Job responsibilities CLINICAL LEADERSHIP Create, lead and maintain a nursing culture which is open to change, new ideas, concepts and innovation, whilst influencing Trust strategy and direction. Achieved by: A commitment to patients centred values. Working with patients/families/carers and the multi-disciplinary team to provide therapeutic care that anticipates and responds to the needs of patients. Develop a philosophy of care which involves the rights of patients, carers and staff. Creating a shared vision with the team, integrating and embracing risk taking, flexibility and change. Provide clear direction and leadership for nurses with regard to legal, ethical and professional dimensions or care. Promoting peoples equality, diversity and rights. Promote an organisational philosophy and structure philosophy which enables appropriate delegation of authority to all levels and encourages staff to take up development opportunities, within existing or new roles. Facilitate an environment in which critical appraisal of practice is fostered alongside innovative practice. Responsible for taking an overview of the contribution that other disciplines make to their clinical area and taking action to ensure efficiency is achieved. Develop annual ward objectives, establishing service developments in line with Directorate and organisational plans. Maintain awareness of national and regional initiatives and subsequent transfer of these into practice. Being proactive in the development and facilitation of the 10 key roles for nursing. Retain a productive workforce. Instigate, manage and facilitate others to lead organisational change for the benefit of patients. Actively being involved in the delivery of any new strategies for patient care that impacts on their clinical environment and taking the lead in promoting the nursing contribution. Foster and demonstrate creativity, energy and inspiration in leading the nursing team. Supervising and facilitating staff in guided structured reflection in complete situations, utilising a range of skills which may include clinical incident analysis and practice review processes. Support and contribute to the Trusts Shared Leadership practice development councils. Participate in Professional Forums. Fulfil the role of the senior nurse bleep holder when required in Division or when rostered. QUALITY / CLINICAL GOVERNANCE Responsible for improving the patient experience, and safeguarding high standards of care by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care can flourish and be measured. Achieved by: Overtly valuing patient centred care. Act as the patients advocate when necessary. Create a ward culture which recognises and works in partnership with patients and carers involving them in all decisions. Strive for continuous improvements in the delivery of high quality patient focused care. Proactively lead in the admission, discharge or transfer of care arrangements taking responsibility for initiating improvement. Working and co-ordinating in a collaborative manner with other health care professionals and other relevant agencies. Lead patient and public involvement activities in the ward area, leading to service improvement. Respecting and promoting dignity, choice and autonomy of patients / families and carers. Undertake skilled therapeutic nursing intervention / care provision. Exercise clinical judgement, often with complex facts and circulating why clinical decisions were made. Ensure adequate and accurate patient documentation and records are maintained. Comply with Information Governance. Maximising the effectiveness of the team e.g., appropriate skill mix, duty rotas, training, mentorship (Ward Rota Policy). Organise and oversee clinical workload so that the competencies of staff are matched to the needs of the patients. Oversee complex clinical cases and using specialised skills and knowledge. Provide staff with guidance when necessary, taking responsibility for intervening in difficult situations. Using complaints positively and proactively to review and improve the quality of services. Support the ward complaints process. Develop efficient and effective reporting systems and encouraging staff to report any untoward incidents in a positive manner promoting confidentiality as appropriate. Ensure relevant incidents are thoroughly investigated, appropriately actioned, feedback given and learning from these incidents transferred into practice. Proactively generate, review clinical risk assessments, and action plan appropriately. Identify gaps in knowledge and prioritising areas for action for themselves and the ward team. Maintain a ward register of competencies. Establish and maintain a culture that continually updates practice by implementing valid research findings and facilitating appropriate research activity. Critique evidence-based literature and support others to develop this skill or signpost to relevant training and development opportunities. Contribute to the development, updating and implementing of protocols, guidelines and policies appropriate to the specialty which are evidence based. To review and act on patient quality indicators within the Nursing & Midwifery Quality Framework Interpret and evaluate information from diverse sources to enable informed decisions, to set standards for quality and appropriate care. Continually evaluating and auditing of practice by selecting and applying a broad range of appropriately valid and reliable methods. Participate in the Trusts accreditation process. Ensure effective use of resources including the safe staffing of their Unit, ensuring enough staff are in the right place at the right time based on safe skill mix and skills/competencies that meet the service needs. Ensure transparency of staffing is maintaining on Healthroster Ensure compliance with the safe staffing and escalation policy and the maintenance of Safe Care to ensure that the patient remains at the centre of decision making. MANAGEMENT OF PEOPLE Create, maintain and enhance a culture conducive to learning, and the personal and professional safety, growth and development of all staff. Achieved by: Ensure statutory training programmes are implemented, and all training is monitored, recorded and evaluated as been effective in meeting the needs of the service. Working in partnership with educational providers to promote an environment conducive to learning and development for all staff including students. Monitor and effectively managing sickness and absence. Identify future staffing requirement to meet service changes and trends in the delivery of care. Participate in ward staffing review process. Create healthy working environment with regard to health and safety policies, flexible working, promotion of the need to balance work and home life. Create, maintain and enhance effective working relationships. Recognising areas of interpersonal conflict and developing a proactive stance in resolving issues. Creating a culture conducive to learning, staff development and change. Leading and participating in all ward level recruitment and selection of staff, having due regard for employment law and policies Developing a systematic approach to performance management, ensuring annual appraisals of all staff, establishment of personal and professional objectives and goals, with regular monitoring and feedback. Working closely with Matron instigating capability, disciplinary and grievance procedures as appropriate. Supporting and coaching staff in their professional development, recognising and utilising individual skills and knowledge, and providing opportunities for further development, to nurture future leaders through talent management. Ensuring the correct storage of information relating to personal details of staff, maintaining all aspects of confidentiality about the appropriate use of information. Promoting, providing and participating in clinical supervision and other systems such as preceptorship, mentorship which allow staff to reflect and improve on their own practice. To focus on ward retention, including stay conversations, flexible working, extended scope of practice and succession planning. INFORMATION MANAGEMENT / COMMUNICATION Manage information processes at ward level, imparting knowledge, plans or proposals whilst facilitating timely and effective decisions. The Ward Manager will establish and maintain communication with various individuals and groups on complex potentially stressful topics in a range of situations. Achieved by: Proactively providing information in a format that meets the understanding of the receiver. Leading and contributing to the development of information systems. Interpreting and analysing data to support decision-making. Generating and providing accurate information to support and develop improvements in services. Using a range of skills to improve communication such as influencing, assertiveness, advocacy and championing. Promotes and models good practice consistent with legislation and professional guidance relating to communication. Recognises and reflects on barriers to effective communication and uses a range of techniques to improve communication. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Utilise financial resources effectively. Achieved by: Taking responsibility for all relevant financial resources including revenue, capital and charitable funds and ensuring the effective and efficient use of physical and financial resources. Work closely with finance management team to understand ward budgets. Managing and monitoring expenditure within agreed limits, accessing support from the finance department. Demonstrate compliance with relevant Corporate Governance requirements including Codes of Business Conduct & Scheme of Delegation. Work closely with the divisional finance team, Develop an appropriate understanding of and capability for budget management. Developing an appropriate understanding of business planning processes. Support the identification and implementation of measures to improve cost effectiveness and productivity in the delivery of services.