Job summary
- Main area
- Bluebell Ward PPH
- Grade
- Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 371-MHS757-A
- Employer
- Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Prospect Park Hospital
- Town
- Reading
- Salary
- £53,755 - £60,504 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/06/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 17/06/2025
Employer heading
Ward Manager
Band 8a
Job overview
If you are looking for the next step in your mental health career pathway, our Acute Wards can offer you a great environment that will enable you to develop your leadership as Ward Manager.
The opportunity has arisen on Bluebell Ward, an 18 bedded Mental Health In-Patient Ward at Prospect Park Hospital. The Ward has a good core team of experienced staff who actively manage the admissions into their care and have a clear and proactive approach to discharge planning and future pathways as appropriate. The team works cohesively with the MDT members to provide safe and compassionate care as well as the wider In-Patient and community services to provide a seamless and consistent approach to the patient journey.
We are looking for a capable, reliable, warm, and dynamic registered healthcare professional who has previous experience of working at Band 7 level and in managing a team of staff. As the Ward Manager, you will work closely with the Deputy Service Manager and the Inpatient Services Manager to both maintain and improve the high standards of patient care in these areas, and to support and develop a comprehensive a diverse Ward team in their roles. We are keen to recruit Ward Managers with excellent communications skills who also have experience of report writing and presentations to help further develop our clinical governance and training and development offer.
Main duties of the job
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Have overall responsibility for the smooth and efficient management and day to day running of the ward.
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Provide operational and clinical leadership. Working effectively with community teams to ensure there is a clear purpose for admission and discharge planning commences at the point of admission.
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Work with the Deputy Service Manager taking responsibility for ensuring that safe high-quality care is delivered, including taking the lead for health & safety and infection prevention and control.
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Have overall responsibility for the line management of the ward.
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Be an effective leader and role model, providing direct clinical care and advice, in addition to ensuring effective use of non-clinical time.
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Manage resources within an agreed budget.
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Promotes initiatives for developing nursing practice, skills and role redesign, including the development of advanced clinical practice.
Working for our organisation
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
- Caring for and about you is our top priority
- Committed to providing good quality, safe services
- Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
- Flexible working options to support work-life balance
- 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- ‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
- Free parking across Trust sites
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Some of the must haves for you to be considered for this role:
- Registered Mental Healthcare Nurse.
- Previous experience of working at ward manager level
- Evidence of ongoing relevant professional development and self-improvement to support patient experience.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to use these both on the ward and in other internal/ external forums and situations.
The successful applicant will benefit from our Ward Managers Development Programme and work directly with our Nurse Consultant Team to support the clinical care and Team development.
The post holder will have day to day strategic and operational responsibilities for the ward, ensuring effective ward management and a high level of integration with other services and organisations. In particular, viewing the ward as one part of the continuum of care and facilitating opportunities for service users to benefit from inpatient services before returning to their usual place of residence and care team.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We’re committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don’t hesitate to call: or email: Gilbert Orwako on 01189605108 or email: [email protected] who’ll be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential criteria
- Registered Healthcare Professional (e.g. RMN, RGN, OT, Psychologist etc.)
- Teaching and assessing qualification
- Post registration education within relevant field
- Leadership / management qualification
- Mentorship qualification
Continuous Professional Development
Essential criteria
- Evidence of ongoing relevant professional development and self- improvement to support patient experience
Previous Experience
Essential criteria
- Previous experience of working at ward manager level
- Recent experience working within mental health services
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and ability to use these both on the ward and in other internal/ external forums and situations
- Mental health legislation, which includes the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and DOLS
- Evidence of effective leadership skills
- Competence in developing staff
- IT literate
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Gilbert Orwako
- Job title
- Deputy Inpatient Service Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01189605108
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