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Job requirements
Requirements from the employer’s person specification. These describe the role, not your personal match.
Essential
26 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Significant experience of operational management in a nursing leadership role at a senior level (matron or equivalent) in a large mental health organisation with a complex range of services.
- Experience
Experience of leading and implementing effective, transformational change.
- Experience
Experience of delivering projects to time in a complex organisation.
- Experience
Experience of teaching, training and development and implementing evidence-based practice /nursing research in practice.
- Experience
Experience of negotiating and presenting cohesive arguments.
- Experience
Experience of managing competing priorities effectively within constrained timescales, using limited resources.
- Experience
Experience of managing and leading a workforce and associated budgets.
- Experience
Experience in analysing and resolving complex complaints and incidents.
- Experience
Knowledge of public sector / NHS work structures.
- Experience
Understanding of the principles and practice of governance, risk management, investigation and mitigation in the context of the NHS.
- Communication
Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to influence colleagues at a range of levels internally and externally.
- Skills and Abilities
Ability to manage complexity and risk whilst maintaining high standards of clinical and operational care.
- Skills and Abilities
Is a team player, but able to work independently.
- Skills and Abilities
Strong organisational ability and well-developed resource and staff management skills; able to forecast, plan, develop and manage unity capability in line with business plan and organisational vision.
- Skills and Abilities
Proven ability to foster an organisational culture that is positive about change and committed to delivery of the strategic vision.
- Skills and Abilities
Ability to collaborate and work with a diverse range of stakeholders and effectively engage and influence, creating the conditions for successful partnership working.
- Skills and Abilities
Ability to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills to motivate and develop staff.
- Knowledge and Qualifications
Registered Mental Health Nurse
- Knowledge and Qualifications
Educated to Masters / MBA qualification or equivalent experience.
- Knowledge and Qualifications
Substantial evidence of continuing professional development.
- Knowledge and Qualifications
Leadership qualification
- Personal and People Development
Demonstrate a commitment to openness, honesty and integrity.
- Personal and People Development
Demonstrate credible, visible leadership and role-model excellence in nursing practice.
- Personal and People Development
High level of work organisation, self-motivation, drive for performance and improvement and flexibility in approach and attitude.
- Responsibilities towards promoting Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Demonstratable understanding of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion policy and practice.
- Responsibilities towards promoting Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Knowledge of the NHS obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and the Public Sector Equality Duties
Desirable
3 listedAdditional qualities the employer would prefer.
- Experience
Experience of business case preparation, report writing and the development and monitoring of outcome and output measures.
- Experience
Experience of working and delivering Trust wide professional nursing objectives.
- Knowledge and Qualifications
Project Management qualification (PRINCE2 or equivalent experience)
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Chief Nurse team as the Lead Nurse Mental Health for UCLH. This post provides trust wide strategic and operational leadership at UCLH to ensure the care provided to patients with mental health needs is safe, effective, of a high quality and improves patient experience.
This role is pivotal to delivering against our strategic priorities and ensuring UCLH continues to deliver the highest standards of quality, safe care. You will work closely with the Chief Nurse and Deputy Chief Nurse and lead across mental health priorities aligned to the refreshed Trust strategy.
Working closely with colleagues across the Trust, you will have a particular focus on five keys areas: strategic, operational, professional, programme management and partnership working. You will also contribute to the ongoing implementation of the wider trust strategy and nursing and midwifery priorities.
You will provide forward-thinking clinical and professional leadership to contribute to the strategic direction of mental health, support delivery of the trust’s mental health strategy and actively promoting a learning culture.
You will have collaborative leadership skills, a passion for high-quality patient care and a drive to enhance patient outcomes and improve staff experience.
Main duties of the job
Sitting within the Chief Nurse Division, you will be an active member of the Nursing & Midwifery Leadership Team (NMLT) and line manage the Enhanced Therapeutic Observation and Care (ETOC) / mental health nursing team. You will have responsibility for implementing the Trust’s mental health strategy, lead the design and delivery of mental health strategic plans, ensure robust governance systems are in place relating to mental health across the organisation, review performance and monitor impact, risk management relating to mental health, provide professional leadership and supervision for RMNs and lead the workforce development in relation to mental health knowledge, skills and confidence.
You will take a leadership role in various committees and meetings relating to mental health and will deputise for the Deputy Chief Nurse as required.
You will work closely with a team of senior leaders including directors of nursing, deputy directors of nursing and assistant chief nurses to ensure;
- Delivery of high and consistently safe standards of mental health care
- Promotion of a person-centred multidisciplinary approach to care
- Measurable outcomes to assure the quality and safety of mental health practice
- Delivery against the Trust strategy and quality priorities in relation to mental health.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
This is an excellent opportunity for professional development, and we are seeking an individual with a passion for person-centered & safe care, a focus on quality improvement and demonstrable leadership and collaboration skills.
Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*
* UCLH top trust to work at in England - In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England – for the third year in a row.
UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff – To find out more, visit: Flexible working.
To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit: Why Choose UCLH?
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.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Lead Nurse Mental Health with University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in London, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Nurse (adult and children) role. The advertised salary is £88,250 - £100,355 Per annum inclusive of HCAS. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 13 Sep 2026.
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