guidance and auditing standards.

Ensure that all nursing staff follow current and up to date safeguarding practices including MCA and best interest practice and decision making.

Support and inspire all members of the Multidisciplinary team in its widest sense and ensuring development of advanced/specialist palliative knowledge skills and competent professional practice.

Work collaboratively with the Multidisciplinary team promoting and utilising a leadership approach to empower and ensure shared accountability for shared clinical decisions.

To effectively engage and involve patient, families and carers in its widest sense and at every opportunity encouraging a co design approach to service development.

Ensure the safe use and efficient management of equipment and supplies.

Promote evidence-based practice, wherever possible.

Work with Matron to ensure that clinical governance processes at unit/dept level encompass measures to ensure the quality of the fundamental and essential aspects of care.

Support the implementation of benchmarking.

Work with Infection Control to monitor the environment to maintain and raise standards.

Acts in accordance with the Nursing & Midwifery code of conduct.

Ensure management of clinical services and efficient redeployment of staff according to service needs.

Education and Training

Ensure all staff have an individual performance development plan.

Ensure all nursing staff maintain mandatory training requirement.

Ensure implementation of the Trusts Study Leave policy.

Ensure the induction and development of staff.

Promote a positive learning environment within the clinical area.

Maintain detailed and accurate records regarding staff education and attendance management.

Leadership

Provide leadership to the clinical team and working with Matron, develop new roles/ways of working.

Delegate and empower staff without abdicating overall, continuing responsibility.

Line manages the nursing team, including recruitment, performance management and workforce planning.

Supervise staff rostering, ensuring adequate skill mix.

Monitor the use of bank and agency.

Investigate and respond to accidents, complaints, untoward incidents and other significant events whilst allocating responsibility to ensure these are managed effectively and all learning is shared.

Work with Matron to promote the development of all staff.

Deliver an effective quality service within agreed budget.

Deputise for Matron in their absence.

EMPLOYEE INFORMATION

HEALTH AND SAFETY/RISK MANAGEMENT

All staff are responsible for working with their colleagues to maintain and improve the quality of services provided to our patients and other service users. This includes complying at all times with local Policies, including Health and Safety policies, in particular by following agreed safe working procedures, and reporting incidents using the Kirkwood Reporting system.

INFECTION CONTROL

The post holder must comply at all times with the adopted policies and procedures in place, in particular by practicing Universal Infection Control Precautions.

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families. No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment.

PATEINT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT

The Trust has a statutory duty to involve patients and public in evaluating and planning services. All staff have a responsibility to listen to the views of patients and to contribute to service improvements based on patient feedback.

TRAINING AND PERSONAL DEVELOPEMNT CONTINUOUS PROFFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The jobholder must take responsibility, in agreement with his/her line manager, for his/her own personal development by ensuring that Continuous Professional Development remains a priority. The job holder will undertake all mandatory training required for the role.

RESPECT FOR PATIENT CONFIDENTIALITY

The post holder should respect patient confidentiality at all times and not divulge patient information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role.

COMMUNICATION AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Matron

All grades nursing staff

Allied Health Professionals

Medical staff

Facilities staff

Members of Clinical Management Team

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience of palliative care experience at NHS AfC band 6 or 7 or equivalent
• Experience of leading and managing a team
• Experience of teaching (formal and informal), mentoring and assessment
• Evidence of utilising evidence-based practice including promoting research and audit
• Experience of roster and effective resource management
• Previous involvement in quality initiatives, experience of implementing audit and evaluating care delivery through audit
• Evidence of developing innovative practice and being proactive in managing change
• Experience of recruitment and retention

Qualifications

Essential

• First level registered nurse with specialist palliative care knowledge gained through further education and experience
• First degree in a relevant subject area
• Supporting learners in practice (SLIP) or equivalent teaching qualification and assessing qualification
• Willingness and commitment to study to Masters level

Desirable

• Post registration academic study in palliative care
• Qualification in management and/ or leadership

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Demonstrates awareness and understanding of current developments in Specialist Palliative care
• Basic IT and computer skills
• Ability to implement apersonalised and holistic approach to care based upon accepted models
• A credible practitioner who demonstrates sound professional, clinical and practical knowledge
• Demonstrable leadership skills, confident, competent and compassionate practitioner
• Demonstrates commitment to very high standards of patient care and service delivery
• Able to demonstrate sound, up to date specialist palliative care knowledge including specialist symptom control
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Demonstrable organisational skills and ability to prioritise competing demands

Desirable

• Standards of professional practice and experience of setting

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills, motivational and a Team player
• Innovative and creative and assertive
• Flexible and adaptable
• Ability to recognise stress in self and others and utilise resilience approaches to well -being
• Sensitive and non-judgmental approach to service users and colleagues
• Emotionally resilient to work in the hospice environment

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).