Acute Oncology Team Leader - Patient Flow

Job overview

We are recruiting 2 innovative, motivated and clinically credible professionals to join our Patient Flow Team in this exciting new role The role combines clinical decision-making with operational leadership. You will provide visible clinical leadership across inpatient and outpatient services, supporting the management of acutely unwell patients, timely decision-making and ensuring patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Working closely with Acute Oncology Team Leads, AAU, AACU and the Hotline Service, you will support patient flow, admission avoidance and access to specialist pathways. You will also contribute to daily operational management, receiving handovers from the Clinical Night Manager team and working alongside Matrons, Ward Managers and operational colleagues to oversee capacity, patient flow, staffing and workforce deployment.

You will collaborate with the Discharge Team Lead Nurse and MDT to improve discharge pathways, reduce delays and support safe transfers of care. As a senior clinical leader, you will contribute to Trust-wide quality improvement and transformation projects.

We are recruiting 2 individuals to deliver a five-day service and welcome applications for full-time or part-time roles. Please get in touch with us to discuss this further.

Main duties of the job

• Provide professional, operational and clinical leadership for the Patient Flow Team, including line management and day-to-day service oversight.  • Support the Trust Duty Manager function, providing senior clinical and operational leadership during periods of pressure and escalation.  • Deliver expert clinical assessment, advice and decision-making for acutely unwell or deteriorating patients across inpatient and outpatient services.  • Assess, prioritise and manage risks associated with admissions, transfers and discharges.  • Work closely with AAU, AACU and the Hotline Service to support patient flow, admission avoidance and ambulatory care pathways.  • Lead initiatives that reduce avoidable admissions and ensure patients receive care in the most appropriate setting.  • Coordinate safe patient placement, optimise capacity and maintain oversight of Trust-wide escalation and operational status.  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, community providers, social care, ICBs and partner organisations to ensure seamless patient journeys.  • Lead communication with key stakeholders regarding patient flow, discharge planning and complex cases.  • Work with Infection Prevention and Control teams to ensure safe patient placement and movement.  • Coordinate inter-hospital transfers and repatriations, ensuring safe and timely transitions of care.  • Provide operational updates and reports on capacity, patient flow and service pressures to senior nursing and operational teams.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL

