Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Leadership and Professional Practice

• Develop and promote professional nursing practice, ensuring staff maintain and enhance the knowledge, skills, and competencies required within the clinical area.
• Provide effective leadership, supervision, mentorship, and support to registered nurses, healthcare support workers, and students.
• Foster a positive working environment that maintains staff morale, particularly during challenging and stressful situations, through effective communication, regular feedback, and visible leadership.
• Create and maintain an environment where patients' physical, psychological, social, and emotional needs are assessed, planned, implemented, and evaluated using a holistic, patient-centred approach.
• Ensure accurate, timely, and comprehensive nursing documentation is maintained in accordance with NMC standards, Trust policies, and legal requirements.
• Promote health and wellbeing initiatives for patients, carers, and staff, embedding health promotion principles into everyday clinical practice.
• Coordinate patient admissions, transfers, and discharges in collaboration with medical teams, bed management services, community providers, and multidisciplinary colleagues to ensure safe and effective patient flow.
• Provide support and guidance to patients, relatives, and staff during highly sensitive and distressing situations, including terminal illness, end-of-life care, and bereavement.
• Undertake comprehensive patient risk assessments and ensure safe moving and handling practices are carried out in accordance with Trust policies.
• Demonstrate resilience and professionalism when managing exposure to challenging clinical situations, including bodily fluids, violence, aggression, and other unpleasant working conditions.
• Maintain personal professional development and ensure compliance with mandatory training, professional registration requirements, and continuing education.

Management and Operational Responsibilities

• Hold delegated responsibility for the management of the ward budget, ensuring the effective and efficient use of financial, human, and physical resources in partnership with the Modern Matron.
• Manage staffing resources fairly and effectively, including workforce planning, sickness absence, annual leave, study leave, and overtime in accordance with Trust policies and service requirements.
• Create and sustain a positive educational environment that supports staff development, learning, and career progression.
• Lead on infection prevention and control within the unit, ensuring compliance with Trust policies, national guidance, and best practice standards.
• Ensure effective communication systems are established and maintained to keep staff informed, engaged, and involved in service developments.
• Deputise for the Modern Matron as required, providing operational and professional leadership across the service.
• Undertake additional duties and responsibilities as requested by senior management to support service delivery and organisational objectives.

Quality, Governance and Service Improvement

• Monitor, evaluate, and continuously improve standards of nursing care and service delivery within the clinical area.
• Develop, review, implement, and update local clinical policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure alignment with evidence-based practice and organisational priorities.
• Ensure all staff comply with Trust policies, professional standards, statutory requirements, and regulatory frameworks.
• Promote and support the implementation of evidence-based practice, quality improvement initiatives, clinical audit, and research activities.
• Support the development of nursing practice in line with national healthcare priorities, the NHS Modernisation Agenda, and organisational strategic objectives.
• Ensure the Clinical Nurse Manager (Modern Matron) is informed of significant incidents, service developments, risks, and operational challenges.
• Investigate complaints, incidents, and clinical risks in accordance with Trust procedures and Clinical Governance requirements, ensuring lessons learned are identified, communicated, and embedded into practice.
• Participate in working groups, service improvement programmes, and research projects that contribute to the ongoing development of patient care and clinical services.
• Maintain effective working relationships with community services, social care providers, and multidisciplinary teams to facilitate high-quality patient care and continuity across care pathways.