Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for the permanent post of Head of Nursing for the Specialised Surgery Clinical Business Unit (CBU).
The Specialised Surgery CBU consists of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Major Trauma, Acute Rehab, Neurosurgery, Spines and Cardiothoracic.
As an experienced senior nurse, the post holder will take the lead on quality, safety and patient experience across their Clinical Business Unit / portfolio of work; contributing to the Quality
Improvement plan as well as contributing to the wider Care Group and Corporate Nursing, Midwifery and AHP Agenda.
The Head of Nursing will have responsibility for the nursing strategy for the Clinical Business Unit / portfolio of work, ensuring effective implementation of both national and local strategies and the achievement of service objectives within the available resources.
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The Head of Nursing will provide strong leadership across the portfolio of work ensuring that there are appropriate systems and processes in place to deliver on the objectives and drive services
forward.
They will be expected to communicate highly
complex and sometimes contentious information to large groups in a manner that is understandable and is likely to achieve engagement.
The CBU Head of Nursing will deputise for the Care Group Director of Nursing as necessary and as appropriate to their portfolio of work. On occasion the post holder will also provide cross cover for the other CBU Head(s) of Nursing within the Care Group.
Main duties of the job
The Clinical Business Unit (CBU) Head of Nursing, Head of Operations, and Medical Director work as a flat triumvirate and are jointly expected to lead their Clinical Business Unit/portfolio of work.
Together, they ensure that national and local quality targets are achieved along with ensuring all aspects of people, organisational development, quality, finance and performance are delivered as part of the Clinical Business Unit, Care Group and Trust strategic objectives.
You will work closely with the Care Group Director of Nursing and the Head of Operations for the CBU. You will be accountable for ensuring that patient flow is optimised and escalations are managed effectively. As a senior leader your will take a key role in the Planned Care Group Your leadership will be instrumental in resolving operational issues, implementing Trust policies, redesigning and streamlining pathways across both sites for all of the specialities within the CBU and supporting staff across all departments.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key Areas/Tasks
- Participate in Corporate, Care Group and Business Unit meetings and decision making as required
- Participate in the Trusts Tactical on call rota
- Brief the Care Group Director of Nursing on professional issues across UHNM sites.
- Ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times, only releasing information obtained during employment to those acting in an official capacity in accordance with the Data Protection Act
- Act as a role model, maintaining and upholding high standards of professional behaviours and maintaining own clinical skills
- Be responsible for ensuring and maintaining high standards of clinical care for patients and providing a safe environment for patients
- To receive, interpret and communicate highly complex and sometimes conflicting information to large groups of staff who may have conflicting views or objectives. Reconciling these conflicting views where there are significant barriers to accepting and/or understanding decisions
- Provide, receive and act on sensitive or contentious information relating to the Trusts highly specialist, complex service/modernisation issues which at times may be emotive and/or controversial
- Ability to demonstrate the acquisition of additional specialist leadership/management knowledge (equivalent to master’s level), through training and experience acquired over time. This will include financial, HR and activity management as well as the leadership of a range of clinical services.
- A sound working knowledge of acute service provision.
- Able to act in accordance with the Nursing & Midwifery Council/Health and Care Professionals Council Code of Conduct
- Be able to undertake clinical activity to monitor the quality of care and experience of patients in all clinical settings.
- Monitor complaints and incidents, relating to patient flow/site and operational management across the Trust ensuring appropriate responses and action plans.
- Be an effective leader of change, embedding a culture of continuous quality improvement.
- Work with the Deputy Chief Nurse-Operations/Professional Lead Quality and Operations and Care group senior leadership teams to embed systems to deliver high standards of safe care based on best practice and clear evidence.
- Be able to competently use Trust electronic systems to analyse information and take appropriate action to maintain Trust performance.
- Challenge practice, to ensure that best practices is identified and shared Trust wide, enabling awareness of the need to change practice and provide evidence-based care
- To act as an expert resource and provide advice on patient care in relation to clinical interventions, policies, service development and delivery.
- Able to cope with interruptions whilst in periods of concentration and manage conflicting priorities.
- Participate in Trust investigations and disciplinary hearings as required.
- Take action when professional standards fall short of those acceptable.
- To support the implementation and monitoring of performance against local and national Key Performance Indicators, taking action to continually improve performance.
- Support and encourage multi-disciplinary working, which focuses upon patient pathways ensuring the smooth transition of the patient through the care process including facilitating the movement of patients through care locations, to ensure patients are cared for within an optimum time frame.
- Be able to deal with distressing or emotional situations
- Recognise the impact on staff, patients, and visitors of sometimes tragic and distressing situation. Give appropriate advice and support as needed whilst maintaining a calm professional manner
- Be competent in basic IT skills including the use of word, excel and Trust BI dashboards
- Competently use Trust electronic systems and BI dashboards to analyse data and inform decisions
- Ensure compliance with manual handling training and use of appropriate techniques.
- Support the development of the clinical research agenda.
- Develop communication methods to help reduce barriers to change, using appropriate language to engage with staff in a positive manner
- Support and promote the development of continuous improvement methodology capability within your team and its application in delivery of service outputs.
- Utilise the Improving Together tools, routines and behaviours to coach and develop the capability of your team to do a little every day to improve and deliver exceptional care aligned to the UHNM strategic priority domains.
Personal/Professional Development
- Maintain professional registration (NMC, HCPC.) and qualifications, including working towards or holding a master’s degree in a relevant field.
- Engage in personal development planning, appraisal processes, and ongoing training to enhance leadership competence.
- Demonstrate advanced leadership and management knowledge, including financial, HR, and activity management.
- To have a minimum of 2 years in a recent senior nursing role in an acute setting.
This job description is not an exhaustive document but reflects the current position. Details and emphasis may change in line with service needs after consultation with the post holder.
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This advert is for Head of Nursing-Specialised Surgery CBU with University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust in Stoke On Trent, Midlands, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Nurse (adult and children) role. The advertised salary is £66,582 - £77,368 per annum. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 18 Jun 2026.
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