Job Description and Person Specification Job Title: Pay band: Managerially reports to: Accountable to: Professionally accountable to: Associate Chief Nurse Clinical Division Band 8D Divisional Clinical Chair Chief Operating Officer & Deputy Chief Executive Chief Nurse and Director of Patient Care Standards Role Summary The postholder will be responsible for the operational financial and quality delivery of services and strategic objectives of the Division, alongside the Divisional Chair and Assistant Chief Operating Officer. The post holder will lead on the development of nursing, quality and clinical practice at Divisional level, with particular focus on the implementation within the division for the Nursing, Midwifery and Therapy Strategy and the Nursing Framework. As part of the divisional management team, the Associate Chief Nurse will work collaboratively with the Assistant Chief Operating Officer and the Divisional Chair to provide assurance to the Executive Team and the Trust Board that robust systems of governance are in place and that high quality patient-led services are delivered. Working closely with the Chief Nurse the post holder may be required to deputise across the full range of duties and responsibilities providing professional leadership, expertise and advice on operational and strategic issues within the Trust and across the health economy. The Associate Chief Nurse will be the senior clinical manager accountable for the quality and safety of patient standards and experience for the Division. The post-holder will ensure that performance standards are in place to measure both patient safety and experience. The Associate Chief Nurse will ensure the Division has an appropriately skilled and qualified nursing and therapy workforce, deployed in the most efficient and cost effective way to deliver high quality care to our patients and clients. The Associate Chief Nurse will be accountable for developing the divisional nursing workforce, including innovation and developments in practice, creating the right environment to retain and develop nursing talent. The ACN also contributes to the Trust wide nursing development agenda. Key tasks and responsibilities 1. Patient care, quality & professional leadership 1.1. Professional lead for nursing services within the division 1.2. Ensure safe standards of nursing care, to the highest quality, are delivered; that nursing staff are suitably qualified and maintain professional registration; and the division s clinical governance objectives are fully met. 1.3. Lead the development of strong and effective nursing teams, clearly defining individual and corporate responsibilities and accountabilities. 1.4. Ensure the service patients receive is appropriate, accessible and is delivered in a manner that respects their privacy, dignity and individuality and embodies the Service Standards
1.5. Create an environment where nursing staff feel valued and able to practice with confidence. Lead work on the extended scope of practice and multi-disciplinary working, ensuring education needs are met. 1.6. Initiate and lead regular audit of standards and ensure any issues are highlighted to clinical governance and quality groups. Initiate and evaluate patient and nurse satisfaction surveys as required. 1.7. Provide ongoing support to the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Nurse attending at meetings, internal and external, as required. 1.8. Champion Trust Service Standards and ensure that these are embedded as part of the implementation of the nursing strategy and quality improvement framework. 1.9. Maintain clinical competence by working clinically at least 20% of the time. 1.10. With Assistant Chief Operating Officer and Divisional Chair, lead on improving all aspects of outcomes, safety and experience for patients. 2. Performance management 2.1. In partnership with the Assistant Chief Operating Officer and the Divisional Chair, lead on the implementation of programmes to measure the quality of services provided. 2.2. Benchmark best practice within the Division and adopt practice to suit the patients needs. 2.3. Establish objectives against which nursing care can be monitored and measured. 2.4. Participate in the collection and analysis of information relating to safety and quality standards. 3. Strategic planning 3.1. To assist the Assistant Director of Operations, Divisional Chair and SDUs preparation of business plans, taking into account service needs, workforce planning, estate issues, financial constraints, commissioners priorities and quality targets. 3.2. To contribute to the Chief Nurse s Nursing and Midwifery Strategy and Quality Framework and to implement this within the Division. 3.3. Represent the needs of nursing in the business and service planning cycle and reconcile these with the needs of the service. 4. Operational planning / service delivery 4.1. Meet corporate targets for budget management, patient activity and quality standards required to deliver corporate and divisional objectives. 4.2. Provide support to the Divisional Chair in embedding effective governance, ensuring the quality, standard and range of care are optimised within the available resources and in line with contract requirements. 4.3. Implement performance management arrangements ensuring objectives are cascaded through each team. 4.4. Provide operational support to senior staff within clinical areas and support teams, and ensure clinical and support teams are able to access resources efficiently and effectively. 4.5. Ensure compliance with all statutory requirements e.g. vulnerable adults and children, CQC and NMC standards 5. People management and development 5.1. In consultation with the Chief Nurse, develop a divisional nurse workforce plan. Work with the Divisional Chair and senior nurses to develop a workforce, capable of adapting to peaks and troughs of activity. 5.2. Improve and maintain staff morale through effective communication, leadership and consultation. Ensure teams benefit from effective application of Trust Policies relating to staff and training and development opportunities. 5.3. Working with the Assistant Chief Operating Officer the Associate Chief Nurse takes the lead in developing the clinical workforce for the Division.
