University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust

Clinical Matron Critical Care

The closing date is 09 February 2026

Job summary

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for detailed job description of the role.

Please note, this vacancy is restricted to current employees of UHS.

Main duties of the job

UHS is seeking two experienced and compassionate nurse leaders to join our Critical Care Matron Team. This is due to retirement and relocating back home.

The first matron post is a co - lead role, combining Adult General Intensive Care Unit (GICU) and Surgical High Dependency Unit. The second post will be the matron lead for the Neurological Intensive Care Unit. Both these matron roles are pivotal in providing visible, professional leadership across our critical care services, ensuring the delivery of safe high-quality and patient centred care.

As matron you will, be working with a broad multi-disciplinary team supporting your staff to care for emergency and elective patients, ensuring that your critical care is safe, effective, and responsive. You will be a leader who is accountable for co-ordinating safe, high-quality care to improve and maintain our patients NHS experience.

About us

University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.

Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.

At UHS we're committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients. Specific to this role is the suitability for agile working which is a mixture of on-site and remote working. In addition, we are open to discussing flexibility in the hours that you work. Please talk to us at interview about the flexibility you need, and we will explore what's possible for the role and service.

At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognizing that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We're committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.

Details

Date posted

28 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

Depending on experience £55,690.00- £62,682.00 Per Annum (PA) Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

188-SNM010126-I

Job locations

University Hospital Southampton

Tremona Road

Southampton

SO16 6YD


Job description

Job responsibilities

Applicants must be a registered nurse with extensive critical care experience at a senior nurse leadership level and have the appropriate qualifications in Critical Care, including the ICU course. You will actively support the team objectives by developing services and leading Care Group and Divisional projects to influence service redesign. You will be responsible for your area budget.

Working in partnership with your critical care matron colleagues, across the care group and other key staff in the Division and across the Trust, as the custodian of the patient experience, you will ensure patients, staff and the Trust have confidence in your areas of responsibility. You will maintain a visible presence where patients, staff and visitors can turn for assistance and upon whom they can rely on to ensure fundamental and specialist aspects of care are met.

You will require a high level of organisational skill and have a resourceful and professional approach to work, always striving to improve through feedback processes. You should be able to demonstrate excellent collaborative and inter-personal communication skills and forge and maintain relationships with a variety of staff.

In return we can offer you opportunities to enhance your skills and be part of a forward thinking and supportive multi professional team. It will provide an exciting opportunity for strategic planning and service development along with supporting and overseeing day to day operations of the 70 bedded adult critical care footprint.

You will be required to work predominantly Monday - Friday with some weekend working and on call to cover the duty matron and staffing hub role as per an agreed rota.

Informal visits are strongly encouraged.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Applicants must be a registered nurse with extensive critical care experience at a senior nurse leadership level and have the appropriate qualifications in Critical Care, including the ICU course. You will actively support the team objectives by developing services and leading Care Group and Divisional projects to influence service redesign. You will be responsible for your area budget.

Working in partnership with your critical care matron colleagues, across the care group and other key staff in the Division and across the Trust, as the custodian of the patient experience, you will ensure patients, staff and the Trust have confidence in your areas of responsibility. You will maintain a visible presence where patients, staff and visitors can turn for assistance and upon whom they can rely on to ensure fundamental and specialist aspects of care are met.

You will require a high level of organisational skill and have a resourceful and professional approach to work, always striving to improve through feedback processes. You should be able to demonstrate excellent collaborative and inter-personal communication skills and forge and maintain relationships with a variety of staff.

In return we can offer you opportunities to enhance your skills and be part of a forward thinking and supportive multi professional team. It will provide an exciting opportunity for strategic planning and service development along with supporting and overseeing day to day operations of the 70 bedded adult critical care footprint.

You will be required to work predominantly Monday - Friday with some weekend working and on call to cover the duty matron and staffing hub role as per an agreed rota.

Informal visits are strongly encouraged.

Person Specification

Trust Values

Essential

  • Patient First
  • Always Improving
  • Working Together

Qualifications, knowledge and experience

Essential

  • 1st Level Registered nurse on relevant part of the NMC Register / HCPC Registration
  • First degree or equivalent
  • Master's or equivalent experience
  • Specialist qualification
  • Leadership training
  • Management training
  • Extensive knowledge of National and Local NHS and N&M agenda
  • Extensive experience in the acute healthcare setting in clinical leadership/Clinical management position
  • Evidence of advanced leadership qualities
  • Formal and informal teaching experience
  • Staff and resource management experience

Desirable

  • Understanding of specialist area
Person Specification

Trust Values

Essential

  • Patient First
  • Always Improving
  • Working Together

Qualifications, knowledge and experience

Essential

  • 1st Level Registered nurse on relevant part of the NMC Register / HCPC Registration
  • First degree or equivalent
  • Master's or equivalent experience
  • Specialist qualification
  • Leadership training
  • Management training
  • Extensive knowledge of National and Local NHS and N&M agenda
  • Extensive experience in the acute healthcare setting in clinical leadership/Clinical management position
  • Evidence of advanced leadership qualities
  • Formal and informal teaching experience
  • Staff and resource management experience

Desirable

  • Understanding of specialist area

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

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

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Southampton

Tremona Road

Southampton

SO16 6YD


Employer's website

https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust

Address

University Hospital Southampton

Tremona Road

Southampton

SO16 6YD


Employer's website

https://www.uhs.nhs.uk/home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead Matron Critical Care

Tracy Richards

tracy.richards@uhs.nhs.uk

07766440477

Details

Date posted

28 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

Depending on experience £55,690.00- £62,682.00 Per Annum (PA) Pro Rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

188-SNM010126-I

Job locations

University Hospital Southampton

Tremona Road

Southampton

SO16 6YD


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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