An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated, experienced and forward-thinking nurse leader to join the Rainsford Mowlem Discharge Ready Unit (DRU) at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital as the Band 7 Ward Manager.
Rainsford Mowlem Discharge Ready Unit (DRU) is a 36-bedded, nurse-led ward supporting patients who are medically fit for discharge but awaiting external placement or community support. The DRU plays a key role in improving patient flow, maintaining and enhancing patient function, preventing deconditioning and creating capacity within acute speciality wards by providing safe, effective and person-centred care for this patient group.
The successful candidate will provide visible clinical and operational leadership, ensuring high standards of patient care, effective workforce management and strong clinical governance. Working closely with the multidisciplinary team, Discharge Hub, community services and partner organisations, the Ward Manager will lead service development and quality improvement, support timely and safe discharge, and promote a positive culture for patients, families and staff. The role requires extensive clinical leadership experience, strong change-management skills and a commitment to developing frailty and discharge services.
Provide visible, compassionate and effective leadership for the Discharge Ready Unit (DRU), ensuring safe, high-quality, patient-centred care
Lead the operational management of the 36-bedded DRU, maintaining patient flow, timely admissions and discharges, and optimal ward capacity
Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, the Discharge Hub, community services and local authority partners to support safe and effective discharge planning
Ensure high standards of clinical governance through audit, risk management, incident investigation, patient feedback and quality improvement initiatives
Lead, support and develop the nursing workforce through recruitment, rostering, supervision, appraisal, education and performance management
Promote rehabilitation-focused care and initiatives that prevent deconditioning, maximise independence and improve patient outcomes
Ensure compliance with Trust policies, professional standards and regulatory requirements, maintaining a safe environment for patients, visitors and staff
Lead and contribute to service improvement and transformation projects that enhance patient experience, discharge performance and operational effectiveness
Act as a senior clinical role model, providing expert support in complex situations and maintaining high standards of care, communication and professionalism
Foster a positive, inclusive and high-performing team culture aligned with the Trust's PROUD values
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of England's top-performing and safest trusts. We operate two main acute hospital sites—Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex University Hospital—along with award-winning clinics across North West London.
Our nearly 7,500 staff care for a diverse population of 1.5 million, providing full clinical services, including maternity, A&E, and children’s services, plus specialist HIV and sexual health clinics. The Care Quality Commission rates us 'Good' in safety, effectiveness, care, and responsiveness, and 'Outstanding' in leadership and resource use.
We continually invest in our facilities, including a £30m expansion of critical care at Chelsea and Westminster and an £80m Ambulatory Diagnostic Centre at West Middlesex.
We welcome applications for flexible working arrangements, accommodating requests where possible to support our staff and patient needs.
The Trust is committed to equality and welcomes applications from all, regardless of background. Adjustments can be made for disabled candidates. Early application is advised as vacancies may close once sufficient applications are received. If you haven’t heard from us within three weeks of the closing date, your application was likely unsuccessful. Employment is subject to a six-month probationary period.
Roles and responsibilities
Management:
- To be responsible for the provision of nursing care on the ward 24 hour a day.
- S/he will have the overall responsibility of the area. They will have full control of admissions using the agreed criteria.
- To be responsible for the early identification and movement of suitable medically fit patients for the Discharge Ready Unit (DRU) to optimise patient flow through the hospital and contribute to a reduced length of stay on the acute wards.
- To follow and assist in updating the Standard Operating procedure for DRU patients
- To provide an environment for an holistic approach to patient assessment, care planning and support
- Recruit and retain a workforce qualified to meet the needs of the patients in that area. This may include nursing staff, support workers, administrative staff, and housekeeping staff.
- Manage ward staffing day to day to ensure effective use of resources. This includes responsibility for the duty rotas, annual and study leave, bank and agency usage.
- Ensure that all staff in the area undergoes an annual performance development review and have a personal development plan (PDP). Collate all staff’s PDP’s in order to identify and plan the educational needs of the area.
- Identify and investigate any issues of conduct, discipline and performance within your team, in accordance with trust policies and procedures, in liaison with the Divisional Matron.
- Maintaining the area budget (pay and non-pay) within the agreed budget. Report and investigate any deviation from this position (both deficits and surpluses). Also to deliver savings and efficiencies in line with the Trust’s objectives.
