Deputy Ward Manager

Are you an experienced mental health or learning disability nurse ready to take the next step into leadership? Baldock Manor Hospital is looking for a Deputy Ward Manager to join the ward leadership team on our acute mental health wards. This is a role where you develop your clinical leadership while keeping your hands-on nursing skills. You will lead shifts, champion clinical expertise and teaching, and work alongside the Service Lead to make sure patients receive safe, personalised, evidence-based care from admission right through to discharge. What you will be doing: Clinical leadership: You will lead the shift, taking responsibility for staff, patient care and the smooth running of the ward, and support the Service Lead with clinical nurse management, leadership and expertise across the service. You will deputise for the Ward Manager and represent the ward at key meetings, including clinical governance. Alongside this, you will deliver evidence-based care that meets patients' physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs, and be involved in every stage of the patient journey, from assessment and admission through to discharge planning. Quality and audit: You will carry out regular audits of patient records, observation levels, the clinic room and medicines management, making sure admissions, discharges and one-to-one sessions are recorded accurately and supporting staff through clinical supervision where standards need to improve. You will also lead specific improvement projects, help develop tools to measure how well the service is working, and share current best practice with colleagues to promote a culture of learning. People and resources: You will plan and delegate staff activity, make short-term adjustments to the rota, and support supervision, appraisals and personal development plans for the nursing team. You will manage sickness and absence on shift in line with policy and safe staffing principles, sit on interview panels and help deliver induction for new starters. You will understand the ward budget and help make the best use of staff and financial resources. The role includes joining the management on-call rota (one week per month) and attending clinical improvement, restrictive practice and team meetings.

• Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) or RNLD with active NMC registration
• Experience in a leadership role within a mental health setting
• Strong clinical and communication skills
• Sound IT skills
• A passion for improving mental health care services
• A minimum of 3 years' experience of working as a nurse in a mental health setting.
• You must have outstanding communication skills, excellent clinical skills and be motivated to offer the highest standards of care.
  
  Nouvita Healthcare is an established provider of specialist health and social care services across Hertfordshire, Surrey, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. We are dedicated to delivering high-quality, patient-centred mental health support and therapeutic services in hospital, residential and now in outpatient settings. Our focus is on empowering recovery and improving outcomes through effective, compassionate care. At Nouvita, we value continuous improvement and foster an environment where all staff have a voice and can develop their careers.
  
  We believe a happy workplace starts with you, that's why we offer:
• Blue Light Card (High street discounts with many major brands)
• Access to our 'Refer a Friend' scheme - earn up to £1000
• CQC-recognised training programme
• Health cash back scheme
• Employer pension contribution
• Birthday leave following one years employment
• Fully funded DBS
• Free Parking
• Free hot drinks
• Long Service Award
• Career Progression
• Nursery Childcare Scheme