AEC/SDEC Manager

Job overview

The Band 7 Department Manager is responsible for the operational, clinical, professional, and financial leadership of the Ambulatory Care/Same Day Emergency Care Department. The post holder will ensure the delivery of safe, effective, high-quality patient care and achieve national and local performance standards relating to urgent and emergency care pathways.

The post holder will provide visible leadership to multidisciplinary teams, driving service improvement, patient flow, quality assurance, workforce development and governance while ensuring patients receive assessment, diagnosis, treatment and discharge within the same day whenever clinically appropriate

Main duties of the job

• Act as the clinical leader for the department.
• Ensure the provision of safe, effective, evidence-based patient care.
• Maintain professional standards in accordance with the NMC Code.
• Lead on the implementation of national SDEC and ambulatory care standards.
• Ensure timely assessment, treatment and discharge of patients.
• Support escalation and management of deteriorating patients.
• Lead investigations into clinical incidents, complaints and patient safety concerns.
• Promote a culture of patient-centred care and continuous improvement.
• Manage the day-to-day running of the SDEC/Ambulatory Care service.
• Ensure effective patient flow through the department.
• Monitor capacity and demand, taking appropriate actions to prevent delays.
• Work collaboratively with Emergency Department, Acute Medicine, Specialty Teams, Diagnostics and Community Services.
• Lead daily operational meetings and escalation processes when required.
• Ensure compliance with national targets and local key performance indicators.
• Participate in service planning and business continuity arrangements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Provide leadership, supervision and support to all staff within the department.
• Undertake recruitment, retention and workforce planning activities.
• Manage sickness absence, performance, and conduct and capability issues in line with Trust policies.
• Conduct annual appraisals and support staff development.
• Promote staff wellbeing and engagement.
• Develop succession planning strategies and future leaders.
• Ensure appropriate skill mix and staffing levels are maintained.
• Lead clinical governance activities within the department.
• Ensure compliance with CQC standards and Trust policies.
• Investigate incidents, complaints and serious adverse events.
• Monitor risk registers and implement mitigation plans.
• Lead audits and quality improvement initiatives.
• Ensure learning from incidents is disseminated and embedded into practice.
• Maintain high standards of infection prevention and control.
• Manage departmental budgets and resources efficiently.
• Monitor expenditure and identify cost improvement opportunities.
• Ensure effective use of staffing establishments and temporary staffing resources.
• Support business case development and service redesign initiatives.
• Ensure equipment and resources are maintained appropriately.
• Monitor and improve departmental performance metrics, including: SDEC conversion rates. Admission avoidance rates. Length of stay. Patient experience measures. Workforce metrics. Capacity utilisation. Quality indicators and safety measures.
• SDEC conversion rates.
• Admission avoidance rates.
• Length of stay.
• Patient experience measures.
• Workforce metrics.
• Capacity utilisation.
• Quality indicators and safety measures.
• Produce and present performance reports to senior management.
• Lead service improvement and transformation programmes.
• Support implementation of national urgent care initiatives.
• Develop innovative pathways to reduce avoidable admissions.
• Work closely with Integrated Care Systems (ICS), community providers and primary care services.
• Promote digital transformation and new models of care.
• Develop effective working relationships across multidisciplinary teams.
• Act as an ambassador for the department and organisation.
• Communicate complex information clearly to patients, relatives and staff.
• Manage challenging conversations and conflict resolution.
• Represent the department at Trust-wide meetings and external forums.

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.