Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services. Guy’s is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas’ has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions. Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients. In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research. We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King’s Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King’s College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit. Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of ‘good’. Our adult community services achieved a rating of ‘outstanding’. The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients. We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS. Job overview The Head of Nursing is a pivotal role within the directorate leadership team, working alongside the Clinical Director and General Manager. Together, they are collectively responsible for achieving the directorate's objectives across its diverse clinical services. The Head of Nursing reports to the Clinical Director and is professionally accountable to the Director of Nursing. You will also deputise for the Directors as needed. In collaboration with senior nursing staff, the Head of Nursing will provide professional leadership across the directorate, ensuring that high standards of care are maintained and that nursing practices align with the Trust’s values and goals. As Head of Nursing, your operational responsibilities will include overseeing clinical governance and risk assurance, managing quality and productivity performance, enhancing patient experience, and fostering workforce development. You will also have direct line management responsibility for senior nursing staff within the directorate. Main duties of the job Provide leadership to all directorate staff, ensuring clear communication of Trust and directorate values, vision, priorities, and expectations to engage teams in delivering high-quality services · Oversee clinical governance and risk assurance, quality, and productivity performance management. · Accountable for the direct delivery of high-quality nursing care and supporting all aspects of clinical care delivery. · Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement across the directorate. · Ensure appropriate utilisation of the workforce, planning for long-term staffing needs and ensuring a workforce fit for purpose. · Manage financial resources within the directorate, supporting the achievement of internal and external financial targets. · Identify and respond to new opportunities for individual services within the directorate, as well as potential threats, in partnership with the Clinical Director and General Manager. · Collaborate with external partners, such as NHS and Local Authority commissioners, on initiatives supporting the health and well-being of families, and raise the profile of the directorate's services. · Ensure all staff within the directorate complete mandatory training and have access to ongoing professional development opportunities. Working for our organisation Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust is home to five of the UK’s most renowned hospitals: Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton, and Harefield. Alongside these institutions, we provide community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all rooted in a long history of high-quality care, clinical excellence, research, and innovation. Evelina London is a key part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, dedicated to providing services for women and children. With a team of over 3,000 dedicated staff, and guidance from an Executive Team and Board, we enjoy significant devolved autonomy, allowing us to focus both operationally and strategically on the needs of our patients. Following the decision by NHS England (London and South East regions), the future Principal Treatment Centre (PTC) for very specialist cancer treatment services for children living in south London and much of south east England will be transferring to Evelina London Children’s Hospital, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT). The Children’s Cancer Services PTC programme is now in a pivotal moment transitioning from the consultation and decision-making process to the planning and operational delivery of the clinical service transfer. As we move to the next phase of the programme we have an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader to join the programme team as a Head of Nursing Detailed job description and main responsibilities Duties and Responsibilities Leadership and Strategic Management · Provide leadership to all directorate staff, ensuring clear communication of Trust and directorate values, vision, priorities, and expectations to engage teams in delivering high-quality services. · Collaborate with the Clinical Director and General Manager to develop, implement, and monitor the Directorate's Annual Objectives and Business Plan. · Contribute to the strategic and performance management of clinical services, holding service management teams accountable for their objectives and performance through regular review meetings. · Lead on the development and implementation of capacity plans to ensure the achievement of nationally mandated targets. · Ensure data availability within the directorate to monitor performance and satisfy reporting requirements related to nursing care quality. · Produce performance reports and briefings and contribute to the framework for managing and improving care quality within the directorate. Operational Responsibilities · Oversee clinical governance and risk assurance, quality, and productivity performance management. · Enhance patient experience and foster workforce development within the directorate. · Manage day-to-day operational issues and resolve conflicts and priorities within tight timescales. · Deputise for the Clinical Director and General Manager as required. Professional and Clinical Responsibilities · Accountable for the direct delivery of high-quality nursing care and supporting all aspects of clinical care delivery. · Serve as a role model, demonstrating best practice nursing and the management of clinical services. · Lead on the development, implementation, and review of nursing and clinical policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure evidence-based practice. · Monitor and evaluate nursing practice standards by working in clinical areas alongside staff, ensuring care is provided to a high standard and addressing any deficiencies. Patient Safety, Risk, Audit, and Governance · Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement across the directorate. · Ensure adherence to Trust Infection Control policies and best practices and lead the audit of these practices within the directorate. · Monitor and evaluate standards of environmental cleanliness, taking action to maintain the highest infection control standards. · Lead on setting initial clinical service quality standards and monitoring compliance with clinical governance standards and risk management processes. · Lead the directorate's response to complex complaints and incidents, conducting root cause and trend analyses, and preparing reports for the Chief Nurse on nursing service performance. Workforce Development · Ensure appropriate utilisation of the workforce, planning for long-term staffing needs and ensuring a workforce fit for purpose. · Lead recruitment, selection, and induction processes for nursing and other healthcare professional staff. · Provide leadership in the coaching, mentoring, and development of the nursing workforce, ensuring all staff are fit to practice with regular professional updates. · Participate effectively in Trust-wide nursing initiatives, contributing to the development of nursing practice within the framework of the Nursing & Midwifery Strategy and national policy. · Operate a visible leadership model, ensuring accessibility for staff, patients, and the public, and fostering open and honest communication channels. Financial Management · Manage financial resources within the directorate, supporting the achievement of internal and external financial targets. · Contribute to the development and delivery of cost improvement programmes and efficiency savings. · Empower the nursing and other healthcare professional workforce to maximise efficiency and reduce costs in line with cost improvement plans. Service Improvement and Innovation · Identify and respond to new opportunities for individual services within the directorate, as well as potential threats, in partnership with the Clinical Director and General Manager. · Lead change management programmes within the directorate, ensuring successful implementation of projects to time, budget, and quality targets. · Contribute to Trust-wide service improvement projects and ensure the directorate supports the delivery of national NHS requirements. Stakeholder Engagement · Collaborate with external partners, such as NHS and Local Authority commissioners, on initiatives supporting the health and well-being of families, and raise the profile of the directorate's services. · Engage with a diverse range of stakeholders to influence and ensure successful outcomes. Research, Education and Training · Ensure all staff within the directorate complete mandatory training and have access to ongoing professional development opportunities. · Support the development and delivery of nursing education and development programmes within the directorate. · Promote a culture of professional academic publication within the nursing team, contributing to the development of the nursing research agenda. Person specification Qualifications / Experience Essential criteria Registered Nurse (RN1/RN8 Child) or Registered Public Health Nurse (RPHN, SCPHN) on the NMC register, holding the appropriate level for the area of specialty. Relevant Master's degree, MBA qualification, or equivalent experience Proven track record of successfully delivering effective nursing services as a senior nurse/manager or deputy director in a large, multifaceted healthcare environment, including experience in staff management, financial management, and change management. Desirable criteria Experience in managing a large, complex professional workforce and overseeing associated budgets. Experience in quality and risk management, including the analysis and resolution of complex complaints and incidents. Experience of delivering clinical services Skills and Ability Essential criteria Strong leadership, interpersonal skills, and authority, with the ability to successfully foster and manage relationships between your unit and other Directorates. Demonstrated competence in analysing and synthesising complex and diverse performance data Desirable criteria Strong organisational skills and well-developed resource and staff management abilities, capable of forecasting, planning, developing, and managing unit capabilities in line with business plans and the organisational vision. Proven track record of creating a shared purpose and instilling organisational values and behaviours that align with the corporate vision Professional Leadership Essential criteria Capable of articulating a clear vision for nursing that will enable the Directorate to achieve all of its objectives. Strong track record in managing complexity and risk while upholding high standards of nursing care. Desirable criteria Comprehensive understanding of the evolving NHS landscape, the challenges it presents, and the critical role that nurses play in addressing these challenges. Personal Qualities Essential criteria Strong commitment to openness, honesty, and integrity in fulfilling the role. Desirable criteria A credible and visible nursing leader with the ability to bridge the gap between the Board and frontline staff. Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership. Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy. As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends. Flexible working We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual’s personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process. Your e-mail address is important to us - We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis. Please apply for this post by clicking "Apply Online Now." Applicant requirements You must have appropriate UK professional registration. The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions. Further details / informal visits contact Name [email protected] Job title Director of Nursing, Evelina London Email address [email protected]