5.4. Working with the ELD team to ensure the appropriate commissioning of education on an annual basis through the Divisional/Corporate training needs analysis. 5.5. Provide effective management control of all staff working in their areas through appropriate organisational structures and reporting mechanisms, ensuring statutory obligations for Health and Safety and Occupational Health are met in accordance with Trust policy. 5.6. To work with the Divisional Board to ensure that there is a plan to improve our staff survey results and to ensure appraisal and statutory and mandatory training compliance. The Associate Chief Nurse plays a key role in driving up staff experience measured through staff surveys and to deliver Trust Board targets for appraisal and statutory and mandatory training. 5.7. Ensure Appraisals are cascaded to all staff, providing forums for objective setting, performance review and continuing professional development. 5.8. Effectively deal with matters of professional nursing competence including dealing with lack of competence in antagonistic and highly emotive atmospheres, requiring the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills and intense concentration. 5.9. With Assistant Chief Operating Officer and Divisional Chair, ensure effective workforce plans and strategies are in place. 6. Finance and Information management 6.1. Ensure optimum use of staff within agreed expenditure targets and promote effective use of bank and agency nursing staff, providing safe nursing standards within agreed financial parameters. 6.2. Manage a delegated budget(s), part of the divisional budget, on behalf of and reporting back to the Divisional Chair and Assistant Chief Operating Officer for the effective use of people resources. 6.3. Ensure data quality standards and care records are maintained and used within all clinical environments. 6.4. Ensure self and team undertake training for electronic information systems in place or under development, and that Trust and local policies governing the use of the systems and the information held are adhered to. 6.5. Support the Assistant Chief Operating Officer in the targeting of CIP initiatives and financial balance within the Division. 7. Cross Divisional and Corporate Working 7.1 The post-holder is part of a senior leadership cadre supporting the organisation and as such is expected to work collaboratively with other divisional and corporate colleagues in the delivery of corporate and all Divisions objectives 8. General 8.1. Participate in corporate requirements to ensure the Trust is covered on a 24/7 basis and to participate in the on-call rota. 8.2. To lead specific corporate projects on behalf of the Chief Operating Officer or Chief Nurse. 8.3. To represent the Trust at regional and national conferences and on working groups as appropriate. 8.4. To act as an ambassador for the Trust at all times. 8.5. Frequently work in an environment which requires intense concentration for prolonged periods and respond to unpredictable work patterns with frequent interruptions and the need to meet deadlines at short notice. 8.6. To take the lead on whole Trust issues/projects as directed by the Chief Nurse 9. Prevention and control of infection/clinical Governance and Quality 9.1. To ensure patient safety by ensuring all staff are compliant with good practice and are up to date in respect of the relevant statutory and mandatory training.
9.2. To agree annually with the Divisional Chair and Chief Nurse a specific objective in this area. 9.3. To ensure that there are monitoring and reporting systems in place to deliver divisional and individual compliance with COI performance measures. 9.4. Ensure clinical standards/indicators are set and monitored in conjunction with Essence of Care 9.5. Develop a culture in partnership with the clinical audit team which promotes the active participation of nurses and nursing staff in a multi-professional approach to clinical audit. 9.6. Deal with complex patient and staff complaints, which can involve highly distressing and emotional circumstances. This can include dealing with verbal aggression. 9.7. Have a lead role with investigation of complex incidents, which can involve highly distressing and emotional circumstances. 9.8. Ensure that professional and practice developments are implemented which promote efficiency and effectiveness.
