Head of Nursing

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Overview: Head of Nursing Urgent and Emergency Care

The Head of Nursing will work in partnership with the Directorate Medical Director and Directorate Manager, forming a key part of the Directorates senior leadership team to ensure the effective, safe, and efficient running of services. The post holder will provide strategic and operational nursing leadership, driving excellence in clinical standards, quality, safety, and patient experience while ensuring compliance with Trust policies, national guidance, and regulatory standards.

As the senior nursing leader for the Directorate, the post holder will be accountable for the professional leadership and development of the nursing and midwifery workforce, including Clinical Matrons and Directorate Matrons. They will promote a culture of continuous improvement, professional accountability, and compassionate care, ensuring nursing practice reflects the Trusts values and the principles of the 6Cs care, compassion, competence, communication, courage, and commitment.

Working as part of the Directorates triumvirate leadership team, the Head of Nursing will:

Lead on the delivery of the nursing and midwifery strategy within the Directorate.

Ensure high standards of care, patient safety, and infection prevention and control are maintained.

Drive improvements in clinical quality, governance, workforce planning, and operational performance.

Support the achievement of key performance indicators (KPIs) and compliance with CQC standards.

Act as a visible and accessible leader, engaging with staff, patients, and families to promote a positive experience of care.

Contribute to strategic service development, workforce transformation, and continuous professional development across the Directorate.

Represent the Directorate internally and externally, providing expert professional advice and contributing to Trust-wide initiatives and programmes.

This role requires a highly motivated, credible, and compassionate nursing leader who can balance operational demands with strategic vision, ensuring that nursing services are safe, effective, efficient, and aligned to the Trusts overall mission and values.

For full job details and responsibilities please refer to the job description and person specification document.

Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience of clinical working in acute hospital settings
• Substantial demonstrable experience working in health care
• Proven knowledge and demonstrable experience of providing clinical supervision and being a clinical role model
• Good proven working knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and experience in use for clinical decision-making, Best Interest decisions, DOLS etc

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse / Healthcare Professional with current NMC or HCPC registration.
• Master's degree or equivalent experience, and commitment to ongoing postgraduate development.
• Proven evidence of on-going professional development and post-registration education at post-graduate level

Desirable

• Recognised teaching, mentorship, or leadership qualification.

Aptitude and abilities

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, with effectiveness in written and verbal communications including ability to communicate effectively with patients, families and carers on sensitive issues
• Ability to lead, supervising and developing clinical practice - with resilience and flexibility to work alongside different teams.
• Ability to present written and verbal reports - presenting highly complex data and holding complex discussions with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

Disposition / Attitude / Motivation

Essential

• Demonstrate enthusiasm for the post and the development of the service.
• Able to work autonomously without the need for direct supervision.
• Flexible, innovative, and adaptable to change.
• Able to work collaboratively with colleagues across health social private and voluntary care sectors.

Desirable

• Ability to employ stress management strategies to help themselves and others

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 Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH

Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)