Matron Palliative Care

An exciting opportunity exists to join the Symptom Control & Palliative Care Team as the Matron for palliative care and Horder Ward.

The successful applicant will provide expert clinical leadership to the Symptom Control & Palliative Care Team across both sites and to Horder Ward in Chelsea. Horder Ward is an acute oncology ward that provides care to patients receiving all modalities of treatment, with a special interest in patients who require complex symptom control.

Excellent leadership and communication skills are essential in managing a broad range of staff including a team of Clinical Nurse Specialists in Palliative Care, the Ward Sister/Charge Nurse, junior staff on the ward including newly qualified and student nurses. They will be required to liaise with a variety of professionals across the hospital and in the community, as well as with patients and their families. Proactive involvement in audit will be expected to assess and improve current practice in palliative care nursing. There must be a willingness to provide teaching and support to junior staff across the trust, as well as formal teaching in the School of Nursing when required. The successful applicant will also look to continue their own professional development by undertaking appropriate study with the support of the department.

The postholder will need a post-registration qualification relevant in oncology/palliative care.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for the post of Matron for Palliative Care across both sites. The successful applicant will have overall managerial responsibilities for the CNSs within the Symptom Control & Palliative Care Team (SCPCT) and the staff on Horder ward, within the Clinical Services Division. They will work with clinical and operational leads to support and deliver an efficient and effective service, providing professional/clinical leadership and expertise in palliative nursing. They will act as a resource to patients, staff, and other professionals regarding palliative care issues. The Matron has responsibility to ensure high standards of nursing care and associated clinical, quality, safety and workforce standards are agreed and delivered to ensure a positive patient experience. The Matron will uphold and ensure trust values are implemented and monitored to provide assurance that nursing/clinical staff behave in a professional manner. The Matron will contribute to identifying and managing issues of poor performance, risk, and complaints. The successful applicant requires a professional registration as a nurse and will be highly visible, accessible, and approachable to all staff, patients, families, and carers to ensure that all nursing care is delivered effectively and efficiently.

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals - one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey - as well as a Medical Day care Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification.

Provide and sustain a high-quality specialist nursing service to patients and their families within their own area of expertise.

Provide professional and clinical leadership and expertise in the care of the patient with palliative care needs, acting as a resource to provide information and support to patients, carers and staff.

Take responsibility for own evidence-based practice and implement and add to the body of knowledge that supports nursing practice within palliative care.

Lead and innovate nursing practice in symptom control & palliative care both within the Trust and through local networks

Contribute to the strategic development of the Palliative Care service working closely with other members of the senior management team.

Liaise effectively with all members of the multi-di