Key working relationships In addition to the reporting lines to the Divisional Clinical Chair and Chief Nurse & Director of Patient Care Standards, key contacts will be: Internal contacts Chief Operating Officer Medical Director Trust Board members Divisional Board members Lead Nurses Consultant Medical staff All Divisional staff Other Senior Managers within the Trust Management Accountants Human Resources Business Partners Planning and commissioning advisors Facilities staff External contacts PCTs and GPs Strategic Health Authorities Patients, families and carers Ambulance Service Relevant networks Voluntary organisations Other Trusts within the Health Economy Relevant Department of Health groups Organisation chart
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Health and Safety at Work Act The post holder is required to take responsible care for the health and safety of him/herself and other persons who may be affected by his/her acts or omissions at work. The post holder is also required to co-operate with Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust to ensure that statutory and departmental safety regulations are adhered to. Confidentiality The post holder has a responsibility to maintain confidentiality and ensure the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998, the Confidentiality: NHS Code of Practice and Trust policy on confidentiality and Data Protection are applied to patient, staff and Trust business/information. Equal Opportunities The Trust welcomes all persons without regard to age, ethnic, or national origin, gender or sexual orientation, religion, lifestyle, presenting illness, marital or parental status or disability. We aim to provide a non-judgemental service at all times. Managing Risk: Maintaining skills and learning from problems Reducing risk is everyone's responsibility. All staff in the Trust must attend training identified by their manager, or stated by the Trust to be mandatory. The Trust uses risk assessments to predict and control risk and the incident reporting system to learn from mistakes and near misses and so improve services for patients and staff. All staff are expected to become familiar with these systems and use them The Trust has designated the prevention and control of infection as a core issue in the organisation's clinical governance, managing risk and patient safety programmes. In consequence, all employees are expected to:- i) Follow consistently high standards of infection control practice, especially with reference to hand hygiene and aseptic techniques, ii) Be aware of all Trust infection control guidelines and procedures relevant to their work. Governance Post holders will aim to ensure that areas of the trust under their responsibility comply with Standards for Better Health Core and Developmental Standards and bring deficiencies to the attention of their Director Information Management/ Data Quality The post holder must ensure that Trust records are documented, secured, stored and disposed of appropriately and in accordance with the Records Management: NHS Code of Practice and Trust policy. In addition, information recorded must be fit for purpose - accurate, relevant, up to date and complete. Freedom of Information The post holder must be aware that any information held by the Trust in theory could be requested by the public, including emails and minutes of meetings. It is therefore essential that records are accurately recorded and maintained in accordance with the Trust's policies. Travel to other sites You may be required to travel to other Trust locations. Please complete the travel expenses form. Details of allowances can be obtained from the Human Resources Department. Smoking statement Smoking is not permitted in any premises or grounds managed, leased or owned by the Trust. Smoking is not permitted in Trust vehicles or in any vehicle parked on Trust premises. General The duties outlined above are not intended as a restrictive list and may be extended or altered to include other tasks that are commensurate with the grade.
Leadership Qualities & Behavioural Competences Leadership Use a consultative and democratic approach, empowering staff to make decisions and facilitating staff to plan and develop their work. Encourage staff to participate, creating a team ethos through collaboration, sharing ideas and views Lead enthusiastically on change; positively influence staff through emotional and rational leadership. Gain buy-in. Coach staff, delegating stretching activities to develop junior managers. Performance Establish project teams with clear terms of reference, reporting protocols and review processes. Regularly review activities against set targets. Ensure formal appraisals take place throughout the team, and conduct appraisals with direct reports, setting agreed short and medium targets and evaluating outcomes against tangible measures. Address staff performance problems in a timely and positive way, invoking sanctions as required and coach performance improvement. Actively support junior managers addressing performance issues. Planning Lead on interpreting the corporate agenda into practical service planning Demonstrate strong trend anticipation and opportunistically develops services and practices accordingly Collaborate with other disciplines and agencies in the development of service plans, leading interdisciplinary planning groups. Take responsibility for service policy development Financial & resource management Demonstrate system understanding, able to balance multiple resourcing issues, achieve efficiencies in resource use by intelligent deployment Implement effective monitoring systems for all key resource deployments that accurately measure resource usage against agreed levels. Skilful deployment of human resources to meet demands changes and provide for contingencies. Resourceful and creative in solving staff shortages and crises. Effective planning of budgets and variance tracking, strong financial awareness relevant to the service. Mindful of wastage and values cost saving as a way of freeing up resources to develop the service, encourages this attitude in staff. Communication / Patient involvement Keep channels of communication open, ensures team members and leaders are kept informed. Develop a proactive and positive working relationship with unions and staff associations around staff and change issues. Show balanced approach in disputes, bridges the interests of both parties. Skilful in getting parties to exchange positions and can win concessions while maintaining relationships. Maintain composure under pressure, remains calm, assertive not aggressive, uses high level communication skills to convince and argue the needs of the service and the staff. Governance & quality Ensure the services are delivered efficiently in line with resources and to a high quality. Ensure guidelines set by external bodies are supported by the divisional structure and working practices Ensure the team are clear about their roles responsibilities and remits.
360 Key Leadership Qualities Setting Direction Delivering the Service Personal Qualities Seizing the future Lead change through people Self belief Intellectual flexibility Holding to account Self awareness Broad scanning Empowering others Self management Political astuteness Effective & strategic influencing Drive for improvement Drive for results Collaborative working Personal integrity