Matron in Acute Medicine

Job overview

The Matron will play a key role in providing strong clinical leadership, supporting the Senior Nurses in both the ward and department to promote excellence in nursing care and enhance clinical standards. The successful candidate will ensure that all patients are treated with compassion, dignity, and respect, while valuing the diversity of the local community and beyond. They will also promote best practices for infection prevention by maintaining a clean and safe environment and ensuring that clinical practices align with Trust policies and best practice guidelines to minimise the risk of infection.

Main duties of the job

The Matron’s key responsibility is to ensure that the patient experience is of the highest  quality, inspiring patient and public confidence. This will be achieved through high visibility,  accessibility and surveillance. The post holder will be expected to work clinically for an  agreed 20% of their time, and where required, will be a specialist in their clinical area. The  post holder will be responsible for ensuring the implementation of the Matron’s Charter in  their area.

The Directors, general managers, and heads of Nursing lead each Directorate. The Matrons report directly to their Head of Nursing, who has overarching responsibility for the Operational management and strategic direction of nursing. The primary responsibility of the Matron is to ensure that the patient experience maintains the highest quality, fostering confidence among patients and the public. This will be achieved through visible leadership, accessibility, and ongoing monitoring. The Matron is expected to spend 20% of their time working clinically and will be a specialist in their area of expertise as needed. Additionally, the Matron will be responsible for implementing the Matron’s Charter within their designated area.

In each Directorate, leadership is provided by Directors, General Managers, and Heads of Nursing. The Matrons report directly to their respective Heads of Nursing, who are responsible for the overall operational management and strategic direction of nursing services.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To manage the quality of the provision of nursing care at all times, within their ward / Department by:

• Holding Ward/Departmental Sister/Charge Nurse to account for the delivery of their key performance indicators in clinical areas on the Tendable database
• In conjunction with the Directorate’s Workforce Manager, ensure that effective action is taken when nursing performance is at risk of falling below expected levels and standards are not being maintained.
• Ensuring that the Trust’s Nursing and Midwifery priorities are implemented locally

To take appropriate action on issues of staff discipline, grievance, poor performance and sickness, up to but not including dismissal.

Risk & clinical governance:

• Ensure patients are cared for in a clean and safe environment, including the proper decontamination of multi-use equipment and taking remedial action if standards are not maintained.
• Be champions for driving the infection prevention and control agenda and challenging poor practice.
• Manage and respond to complaints and adverse incidents, including serious untoward incidents. Liaise with the PALS Department regarding informal complaints and, where possible, actively diffuse complaints to avoid escalation.
• Conduct root cause analysis and develop action plans to ensure a change in practice.
• Ensure Risk Assessments are undertaken and action plans implemented in the wards and departments.
• Lead the implementation of patient safety strategies such as Saving Lives and Clinical Performance Indicators.
• Share best practice and drive improvements in patient care through the Matrons’ Forum.
• In conjunction with the Surgical Head of Nursing, the Matron will be responsible for monitoring and maintaining excellent clinical standards within clinical teams.