Clinical Leader

Job Summary

To deliver high-quality operational management, clinical leadership, and supervision to designated teams within the Unit, utilizing resources effectively. Ensure that all aspects of care provided to service users meet the highest standards, delivered in a respectful and sensitive manner.

We are seeking candidates with considerable experience in inpatient settings, passionate about improving services. We are committed to working in partnership with service users and carers, co-producing service improvements.

For successful candidates, we offer development in quality improvement skills, enhanced clinical skills, and management leadership.

Main Duties of the Job

To act as a Clinical Leader with continuing clinical responsibility for designated clinical areas, ensuring:

• Confidential, sensitive, and comprehensive person-centred mental health nursing assessments.
• Contributing to the professional development and clinical supervision of team members, maintaining and developing quality standards of practice.
• Assessing and monitoring service provision against CQC standards, contributing to the development of services meeting these standards.
• Enabling service users by providing accurate and appropriate information, offering choices, and involving them in the care process.
• Ensuring the ordering, storage, administration, and disposal of medication, demonstrating knowledge, experience, and competence specific to the area of practice.
• Enabling staff to use evidence-based strategies and person-centred/psychosocial interventions in the care and treatment of people with mental health problems.
• Leading by example, motivating, and empowering others, promoting positive attitudes and mutual understanding.
• Pursuing legitimate patient concerns, resolving problems efficiently and effectively.

About Us

We are Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, a diverse organization with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care. We provide services from various locations to approximately 1 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across Wiltshire, and parts of Dorset.

Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognize that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.

At AWP, we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds, particularly those from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities, and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives, and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Job Responsibilities

To act as a Clinical Leader with continuing clinical responsibility for designated clinical areas, ensuring that services provide high-quality evidence-based nursing assessment, care planning, interventions, and evaluations for patients.

• Confidential, sensitive, and comprehensive person-centred mental health nursing assessments.
• Contributing to the professional development and clinical supervision of team members.
• Enabling service users by providing accurate and appropriate information, offering choices, and involving them in the care process.
• Enabling staff to use evidence-based strategies and person-centred/psychosocial interventions in the care and treatment of people with mental health problems.
• Leading by example, motivating, and empowering others, promoting positive attitudes and mutual understanding.
• Pursuing legitimate patient concerns, resolving problems efficiently and effectively.
• Ensuring that all staff have access to and are familiar with all clinical and other policies and procedures operational within the Trust.
• To contribute to a culture of learning within the designated clinical areas.
• Continuing Professional Development.
• Implementing all legal rules, statutory regulations, and professional responsibilities relating to practice outlined in the NMC's 'The Code': Standards of Conduct, Performance, and Ethics.
• Actively participating in regular clinical supervision from an identified Senior Practitioner, as identified in Trust Clinical Supervision Policy. To maintain Health and Safety in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974).
• Implementing the Clinical and Personnel Policies and Procedures of AWP Trust.
• To manage all budgets within the post holder's sphere of control and make best use of available workforce resources.
• To contribute to PEAT and environmental risk assessments on a regular basis, so that best use is made of non-pay/capital resources.
• To work with the Modern Matron to monitor all SLA activity and ensure specified standards are met.
• To manage any staffing resources in line with AWP best practice guidance.
• Developing staff rosters in line with AWP guidance, utilizing electronic rostering systems (Rosterpro).
• Monitoring, recording, and managing staff attendance as detailed in Trust Policy.
• To ensure structured appraisal systems are in place for all staff.
• Taking part in initial investigations of staff disciplinary issues.
• Record Keeping and Administration.
• To maintain standards of record keeping and associated administration in accordance with AWP Trust Policy.
• The upkeep of contemporaneous, chronological, and accurate mental health records in accordance with relevant NMC Guidelines and Trust Policy, and Guidance.
• To establish comparison groups and clinical benchmarking activity concerning documentation as outlined in The Essence of Care, and to work under the direction of Essence of Care lead.
• To contribute to the achievement of Controls Assurance Standards relating to Records Management within their span of control.
• Implementing Trust and Service Policies and Procedures relating to health and safety at work.
• Ensuring that all staff are aware and compliant, in order to maintain safety of service users and staff within the Unit at all times.
• Evidence-Based Nursing, Practice Development, and Clinical Audit.
• To contribute to practice development activity and evidence-based mental health nursing. This will include:
  • Contribute to relevant practice development/research activity.
  • Take part in a regular programme of audit.
  • Input to clinical benchmarking activity as outlined in The Essence of Care.
  • To keep up to date with national audits and research regarding people with mental health needs, specific to the posts requirements.
  • To work within the framework of AWP and Department of Health Research Governance.
  • To contribute to the development and planning of services specific to the posts designated areas. This will include:
    • Contribute to the planning and development of clinical services, including the review of team establishments, grade mix, and skill mix, and to be actively involved in the recruitment, selection, and interviewing process for all staff.
    • Work with the Modern Matron to develop effective and innovative ways of delivering integrated mental health services which reflect the principles of best value, advising them about ways of using budgets and resources that safeguard users and promote professional standards.
    • Monitoring budgets and contributing to the delivery of cost-effective nursing services.
    • To ensure processes are in place that support the development of quality improvements in the nursing service, consulting with service users, their carers, and service staff.
    • To provide people management function to identified staff for the designated areas, including the development and implementation of regular appraisal and performance management systems.
    • Maintaining accurate records.
    • To respond to the objectives outlined within the Trust's Nursing Strategy. Taking part in Patient Forums and associated PPI requirements.
    • To provide professional nursing advice within the post-holder's area of responsibility. This will include:
      • To be actively involved in giving professional advice relating to nursing issues.
      • Involvement in nursing disciplinary and grievance procedures and investigations.
      • To give accurate advice around nurse grading and associated appeals.

Communication and Working Relationships

INTERNAL EXTERNAL

Multidisciplinary Team Advocacy Groups

Staff from other areas & Trusts Social Services

CPA Co-ordinator Voluntary Organisations

MHA Administrator

Ward Manager

Policies and Procedures

Trust employees are expected to follow Trust policies, procedures, and guidance.

The post holder must be aware of their individual responsibilities for public protection and safeguarding, set out in the Children Act 1989, the Protection of Children Act 1999, the Children Act 2004, Every Child Matters, Working together to Safeguard Children Guidance 2006, No Secrets, Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (2000), Crime and Disorder Act 1998, Safeguarding vulnerable Groups Act 2006, other relevant legislation, and trust, multi-agency, and national policies, procedures, and guidance.

Confidentiality

Much of the work is of a confidential nature. This means that no discussion should take place about the care, needs, or activities of any service user, except in the clear interest of that service user or other members of staff. Staff are reminded that personal information concerning colleagues is also confidential.

Equality and Diversity

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust is committed to the fair treatment of all people, regardless of their gender, race, colour, ethnicity, ethnic or national origin, citizenship, religion, disability, mental health needs, age, domestic circumstances, social class, sexual orientation, beliefs, political allegiance, or trades union membership.