Job summary
Are you an experienced registered professional with a passion for working within CAMHS? Are you ready to take on a fulfilling leadership role within a dynamic, specialised environment?
We are searching for a dedicated Ward Manager to lead our talented team in providing exceptional care for adolescents aged 13-18 with complex mental health needs.
About Wessex House
Wessex House offers a highly specialist inpatient service for adolescents aged 13-18 whose mental health challenges are too complex to be managed in the community. Here, you'll be part of a dedicated team committed to the assessment, treatment, and management of patients with diverse and often profound mental health issues. As Ward Manager, you'll play a critical role in the daily operations of the unit, ensuring that our patients receive safe, compassionate, and innovative care.
You will:
- Champion best practices in mental health care by promoting a recovery-focused environment.
- Lead by example, supporting and inspiring our nursing, medical, and AHP teams.
- Oversee 24-hour care continuity through effective systems and innovative solutions.
- Empower your team to provide compassionate, effective care within a defined budget.
What We Offer
You'll be supported in your professional development, encouraged to participate in training opportunities, and have access to robust supervision and mentorship. You'll join a caring and committed team in an environment where your contributions truly matter.
Main duties of the job
Clinical Leadership: Provide hands-on clinical leadership, undertaking direct patient care as needed. You'll set the standard for excellent care and be a visible presence on the ward to offer support to staff, patients, and visitors.
Team Coordination: Oversee the daily activities and routines of the inpatient unit, ensuring continuity of care and a smooth-running service.
Staff Management and Development: Lead, manage, and develop a highly skilled team, promoting positive team dynamics and supporting each member's professional growth. You'll oversee supervision and appraisals for Band 6 and below, ensuring all staff are engaged and adequately trained.
Quality Assurance and Improvement: Take an active role in enhancing the ward through evidence-based, recovery-focused practices. Your leadership will help to identify areas for improvement, and you'll use research to inform innovative strategies to better our care delivery.
Financial Accountability: Work within a defined budget, ensuring resources are managed effectively. You'll be responsible for monitoring expenditures, managing equipment, and ensuring necessary resources are always available for patient care.
Patient and Family Engagement: Communicate sensitively and effectively with patients and families, ensuring that everyone is informed and involved in the care process. You'll promote a compassionate environment that respects diversity and ensures patients and families feel supported.
About us
As an organisation, the NHS offers a wide range of benefits including flexible working, fantastic pension contributions, market leading annual leave allowance, career progression and regular conversations, not to mention our Blue Light Card and NHS exclusive discounts.
The benefits of working in Somerset include the idyllic countryside, with our areas of outstanding beauty and stunning coastlines. You will get to enjoy these perks whilst still only being a stone's throw away from bustling city centres like Bristol, Bath and Exeter and only two hours away from London.
There are excellent educational facilities in the area and, when compared to other regions, house prices are reasonable. You will to experience the best of both in Somerset, the countryside and the cosmopolitan -- there is truly something for everyone!
Job description
Job responsibilities
Planning and Organisation
- As Ward Manager you will lead the team with responsibility for the co-ordination and supervision of assessment and treatment within the ward, ensuring high quality care.
- To maintain and monitor standards of care to ensure patient safety and quality of care and work with the Operational Service Manager to resolve failures of standards of care in all areas of the patient environment.
- Maintain own clinical expertise and competence within the inpatient ward by undergoing training and updating by external or internal courses and by reading and keeping up to date with changes in practice.
- Always ensuring appropriate level of staffing, to provide a safe environment for users and staff, including effective management rosters. Identifying the need for temporary staff in line with vacancies, sickness and maternity leave and liaise with the Operational Service Manager for authorisation.
- To coordinate in the recruitment and employment and management of staff in line with HR policy.
- Ensure the principles of Dialog+ are implemented and supported throughout the unit.
Analytics
- In agreement with the Operational Service Manager, participate in trustwide or interagency projects.