TRAINING & EDUCATION

PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP

• A motivated and dynamic leader, striving for improvement in care and practice, and acting as positive role model to all staff.
• Demonstrate christie behaviours and values – maintains a high visibility within the clinical areas, providing support and advice to all staff.
• Provide management support for the Patient Flow Team
• Liaise closely with all ward managers/nursing teams and matrons across all inpatient and out patient settings to ensure accurate up to date knowledge of patient placements is achieved.
• Work closely with the infection prevention and control team to reduce patient risk of infection and ensure appropriate use of isolation and early identification of potential infection risks. Also liaise closely with domestic supervisors to organise deep clean team daily time table in line with trust needs.
• Liaise closely with critical care team to understand needs and prioritise care of acutely unwell patients across the trust.
• Work collaboratively with the Hotline team who provide 24 hours help and advice line to the trust to provide a safe admission process for emergency admissions.
• Work closely with the complex discharge team and community services to facilitate effective fast track and rapid discharge in line with palliative care Trust and National goals and initiatives.
• Liaise with consultant colleagues from all clinical specialities, to advise and escalate where necessary, of the site bed position to allow a strategy for overcoming shortfalls in capacity and demand.
• Foster and demonstrate creativity, energy and inspiration into ward teams toward efficient patient flows and pathways.
• Assess, plan and implement clinical care and maintain associated patient records.
• Be aware of Health and Safety issues and ensure relevant risk assessments are undertaken.
• Report and record all accidents and complaints according to the agreed policy, investigating speedily and compassionately
• Ensure all trust policies and procedures are adhered to and new ones implemented as necessary
• Ensure each designated staff member participates in a personal development plan and act to maximise the potential of others
• Assist in nursing recruitment process when required
• Take a progressive approach to the management of short and long-term sickness/absence in collaboration with the Department manager/Senior Nursing team
• Continuously review the service and implement change to the service to support ongoing improvements in bed management reflecting capacity and demand issues as well as all aspects of patient flow to ensure best possible patient experience from begging to end of their patient journey.
• Participate and lead, where appropriate, the daily meetings, gathering appropriate concise information.
• Ensure the patient flow team communicate the bed status clearly and to Trust manages both verbally and in report form
• Liaise with other hospitals and trusts to understand pressures and appropriately support patients on and off site through effective clinical judgement, assessment and communication to appropriately repatriate and transfer patients.
• Work as a professional role model, providing leadership at all times and work as the patient advocate when necessary, which reflects the Trust’s values and behaviours.
• Initiate the escalation plan when the hospital is at or nearing capacity.
• Be fully aware of the patient flow responsibilities within the major incident plan and its specific role within the Trust wide plan.
• To co-ordinate and where necessary take responsibility for care of patients in the transfer lounge
• Complete appropriate clinical skills and mandatory training as directed by management
• Supervise clinical staff and disseminate knowledge and current developments. Ensure all staff have an appropriate level of training and are offered relevant support
• Present at training days and conference
• Supervise and appraise nominated staff by establishing performance objectives and facilitating individual development opportunities through personal development plans.
• Participate and undertake research and audit which will influence practice
• To be up to date in all IV training programs including annual updates and competent in all areas of clinical practice including medicines management, moving and handling, assessment of critically ill patient and competent in performing ECG’s
• Attend all mandatory study days
• Maintain awareness and competency within the role against national and regional initiatives and subsequently implement these initiatives into practice.
• Take responsibility for training and education of the team and ensure equal opportunities for develop
• Maintain professional accountability
• Maintain a high-profile visible presence within wards and department areas whilst ensuring the highest standards are maintained
• Work as a professional role model and patient advocate which reflects the Trusts values and behaviours
• Contribute to local resolution of any informal or formal complaints and carry out any follow-up action as required
• Provide leadership to promote the patient flow and operational agenda
• Participate in professional forums where appropriate

Communication and Relationship skills

Planning and organisational skills

PERSONAL

• Act as a resource giving advice and support to nursing staff regarding emergency admissions and associated issues
• Provide and receive highly sensitive confidential information concerning patients requiring empathy, persuasion and reassurance.
• Deals with complex facts or situations requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options
• Liaise closely with the medical team and other members of the MDT in respect of patient care promoting the highest standard of care
• To develop and maintain a professional interest in all aspects of nursing and associated research
• To highlight areas of improvement/development within the department and undertake relevant projects
• Foster and demonstrate creativity, energy and inspiration into ward teams toward efficient patient flows and pathways.
• Plan and organise complex activities or programmes requiring formulation, adjustment and involving multiagency
• Provide highly specialised advice on trust status
• Responsibility for financial and physical resources . hold delegated budget authority for patient flow
• Responsibility for human resources. Day to day management of staffing levels for your team and when necessary, the division
• Deal with and support the team through highly distressing or emotional circumstances e.g giving unwelcome news or challenging decision making
• Demonstrate a pleasant and approachable manner and help create and promote a good working relationship.
• Show professional and courteous manner whilst practicing excellent communication skills at all levels
• Undertake relevant projects
• Represent the team at trust wide forums
• Keep abreast of issues influencing the Trust both internally and externally
• Participate in policy writing for the department and trust
• Be fully aware of the divisional objectives and the Trusts corporate plan
• To show respect for members of the team and endorse the departments philosophy of giving mutual support.
• Being aware of one’s own limitations, maintain confidentiality and adherence to NMC Professional Code of Conduct
• Cooperate in own performance review by indicating learning goals and support needs.
• Maintain confidentiality with regard to patient information both at work and outside working hours
• Report and record all accidents and complaints according to the agreed policy
• Actively seek mentorship / supervision to enable reflection and development within the role.