Band 8a Matron - Blackberry Hill Hospital, Bristol

Do you bring passion and commitment to delivering high quality care? Do you understand the clinical and sensory needs of people with a Learning Disability and or Autism? If so this role will provide you with a rare and exciting career opportunity to be part of our new service implementation.
Avon and Wiltshire Partnership (AWP) are looking for an exceptional person to provide leadership to deliver our vision for excellent care for people with a learning disability and autistic people in our specialist acute inpatient mental health service and outreach team.
AWP are working with SW NHSE to provide a new inpatient unit as part of the transformation of end to end pathways in the region. We aim to be a centre of excellence. The services are being designed and developed with clinicians and people with lived experience. We expect to open in 2025. Until then, you will be employed to work as a core member of the project team until opening.
You will be instrumental in the development, implementation and delivery of the clinical and operational model for the inpatient service.
We will support you to develop your knowledge and skills and to further develop your operational and management leadership skills as part of the expanding expertise in learning disabilities and neurodiversity within AWP making this an exciting career opportunity., If you bring passion and commitment, we will support you to develop your knowledge and skills and to further develop your operational management and leadership skills, making this an exciting career opportunity.
As matron, you will act as a clinical leader contributing to clinical responsibilities and providing professional leadership within the Learning Disability and Autism unit. You will set up systems to support that the service provides high quality evidenced based nursing care and safe and therapeutic environments that support recovery.
You will line manage nursing staff, clinical and administrative staff supporting care delivery. You will discharge your responsibilities in line with the 10 core responsibilities outlined in the Matrons Handbook to ensure that national and service quality standards relating to the ward environment and non-clinical support services are monitored and reported on.
You will be a visible, accessible in clinical areas providing assistance, advice and support to staff, patients, relatives, carers and visitors.

• RN3: Mental Health Nurse, Level 1 or Registered learning disability nurse RNLD level 1 or dual qualification.


• Substantial post-registration experience - gained in a variety of settings and including experience as a ward manager or equivalent.


• Demonstrable understanding the needs of People with a Learning Disability and/or Autism


• Knowledge of the MHA, MCA. Use of Force Act and other relevant legislation


• Demonstrates specialist knowledge of recent Department of Health and Social care policies relating to Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism


• Specialist knowledge of key developments and issues in environmental safety and infection prevention and control (IPC).


• Completion of an NMC approved mentor preparation programme


• Highly developed people management, clinical leadership , budgeting and quality improvement skills


• The upkeep of accurate mental health records


• Certificate in Management or can demonstrate substantial equivalent level of knowledge and experience


• Digitally literate and committed to digital innovations.


• Sound knowledge of and evidence of participation in delivering patient safety and quality standards


• Access and monitor service provision against CQC standards

Experience
Essential

• Practical working experience at senior nurse or at management level


• Post registration experience in Adult, Mental health Learning Disabilities and or Autism services, Secure Services mental health setting.


• Experience of preparing and presenting complex reports for both clinical and managerial purposes


• Working with multi-disciplinary teams and system partners to improve patient flow Demonstrate experience of effective resource management e.g. skills mix, budget. Effective rostering to ensure appropriate levels of staff are available to deliver safe, high quality care Experience of undertaking PLACE assessments


• Sound knowledge and experience in finance, budget


• Experience of engagement with patients, carers and families, taking a proactive role in improving patient experience and reducing health inequalities.


• Experience of applying the hygiene code and the Health and Social Care Act to ensure a clean and safe environment,


• Experience of recognising and reporting safeguarding incidents to protect their patients, colleagues and community.

Knowledge and skills
Essential

• Excellent communication & Organisational skills.


• Ability to identify and mitigate risk.


• Able to provide quality assurance through audit and support quality improvement


• Able to maintain and develop professional knowledge and skills to reflect best practice


• Able to lead debriefing session to support reflection after challenging situations


• Good understanding of patient safety and the incident management system


• Inclusive leadership that encourages professional development and ensures patients, carers and families are treated with respect.


• Sets and embeds clear standards of behaviour and zero tolerance of poor care


• Independently mobile with the ability to travel quickly across a dispersed geographical area with limited access to public transport.

We are proud to be fostering a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. A key commitment to this is improving staff representation from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, those from the LGBTQ+ communities, people with 'lived-experience' of mental health conditions and people living with disabilities,- we are a 'Disability Confident Employer' offering a guaranteed interview to Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria.
We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service users.

Working for our organisation
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust); a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in 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 recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people 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.