Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Summary

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's leading specialist cardiothoracic hospitals, providing tertiary services for cardiac, thoracic and respiratory patients across Cheshire and Merseyside and beyond. The Trust is committed to delivering outstanding, safe, effective and compassionate care whilst continuously improving the experience and outcomes for patients and their families.

The Matron is a senior clinical and professional nursing leader within the Surgery Care Group who provides visible, compassionate and inclusive leadership across designated clinical areas. Working under the direction of the Assistant Director of Nursing, the post holder is responsible for ensuring the highest standards of patient care, patient safety, clinical governance, workforce leadership and operational delivery.

The Matron will provide professional nursing leadership across multiple clinical areas, ensuring that nursing care is evidence based, patient centred and delivered in accordance with the NMC Code, Trust policies, national standards and regulatory requirements.

The post holder will work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to support delivery of the Care Group objectives, ensuring patients receive high quality, safe and effective care throughout their entire patient journey.

The Matron is responsible for providing assurance regarding quality, patient safety, workforce, patient experience and governance through the Surgery Divisional Assurance Group and wider Care Group governance structure. They will ensure risks are identified early, appropriately managed and escalated through the Assistant Director of Nursing to the Divisional Director of Nursing where required.

The post holder will act as a highly visible professional leader, promoting a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, compassionate leadership and staff engagement whilst supporting delivery of the Trust Nursing Strategy and organisational objectives.

Principal Accountabilities

The Matron Will

·         Provide visible clinical leadership across designated clinical areas, promoting a culture of excellence in patient care and professional nursing practice.

·         Ensure patients receive safe, effective, evidence-based and compassionate care that reflects national standards, professional guidance and Trust policies.

·         Promote patient-centred care, ensuring patients, families and carers are actively involved in decisions regarding their treatment and ongoing care.

·         Act as an expert professional resource for Ward Managers, Department Managers and multidisciplinary teams.

·         Maintain oversight of standards of nursing care, ensuring early identification and management of quality concerns.

·         Promote consistent implementation of national guidance including NICE recommendations, NHS England guidance and professional standards.

·         Ensure compliance with the NMC Code, Trust policies and statutory requirements.

·         Support the implementation of specialist clinical pathways across the Surgery Care Group.

·         Promote personalised care, shared decision making and equality of access for all patients.

·         Ensure safeguarding principles are embedded throughout clinical practice.

·         Maintain oversight of patient documentation standards, ensuring accurate, contemporaneous and legally compliant records are maintained.

·         Ensure patients requiring additional support, including those living with dementia, learning disabilities or other vulnerabilities, receive appropriate individualised care.

·         Actively promote infection prevention and control standards and ensure immediate action is taken where concerns are identified.

·         Ensure that nutrition, hydration, privacy, dignity and fundamental standards of care remain central to service delivery.

·         Support the delivery of effective discharge planning and patient flow across all clinical areas

Leadership and Management

The Matron will:

• Provide inspirational, compassionate and inclusive leadership across the Surgery Care Group.
• Lead by example, demonstrating the Trust values and behaviours at all times.
• Create a culture where staff feel respected, valued and empowered to deliver outstanding patient care.
• Support the Assistant Director of Nursing in delivering the strategic objectives of the Surgery Care Group.
• Provide day-to-day professional leadership for Ward Managers and Department Managers.
• Foster a coaching style of leadership, supporting development of future nursing leaders.
• Promote psychological safety and encourage staff to raise concerns through an open and transparent culture.
• Lead recruitment, retention and succession planning activities within designated clinical areas.
• Ensure robust performance management processes are implemented fairly and consistently.
• Support effective workforce planning to ensure safe staffing levels are maintained.
• Promote staff health and wellbeing through proactive leadership and early intervention.
• Support implementation of organisational change and service transformation programmes.
• Encourage multidisciplinary collaboration to improve patient outcomes.
• Promote equality, diversity and inclusion within all aspects of workforce management.
• Ensure effective communication between clinical teams, the Assistant Director of Nursing and the wider Care Group leadership team.
• Deputise for the Assistant Director of Nursing as required.

Professional Nursing Leadership

The Matron will:

• Act as a senior ambassador for the nursing profession across the Surgery Care Group.
• Promote professional accountability and uphold the highest standards of nursing practice.
• Ensure professional standards are consistently monitored and maintained across all clinical areas.
• Lead implementation of the Trust Nursing Strategy within designated services.
• Promote a culture of continual professional development and lifelong learning.
• Support implementation of evidence-based practice across all clinical environments.
• Encourage innovation and adoption of best practice.
• Work collaboratively with Practice Education, Professional Development teams and senior clinicians to support workforce capability.
• Develop strong professional relationships across the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and wider Group to promote consistency of nursing standards.
• Represent the Surgery Care Group at Trust-wide and external professional meetings as delegated by the Assistant Director of Nursing