Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical

- Directly deliver, coordinate and supervise patient care, ensuring that the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care is of high standard, encompassing the Trust vision of ‘best care for everyone

- Deliver, demonstrate and supervise safe and appropriate care within a challenging and changing clinical environment, using highly specialised equipment and resources

- Maintain visibility within the clinical area, role modelling high standards of care, evidence-based practice and effective leadership

- Actively manage and professionally lead the nursing team as a key member of the multidisciplinary workforce

- Work collaboratively and cohesively with the multidisciplinary team to meet the needs of patients and their families and provide high standards of care

- Administer, demonstrate and supervise the delivery of medications, within the Procedure for the Ordering, Prescribing, and Administration of Medications (POPAM) guidelines

- Take a key role in the implementation of any clinical initiative or introduction of new equipment

- Take an active clinical leadership role and act as shift co-ordinator when required

- Work continuously to promote and support clinical training, education and development of other staff

Management

- Work alongside the Matron, Band 7’s, consultants and wider team to determine and deliver on strategic service objectives

- Manage and lead the service within agreed standard operational procedures and support the development of new working practices as appropriate

- Work alongside the matron to develop and implement action plans to achieve key performance indicators and ensure high standards of care

- Work alongside site and operational delivery teams to maintain patient flow within agreed procedures, reduce patient’s length of stay and improve patient experience

- Manage day to day safe staffing levels and escalate concerns using escalation processes 

- Maintain the electronic roster to ensure that it is kept up to date and record and monitor staff absences, ensuring staff sickness and absence comply with the Trust targets

- Line manage a defined group of staff, ensuring that appropriate human resource policies, procedures and practices are followed

- Identify and manage any staff underperformance and lead / assist in the development and implementation of performance action plans as appropriate

- Seek to eliminate / reduce any staff conflict and take any remedial and on-going action as appropriate

- Manage any patient, relative or staff complaints in line with the Trust complaints procedure

- Deliver and support staff appraisals and promote mandatory training to achieve key performance indicators

- Facilitate the recruitment of nurses through effective processes to enable the selection of the most suitable candidates, whilst supporting those individuals to make an appropriate career choice

- Facilitate staff retention by focusing upon initial selection as above and promoting clinical support, job satisfaction and opportunities for staff personal and professional development

- Deputise for the Matron during any absence to represent Head and Neck services as required

- Take responsibility for the health and safety of patients, relatives and staff and contribute towards clinical and environmental risk assessments and risk reduction practices

- Work in a manner that makes best use of available resources and aim to reduce unnecessary waste from a financial and environmental perspective

- Support the Matron to manage the pay and non-pay budgets as appropriate and agreed

Leadership

- Jointly lead on maximising the opportunities to develop a highly skilled, motivated and engaged workforce which continually strives to improve patient, relative and staff experience

- Demonstrate a positive and pro-active approach to the on-going support and development of nurses and other staff members

- Role model high standards of patient care, communication, commitment and organisation for others to follow

- Maintain a creative, yet measured approach to service developments and use effective leadership skills to ensure effective change

- Encourage and promote a ‘shared leadership’ model, enabling and empowering others, of all grades, to take the lead with various initiatives within Head and Neck services and the wider Trust whilst clearly demonstrating the Trust leadership values and behaviours.

- Lead or actively support all agreed quality improvements within Head and Neck services and link with other teams and services as appropriate within and outside of Trust.

- Collaborate with local, network and national colleagues as appropriate to maintain shared best practice within critical care

 Communication, interpersonal skills, professionalism and personal qualities

- Deliver complex and contentious information to large and small groups sometimes in clinical areas where staff may be reluctant to be involved.

- Demonstrate an ability to work cohesively with all members of the Head and Neck team

- Communicate with colleagues, patients and their relatives with sensitivity and empathy

- Communicate sensitively with staff members, particularly when needing to lead ‘difficult’ conversations or manage underperformance

- Demonstrate an ability to work under pressure and to agreed timescales

- Take initiative and demonstrate a progressive, creative and forward-thinking approach

- Act as a good role model for others to follow to include personal appearance and adherence to Trust uniform policy

- Work in a manner to promote the Trust values and core objectives

- Work within the NMC code of conduct at all times

- Maintain own professional development, mandatory training and NMC revalidation requirements

- Always seek advice and support when required and encourage others to do the same

Research and audit
- Work in a manner that promotes any audits or research taking place within Head and Neck services or the wider Trust as appropriate

- Promote and demonstrate the use of evidence-based practice and related policy, procedure and guidelines

- Asist in the collection and reporting of data as appropriate to maintain key performance indicators

Education and training

- In conjunction with the Matron, identify personal training and development needs through the Trust appraisal process

- Maintain and continually develop knowledge, competence and skills required to perform the role effectively

- Undertake all mandatory training appropriate to role

- Support the training, education and development of staff within defined service as appropriate

- Be actively involved in and support departmental education programmes

- Develop the skills to supervise, mentor, support and educate less experienced and non-registered staff in the clinical practice setting

- Organise, implement and support mentor and educational programmes for students

Improving safety, quality and developing practice

- Work with senior staff undertaking audit and research projects. To be involved in making recommendations for changes to management practice and procedures and the implementation of those changes as appropriate.

- Contribute to the Clinical Governance and Quality agenda by active participation in service initiatives, health and safety and risk management.

- Take joint responsibility for leading on safe and effective infection, prevention and control measures

- Develop and share own knowledge with other members of the wider team both locally and nationally.

- Identify own development needs, aligning these to service requirements and personal aspirations. Proactively develop and improve own practice using all available resources

- Understand and contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of standard operational procedures, policies, protocols and guidelines relevant to the defined service

- Openly question and challenge strategic and operational practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved.

- Report and investigate incidents as appropriate within role and designated service

 Physical, Mental & Emotional Effort & Working Conditions

 - Comply with Trust and departmental policies and procedures e.g. Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), Manual Handling, risk management, Data Protection Acts and patient confidentiality at all times

- Required to utilise recognised manual handling techniques and guidelines

- Will be expected to frequently manoeuvre patients / objects over 15 kg using appropriate aids

- Will have exposure to, and will be required to follow policies and procedures pertaining to, infestations, bodily fluids, infection control and substances hazardous to health.

- Will have regular exposure to distressing and emotionally demanding situations involving staff, patients and relatives

- Will have regular exposure to patients displaying verbal and physical abuse

- Will be required to concentrate for long periods of time

- There will be an on-going requirement to maintain excellent standards of care whilst working under pressure in an ever-changing and challenging environment

- Ensure a smart, professional image that enhances the public perception of the Trust and the professionalism of its staff