Children's Outpatients Ward Leader

Job overview

Are you an experienced, enthusiastic, dynamic and critical thinking Children's Nurse with strong leadership skills? Can you demonstrate sound clinical expertise and a passion for improving the patient journey for paediatric patients and their families? This may the the right opportunity for you!

We invite you to come and lead the Children's Outpatients Department as the Ward Leader at Variety Children's Hospital, King's College Hospital, Camberwell.

Main duties of the job

As the Ward Leader, you will be responsible for:

• Day to day management of the service in Children's Outpatients
• Ensuring the nursing care delivered is of a high standard
• Appropriate and effective utilisation of human and physical resources
• Demonstration of effective leadership and motivation of staff
• Delivery of nurse led services and clinics as the service demands

Working for our organisation

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of £1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Practice

• To have advanced holistic patient assessment skills so that clinical decision making leads to prompt and appropriate action in the best interests of patient's well-being
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills so that professional advice or care guidance instructions are well understood by patients, their relatives and/or carers, and members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Ensures continuity of patient care through effective staff deployment.
• Ensures good discharge planning so that individual patient’s needs are met with an appropriate plan of action and involving the multi-professional team as required.
• Regularly checks patient care documentation to see that all aspects of care have been considered, individual patients’ needs identified and that an appropriate care plan exists in relation to meeting the identified needs.
• To work in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, and Trust Policies and Procedures
• Communicates effectively with patients and their carers; colleagues and students.
• Works effectively as part of the multi-professional, inter-disciplinary team.
• Is clinically and professionally up-to-date with current trends and developments in the clinical speciality.
• Functions as an effective role model in the clinical setting, demonstrating the application of breadth and depth of nursing knowledge and skills, and in advising and supporting members of the multidisciplinary team
• Helps to facilitate the cascade of information ensuring awareness of Care Group, Trust and NHS initiatives supporting staff discussion and responding to feedback
• Supports ward teams through regularly working clinical shifts including long day shifts
• To ensure compliance with the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy supporting the delivery of the Trust's duty to positively promote race equality and equality of opportunity for disabled people ensuring services are responsive to the needs of equality groups
• To have full knowledge of Trust's Major Incident Plan and your role within it
• To have full knowledge of the Trust's safeguarding policies and procedures and demonstrate ability to raise concerns and work with other agencies to protect children

Education and Research

• Works collaboratively with the Practice Development Nurse so that staff receive appropriate education and staff development
• Manages the wards/department's allocated education and staff training budget in accordance with the Trust's corporate need and the Care Group's business objectives
• Ensures the development and provision of a good quality clinical learning environment that supports pre-registration nursing students and continuing professional development
• Participates in Trust approved research studies, keeping the Assistant Director of Nursing (Education and Research) informed of the progress of these if the fieldwork is being undertaken within the department

Management

• Facilitates and supports nurses in working collaboratively with all other members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Adopts an appropriate management style in accordance with changing circumstances
• Deploys nursing staff and physical resources appropriately. Reviews the duty rota, and negotiates skill mix levels ensuring that they most appropriately meet service needs
• Works with the Human Resources Manager on the resolution of complex HR issues.
• Keeps the Matron/Head of Nursing informed of any untoward incidents and complaints.
• Discusses with the Matron and Head of Nursing any plans in relation to service development, service improvement, and the resolution of any on-going problems.
• Undertakes certain grades of nursing staff’s annual appraisal and to ensure they have a Personal Development Plan, and to assist with the appraisal of other staff in liaison with the Matron and Head of Nursing.
• Provides effective leadership and acts as a positive role model. Delegates appropriately, and encourages staff to develop and advance their skills.
• Communicates well with staff, holding regular ward meetings.
• Plays an active role in the recruitment and retention of staff.
• Ensures safe storage of the patients’ records at ward/departmental level so that confidentiality is maintained.
• Participates in benchmark and quality audits, and observations of care
• Ensures that staff receive feedback on the results of audits, and that where necessary action is taken to improve standards
• Manages the allocated ward budget effectively, maximising the use of resources and reducing any wastage in accordance with Trust and Care Group objectives
• Acts up across suitable roles as required by management for service need, or as part of an agreed personal development plan
• Is proactive in the management of change and can support staff through times of change
• Investigates complaints and adverse incidents as required by Matron and Head of Nursing, taking appropriate action in dealing with situations that could result in the need for disciplinary procedure
• Ensures Health and Safety regulations are complied with
• Ensures that staff are aware of the Trust policy on Adverse Incident reporting and that forms are completed correctly
• Ensures that staff are aware of Trust policies and procedures and the need to comply with these

Personal and Professional Development

· Has an annual appraisal and produces agreed performance objectives and a Personal Development Plan.

· Is an active member of the Ward Managers Forum.

· Reflects on own practice and keeps a personal learning portfolio.

· Works in accordance with the Trust’s documented standards on nursing skills and required competences.

· Works towards achieving and then maintaining the Trust’s Care Group Competency in oral drug administration. Undertakes the university-accredited intravenous drug administration training programme and achieves and maintains the associated practical competences

• Undertakes other in-house training as required

People Management and Performance

• Lead, coach and manage the performance of the team in line with good people management practices. Ensuring excellence is recognised and under performance is addressed
• Participate in regular performance appraisal meeting and ensure each member of the team has a clear set of objectives and development plans
• Ensure the team is compliant with all statutory, mandatory training together with any professional training requirements and ensuring they are up to date and fully compliant
• Manage team absences including sickness in line with Trust policy ensuring appropriate return to work meetings occur, e-roster us updated and productivity is kept to the highest possible level
• Identify talent and support the internal talent management process in order to attract and retain and succession plan for your people
• Review skills mix at regular intervals in order to identify and potential opportunities to maximise resource utilisation/allocation, ensuring job descriptions are kept up to date
• Ensure overall well being of the team is maintained.
• Continuously support in improving the morale of the team and implementing a culture of zero tolerance for bullying and harassment

General

• The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and well being and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
• To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
• We want to be an organisation where everyone shares a commitment to delivering the very best care and feels like their contribution is valuable and valued.To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.
• To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.
• This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.
• All employees must hold an 'nhs.net' email account which will be the Trust's formal route for email communication.
• Everyone is responsible for promoting inclusion no matter their role or team. At King’s, we want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and welcomed

Safeguarding

The Trust takes the issues of Safeguarding Children, Adults and addressing Domestic Abuse very seriously. All employees have a responsibility to support the organisation in our duties by;

• attending mandatory training on safeguarding children and adults
• familiarising themselves with the Trust's processes for reporting concerns
• reporting any safeguarding child or adult concerns appropriately

Infection Control

· The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene procedures and requirements when in clinical areas

• The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to make to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role.

· These requirements are set out in the National Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures which will be made clear during your induction and subsequent refresher training. These standards must be strictly complied with at all times.

· In carrying out the duties of the post, the employee is required to work in accordance with the policies and procedures of King’s College Hospital, including Health and Safety, confidentiality, data protection and equal opportunities. King’s College Hospital operates a no smoking policy.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Current registration as NMC Registered Nurse (Child)
• Knowledge of Trust’s safeguarding policies and procedures and the ability to raise concerns appropriately
• A management qualification or training, or the willingness to undertake this

skills

Essential criteria

• Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Can analyse and interpret information in an effective manner and exercises sound judgment as a consequence
• Significant and proven clinical and management skills

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

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King's College Hospital is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between King's College London, and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.