Responsibility for Patient / Client Care, Treatment & Therapy
- Communicate with patients, relatives and carers sensitive clinical information in a way that takes into account the level of understanding and any barriers that may have an impact on the individual receiving and understanding the information, face to face and via the telephone.
- To undertake responsibility for promoting multi-disciplinary practice, monitoring performance, and ensuring that every patient has a risk assessment and collaborative recovery care plan.
- To co-ordinate the development, maintenance, and monitoring of service standards in relation to the clinical specialism.
- Provide statements in response to formal complaints or resolve with patients or relatives any verbal complaints, taking action to ensure that similar problems do not reoccur.
Policy, Service, Research & Development Responsibility
- Practice within the statutory code of professional practice and conduct for the relevant profession and maintain appropriate level of registration.
- To ensure that the environment and general working conditions are safe and comply with relevant health and safety regulations, and the Trust Health and Safety policy. You will undertake the relevant risk assessments for all team activities, maintain a local risk register and review as appropriate.
- As per the Trust drug policy, ensure that staff, including self, read and follow the safe ordering, storage and administration of medicines.
Responsibility for Finance, Equipment & Other Resources
- Accountable for expenditure against agreed pay and non-pay budgets to support effective financial management with the support of the Operational Service Manager taking action to address concerns and avoid overspend.
- Ensure inpatient ward equipment is maintained and regularly serviced, and all staff have been trained in the safe use of equipment.
Responsibility for Supervision, Leadership & Management
- This post will be responsible for the supervision and appraisal of staff at Band 6 and below.
- To devise, implement and maintain a system that ensures every member of staff has an annual appraisal (PDRs) and personal development plans (PDPs), giving advice and setting objectives.
- To assist in the performance management of staff with support from the Operational Service Manager for more complex cases.
- To ensure that systems are in place to monitor appropriate levels of mandatory training are maintained for all team members.
- Manage poor performance or conflict within the inpatient ward with the support of the Operational Service Manager, initiating and monitoring action plans to address these.
Information Resources & Administrative Duties
- Review inpatient ward practice by undertaking and participating in local audits.
- Accountable for ensuring staff maintain accurate and contemporaneous patient records and accurate clinical observations and records.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Planning and Organisation
- As Ward Manager you will lead the team with responsibility for the co-ordination and supervision of assessment and treatment within the ward, ensuring high quality care.
- To maintain and monitor standards of care to ensure patient safety and quality of care and work with the Operational Service Manager to resolve failures of standards of care in all areas of the patient environment.
- Maintain own clinical expertise and competence within the inpatient ward by undergoing training and updating by external or internal courses and by reading and keeping up to date with changes in practice.
- Always ensuring appropriate level of staffing, to provide a safe environment for users and staff, including effective management rosters. Identifying the need for temporary staff in line with vacancies, sickness and maternity leave and liaise with the Operational Service Manager for authorisation.
- To coordinate in the recruitment and employment and management of staff in line with HR policy.
- Ensure the principles of Dialog+ are implemented and supported throughout the unit.
Analytics
- In agreement with the Operational Service Manager, participate in trustwide or interagency projects.
Responsibility for Patient / Client Care, Treatment & Therapy
- Communicate with patients, relatives and carers sensitive clinical information in a way that takes into account the level of understanding and any barriers that may have an impact on the individual receiving and understanding the information, face to face and via the telephone.
- To undertake responsibility for promoting multi-disciplinary practice, monitoring performance, and ensuring that every patient has a risk assessment and collaborative recovery care plan.
- To co-ordinate the development, maintenance, and monitoring of service standards in relation to the clinical specialism.
- Provide statements in response to formal complaints or resolve with patients or relatives any verbal complaints, taking action to ensure that similar problems do not reoccur.
Policy, Service, Research & Development Responsibility
- Practice within the statutory code of professional practice and conduct for the relevant profession and maintain appropriate level of registration.
- To ensure that the environment and general working conditions are safe and comply with relevant health and safety regulations, and the Trust Health and Safety policy. You will undertake the relevant risk assessments for all team activities, maintain a local risk register and review as appropriate.
