Unit Manager

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated Band 7 Ward Manager to provide clinical, professional, and operational leadership within the Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU). The successful candidate will lead a dynamic team in delivering high-quality, safe, and effective care for patients presenting with acute surgical conditions.

Working closely with multidisciplinary colleagues, the post holder will be responsible for patient flow, workforce management, governance, service performance, and quality improvement. They will provide visible leadership, support staff development, maintain high clinical standards, and ensure an excellent patient experience.

The role will play a key part in the ongoing development of the SAU and implementation of the Surgical Front Door Redesign, supporting innovative ways of working and continuous service improvement.

This is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious nurse leader who is passionate about delivering outstanding patient care and developing high-performing teams within a fast-paced surgical environment.

The Team Leader is responsible for delivering high-quality, safe, and effective care within the Surgical Assessment Unit (SAU), ensuring positive outcomes and experiences for patients and their families. The post holder will provide clinical and operational leadership to support the assessment, treatment, and flow of patients presenting with acute surgical conditions.

The post holder will:
Lead the day-to-day management of the Surgical Assessment Unit.

Provide visible leadership and act as a key member of the multidisciplinary team.

Manage, support, and develop nursing and support staff.

Coordinate workforce deployment to ensure safe staffing and effective service delivery.

Promote evidence-based practice and maintain high clinical standards.

Support timely assessment, treatment, admission, transfer, and discharge of patients.

Lead patient flow and capacity management to minimise delays and optimise service performance.

Monitor and improve quality, safety, and operational performance indicators.

Ensure compliance with governance, safeguarding, infection prevention, and risk management requirements.

Lead audits, quality improvement initiatives, and service developments.

Support the implementation of the Surgical Front Door Redesign and other transformation programmes.

Manage resources effectively, including staffing, rostering, and budgetary responsibilities.

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best, and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivating a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team, and a suite of programs and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development

Widening access (anchor institution) and employability

Improving the experience of staff with disability

Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development

Making equality mainstream

The team lead will:
Have continuous responsibility for the Surgical Assessment Unit, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe, and effective patient care.

Act as the key nursing contact for the multidisciplinary team, coordinating care and facilitating effective communication across services.

Provide professional leadership, operational management, and line management for nursing and support staff within the unit.

Delegate work appropriately and supervise staff to ensure safe and effective care delivery.

Promote and support evidence-based practice, ensuring timely assessment, treatment, and evaluation of patients presenting with acute surgical conditions.

Provide expert clinical advice and support to staff, patients, and relatives.

Ensure patients progress efficiently through the emergency surgical pathway, supporting timely assessment, investigation, treatment, admission, transfer, or discharge.

Lead on patient flow, capacity management, escalation processes, and operational performance within the unit.

Manage staffing resources, budgets, and workforce deployment efficiently and effectively to meet service demands.

Maintain a safe clinical environment, ensuring compliance with governance, infection prevention, safeguarding, and risk management requirements.

Monitor quality indicators, incidents, complaints, and audit outcomes, implementing improvement plans where required.

Champion a culture of continuous learning, quality improvement, and professional development.

Support the implementation of service developments and the Surgical Front Door Redesign.

Work collaboratively with specialty teams, site management, emergency care services, theatres, and inpatient wards to ensure timely patient flow and optimal utilisation of assessment and treatment capacity.

Ensure patients receive care in the most appropriate setting and that delays within the patient journey are identified, escalated, and addressed promptly