Job responsibilities
Professional/Clinical
The post holder will be required to provide clinical advice to nursing staff as the most senior nurse on site out of hours.
To provide strong visible leadership to all staff within the site capacity/Hospital 24/7 team and all staff at all times across the Trust.
To maintain site integrity and flow across the Trust at all times.
To take the lead role on overall capacity/bed management and operational service provision on a day to day basis, liaising with Senior Managers and their teams in order to achieve optimum bed usage whilst managing the flow of emergency and elective admissions.
To chair the Trusts routine site management meetings in the absence of the General Manager, ensuring the agreed situation report is circulated following each meeting.
To take responsibility for the application of the Trusts escalation policy ensuring that all actions are implemented according to the Trusts level of escalation.
The site capacity manager/hospital 24/7 co-ordinator team will need to possess the skills and experience to identify and implement contingency plans to resolve capacity pressures and show sound clinical judgement regarding appropriate patient placement at times of extreme capacity pressures.
To liaise closely with the clinical co-ordinator working overnight so that flow is maximised during the out of hours period.
To provide support for the achievement of patient flow performance and quality metrics for example: the 4 hour A&E quality performance target, 18 week patient pathway, cancer targets and the ambulance turnaround target and to identify and rectify potential bottle necks in this process.
To facilitate/support the Shift Co-ordinator in the A&E Department with the timely and prompt transfer of patients from the A&E Department.
To be able to demonstrate an ability to exercise significant influencing and facilitation skills in order to enable others to achieve their objectives.
Demonstrate the ability to assess and optimise patient care and treatments as part of the multidisciplinary team.
Administer medications under PGD as required.
To be actively be involved in emergencies such as cardiac arrests.
To support junior staff within ward areas as and when required to do so.
You will be required to be flexible and adaptable to ensure the achievements of objectives are met within a constantly changing environment.
To produce high level reports to demonstrate achievement of performance.
Maintain clear records for analytical purposes and reporting requirements in line with organisational demands.
To ensure EMS is updated at least twice a day, but more frequently in times of severe capacity pressures.
Represent the Trust at internal and external meetings.
To create and maintain a strong culture of Infection Prevention and Control awareness and practice.
Manage Corporate Services
To utilise the Capacity Task Management System in the allocation of all outstanding jobs to the most appropriate member of the team.
To chair handover meetings and allocate roles and work appropriately.
Monitor DIGIT at all times ensuring patients are allocated an appropriate bed as soon as possible after referral to a specialty team.
When holding the hospital bleep, co-ordinate services and liaise with the on call manager as necessary.
To ensure the deployment of staff resources fairly across the Trust ensuring patient safety at all times.
Work closely with the Shift Co-ordinator within the A&E Department to ensure the Trusts escalation process is adhered to at all times.
To be responsible and accountable for ensuring all patients transferred to any area designated as extra capacity are appropriate for transfer with an early discharge date planned.
To be responsible and accountable for ensuring that the Trust outlier list is up to date and accurate at all times.
You will be responsible and accountable for the quality of patient care when extra capacity is opened and will be required to ensure that there is always a Trust substantive member of staff working in this area.
Promote excellence and best practice across all clinical services, emphasising high quality patient pathways that minimise waste.
Review critical incidents and produce written reports, which include recommendations for service improvements when service deficiencies are identified.
Ensure adherence to all measures within the bed management and escalation policies.
Communication and Facilitation
Ensure external communication links with stakeholders are established and maintained. Triage GP calls using clinical knowledge, negotiating admission or advising of alternative health care services that may be more appropriate for the patients needs.
Ensure the morning broadcast is sent out to relevant personnel by 9am each morning.
Consider any referrals for an emergency admission for assessment within the Ambulatory Emergency Clinic (AEC).
Ensure when any referrals are accepted from either GP or outpatient clinic that the full patient details are entered onto the DIGIT system, so that the on call team is aware of all expected patients.
Advise the on call manager and on call director of any operational capacity issues which are impacting or have the potential to impact on the smooth flow of patients through the Trust, so that solutions can be put in place to minimise the impact of reduced capacity.
To be responsible and accountable for communicating the alert status of the Trust to the Arden Cluster using the EMS system, requesting assistance as necessary and to negotiate with community teams the movement of appropriate patients to their area of care.
Ensure that clear and concise information is maintained on all documentation adhering to the NMC documentation standards.
To contribute to policy and practice changes arising from audits and complaints that has an impact on the patients journey throughout the Trust.
Undertake organisational audit, research and benchmarking activities analysing data to inform recommendations for changes in practice to facilitate seamless patient journeys.
Communicate effectively and clearly with all members of staff within the Trust and work closely with wards and departments to build good communications and working relationships to aid a smooth patient journey.
Training and Development
Promote the role of site capacity manager/H24/7 Co-ordinator and encourage junior and senior colleagues to spend time shadowing you so that a greater understanding of the role and the Trusts capacity issues including decision making can be understood.
Promote an environment through education and training that supports and encourages the proactive management of patients safely from admission, transfer and discharge.
Act as a role model for other professionals and a source of information, advice and support.
Participate in the major incident procedure in accordance with the Trusts major incident procedure in a co-ordinating and advisory role for capacity and staff deployment.
Work in collaboration with the Emergency Planning Officer to ensure that systems are in place to support a major incident by robust business continuity plans. Actively participate in the development and testing of plans to ensure a robust response in the event of a major or significant incident.
Ensure attendance at Major Incident Training.
Leadership
Attend professional meetings and ensure the dissemination of information appropriately, clearly, professionally and timely.
To be responsible and accountable for the delegation of duties that promote safe and efficient patient flow within the Trust.
To compile reports as requested and disseminate as necessary and present at relevant meetings when required to do so.
Actively develop, update and implement policies for the transfer of patients between wards or hospitals with a view to ensure the minimising of patient movement wherever possible. To participate and be responsible for developing and updating the bed management policy a minimum of yearly.
Act as an ambassador for the Trust in professional and public settings, with patients, relatives, visitors and staff.
Clinical Governance
Participate in strategies and use relevant information systems to collect and interpret data that will lead to the formulation of action plans that seek to improve bed management and patient flow systems.
Liaise closely with Infection Control and Risk Management Teams to assist in the formulation and initiation of appropriate strategies that minimise risks to patients, particularly those associated with patient transfers throughout the Trust.
Respond to all verbal and written complaints in line with the Trusts complaints procedure initiating resolutions where possible.
Participate in the monitoring, planning, delivery and auditing of practices that are concerned with capacity management and control.
Ensure all issues relating to the implementation of clinical governance within the remit of the post are addressed.
For full details of the responsibilities associated with this role, please see attached Job Description.