- As per the Trust drug policy, ensure that staff, including self, read and follow the safe ordering, storage and administration of medicines.
Responsibility for Finance, Equipment & Other Resources
- Accountable for expenditure against agreed pay and non-pay budgets to support effective financial management with the support of the Operational Service Manager taking action to address concerns and avoid overspend.
- Ensure inpatient ward equipment is maintained and regularly serviced, and all staff have been trained in the safe use of equipment.
Responsibility for Supervision, Leadership & Management
- This post will be responsible for the supervision and appraisal of staff at Band 6 and below.
- To devise, implement and maintain a system that ensures every member of staff has an annual appraisal (PDRs) and personal development plans (PDPs), giving advice and setting objectives.
- To assist in the performance management of staff with support from the Operational Service Manager for more complex cases.
- To ensure that systems are in place to monitor appropriate levels of mandatory training are maintained for all team members.
- Manage poor performance or conflict within the inpatient ward with the support of the Operational Service Manager, initiating and monitoring action plans to address these.
Information Resources & Administrative Duties
- Review inpatient ward practice by undertaking and participating in local audits.
- Accountable for ensuring staff maintain accurate and contemporaneous patient records and accurate clinical observations and records.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant Professional Registration.
- Significant post registration training.
- Diploma level or Degree.
Desirable
- Teaching/mentoring qualification.
- NVQ Assessor
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation and policies.
- Proven experience of working within a mental health team as a band 6.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
- To be able to deputise for the person in charge.
- Experience of leading a team of staff.
- Experience of developing people and teams through supervision, support and continued professional development.
- Experience of communicating and dealing with complex issues
- Experience of managing time and workload effectively of self and others and be able to delegate.
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of the recovery process.
- Knowledge and understanding of the assessment, treatment and discharge process.
- Experience of both inpatient and community teams
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Recognition of the impact of diversity of ethnicity, belief, privilege and capacity of people and their families and carers.
- Ability to work under pressure in a demanding clinical inpatient environment.
- Ability to contribute new ideas to further develop the team.
- To be able to take appropriate action on the receipt of a complaint.
- Willingness to undertake further development as required
- Able to demonstrate a good standard of English language.
- To be able to co-ordinate the care of clients to ensure high standards are met.
- Able to provide in house teaching to staff or give presentations.
- To be able to monitor staff sickness and absence as per trust policy.
- The ability to organise and facilitate meetings.
- Ability to work independently be self-motivated and use initiative.
- Professional in approach, manner and appearance.
- Ability to use own initiative, confident and motivated.
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant Professional Registration.
- Significant post registration training.
- Diploma level or Degree.
Desirable
- Teaching/mentoring qualification.
- NVQ Assessor
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation and policies.
- Proven experience of working within a mental health team as a band 6.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
- To be able to deputise for the person in charge.
- Experience of leading a team of staff.
- Experience of developing people and teams through supervision, support and continued professional development.
- Experience of communicating and dealing with complex issues
- Experience of managing time and workload effectively of self and others and be able to delegate.
Desirable
- Knowledge and understanding of the recovery process.
- Knowledge and understanding of the assessment, treatment and discharge process.
- Experience of both inpatient and community teams
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Recognition of the impact of diversity of ethnicity, belief, privilege and capacity of people and their families and carers.
- Ability to work under pressure in a demanding clinical inpatient environment.
- Ability to contribute new ideas to further develop the team.
- To be able to take appropriate action on the receipt of a complaint.
- Willingness to undertake further development as required
- Able to demonstrate a good standard of English language.
- To be able to co-ordinate the care of clients to ensure high standards are met.
- Able to provide in house teaching to staff or give presentations.
- To be able to monitor staff sickness and absence as per trust policy.
- The ability to organise and facilitate meetings.
- Ability to work independently be self-motivated and use initiative.
- Professional in approach, manner and appearance.
- Ability to use own initiative, confident and motivated.
- Willingness to use technology to improve standards of care and support to our patients
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).
Additional information
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).