- Maintain a safe and acceptable environment for patients, visitors, students and staff, reporting and taking appropriate action on any hazards, incidents, faulty equipment or inadequate standards of cleaning. Coordinate the reporting of all such incidents for the area in liaison with the Divisional Risk Manager and Matron.
- Collect data and provide essential information in a timely and accurate manner as requested by the directorate and trust management teams. This could include dependency studies, manpower and a variety of audits.
- To ensure safe custody and administration of drugs in accordance with Trust policies and procedures and in liaison with the pharmacy team.
- Ensure the area’s team is aware of trust policies and procedures and know how to access the latest versions. Disseminate any changes in policy and procedures in a timely manner. Work within these policies.
- To participate in meetings and project work as identified and delegated by the Matrons, Service Managers and Lead Nurse.
- Deputise and act up for the Matron if required.
- To investigate and respond to informal and formal complaints in a timely manner encouraging an open and learning environment.
- To monitor all incidents that occur within the clinical area undertaking root cause analysis as required. To manage any changes in practice or learning identified through incident reviews Provide 24-hour responsibility for frailty clinical areas, ensuring safe, effective, and compassionate care for older people living with frailty.
- Provide leadership that promotes patients, families, and carers as partners in care, recognising the complexities of frailty, multi-morbidity, and personalised care planning.
- Ensure services continually improve to meet the needs of frail patients, including prevention of deterioration, maintenance of independence, and holistic assessment.
- Provide leadership that supports effective, timely, and person-centred discharge planning, incorporating patient and carer views, community services, and multidisciplinary frailty pathways.
- Promote effective multidisciplinary working across acute, community, therapy and social care teams to ensure seamless care.
- Provide expert advice on frailty care, supporting staff in complex decision-making and escalation planning.
- Monitor standards of cleanliness, safety, and the patient environment, ensuring suitability for frail and vulnerable patients.
- Ensure health and safety of staff and patients through compliance with infection control, medicines management, medical devices, and other relevant standards, with specific consideration of frailty risks.
- Ensure rotas support safe staffing and skill mix to meet the needs of frail patients, managing resources within the agreed financial envelope.
- Support reduction in length of stay for frail patients through early assessment, enhanced recovery principles, and proactive discharge planning.
- Act up as Modern Matron in their absence, providing visible leadership across frailty services.
Clinical Practice
- To act as a role model of expert clinical practice in the specialty.
- To be a role model and effective leader.
- To participate in direct patient care.
- To audit the effectiveness of DRU in line with the improvement team
- To work closely with carers and relatives to ensure individualized patient centred care is provided with a rehabilitation focus.
- To analyse the feedback from patients and make changes as required.
- To obtain patient and relative feedback by undertaking clinical rounds with the aim of providing excellent standards of care.
- To ensure that nursing documentation is maintained to a high standard and to audit documentation in liaison with the Matron. Be a competent user of and participate in the on-going development of the Electronic Patient Record.
- To work in close liaison with other members of the multidisciplinary team.
- To promote the development of evidenced based practice on the ward.
- To promote clinical supervision on the ward within the Trust’s strategy.
- To ensure high standards of care are given to all patients, monitoring this through spot checks and clinical quality indicators outcome measures.
- Explore opportunities to develop nursing roles in accordance with the Chief Nursing Officer of England’s “Ten Key Roles”
- Advise patients on the promotion of health and the prevention of illness.
- To liaise with other departments in the hospital e.g. Estates, Facilities, Finance, IT.
- To ensure that services supplied are of an acceptable standard and problems identified are registered and addressed. On-going or serious problems will be notified to the line manager.
Educational Role
- To identify educational needs of all members of staff through regular appraisal and review, taking appropriate action in liaison with the Matron.
- To be aware of the educational needs of student nurses ensuring that preceptors and assessors are available. Work in close liaison with the Practice Facilitators and other educational staff.
- To be responsible for the orientation and development of new staff to the area, including the allocation of a preceptor.
- To ensure the ward maintains a sound learning environment for all students.
- Organise and participate in educational activities (e.g. teaching programmes) within the clinical area.
Professional Development
- To participate in own performance development review, developing and actioning a Personal Development Plan (PDP) in liaison with the Matron.
- To attend appropriate educational programmes to develop his/her self and team in accordance with the needs of the service.
- To adhere at all times to the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, and any other NMC guidelines and regulations.
Communication
- Ensure all communication, which may be complex, contentious or sensitive, is undertaken in a responsive and inclusive manner, focusing on improvement and ways to move forward.
- Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.
