Deputy Chief Nurse

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

·       Aligned with our Nursing Plan, provide leadership and strategic direction to the nursing team, ensuring high-quality care across all service areas. 

·       Lead and manage four Divisional Directors of Nursing and Quality to ensure cohesive and effective management of nursing services and, alongside the Director of Clinical Governance and Quality Assurance, ensure quality governance within each division. 

·       As Deputy DIPC, lead and manage the Lead Nurse for Physical Health and IPC, to oversee Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) practices, ensuring adherence to national and local guidelines and fostering a culture of safety and cleanliness.  

·       Promote physical health initiatives (including oversight of the annual vaccination campaign and tobacco cessation programme and resus) and support the integration of physical health and mental health services within nursing practice. 

·       Lead and manage the Lead Nurse for Safe Staffing and lead the Trust’s approach to safe staffing through the establishment of robust systems and processes that ensure sufficient multi-professional capacity and capability is in place across the 24-hour period, and that this is routinely monitored and reported according to national standards. This includes the highest quality safe staffing governance, and the production of an annual safe staffing establishment review that informs annual planning cycles 

·       Work alongside the senior leadership team to shape and implement clinical strategies that support the delivery of safe, and effective care while aligning with organisational goals and values.  This includes reducing restrictive practices, Operation Cavell and operating as the SRO on related continuous quality improvement programmes 

·       In support of the Director of Nursing Research, Education and Development, (NRED), champion continuous quality improvement to learning from patient experience, patient safety incidents and near misses. 

·       Support and drive professional development initiatives, ensuring nursing staff have the resources and support to grow in their careers.  To lead the relationship and interface with the NMC. 

·       Act as a role model for professional values and ethics, embedding a culture of inclusivity, respect, and high standards of care. 

·       Represent the office of the CNO well.  This will include developing effective relationships with key external stakeholders including Sussex provider trusts, NHS Sussex, and in support of regional and national meetings and priorities 

·       To produce high quality assurance reports to the Board and sub committees on all areas of responsibility 

·       To support the CNO in ensuring that their risk register is a dynamic and effective risk management tool 

·       Budgetary responsibility to ensure that the public purse is used efficiently in ensuring the best clinical outcomes 

·  Financial responsibility - accountable for the financial planning, financial balance (including financial resources and physical assets) and performance management for all areas of responsibility.