Matron Children & Young People Services

Due to impending retirement an exciting opportunity has arisen for a full-time (37.5 hours per week) Matron for Children & Young People Acute Services.

Applications are welcome from internal candidates only.

For further details and informal visits please contactAmrat Mahal, Divisional Director of Nursing Women & Children on 01905 763333 ext 39704 or via email: amrat.mahal@nhs.net or Julie Lefeuvre, Divisional PA Women & Children Divisional Management Team on 01905 761499 or via email julie.lefeuvre@nhs.net

Closing date is 14th June 2026

Interviews will be held on 26th June 2026

As part of the Trust's aim to improve diversity across the Trust, positive action is being taken and all applications for this post from BAME, Disabled and LGBT+ candidates can request to be considered under an expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum criteria as specified in the person specification for this role.

Applicants will be prompted in the application form to declare if they wish to be considered under this expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme, and their response would be visible to the Shortlisting Panel.

If you have any queries about expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please contact Rob Saunders (HR Manager - Recruitment) in confidence via email robert.saunders1@nhs.net

Job description

Job Summary

Provide compassionate inclusive leadership and management to all clinical and non-clinical staff, actively promoting high standards of clinical care, patient safety and experience and prevention and control of infections.

Be highly visible in the clinical areas and act as a clinical resource to ensure and sustain delivery of patient centred care and service delivery. They will lead on staff and team development and nursing practice and the provision of a safe effective and high-quality care environment for the patients, carers and families.

Contribute to the achievement of Directorate, Divisional and Corporate objectives and the required local and national quality and governance standards by ensuring that all required audits, assessments and reviews are completed within the agreed timeframes, that action plans are regularly monitored and integrated into clinical practice.

Job Purpose:

The post holder will

be accountable for ensuring the highest standard of clinical care is provided within the areas of responsibility.

provide compassionate and inclusive clinical leadership which inspires and motivates others, empowering them to ensure all ward/departmental Sisters/Charge Nurses have the authority and support they need to improve patient care and resolve clinical issues timely.

promote and implement professionalism and the Trust values amongst nurses and be actively visible in the clinical areas, undertaking regular clinical rounds, talking to patients and listening to their concerns, dealing with complaints and involving patients in decision-making.

develop a culture that is flexible and positive to change, were staff feel valued and where opportunities are actively created for individuals to maximise their potential and excel.

monitor the nursing establishments in conjunction with sisters/charge nurses, ensuring timely recruitment and appropriate selection of staff. To assist in identifying and implementing appropriate recruitment and retention initiatives.

Dimensions of Role

The post holder will provide direct management and professional leadership for all Band 7s within their sphere of responsibility. They will have direct access to and be accountable to the Divisional Director of Nursing for professional practice and care standards.

Key Responsibilities

Professional/Clinical Leadership

Actively implement the standards set in the Trusts Quality Strategy for nurses and acting as a role model for others to emulate, working alongside colleagues and exhibiting high standards of professional behaviour.

To be actively involved in maintaining compliance with the NHSLA and CQC standards, ensuring all clinical areas are aware of their responsibilities and are adhering to Trust Policies and putting them into practice.

Take an active role in managing disciplinary issues as necessary, ensuring quality outcomes that can be shared as a means of learning across the Trust.

Ensure staff work within their sphere of responsibility receive training in the protection of vulnerable adults/children, are alert to potential indicators of abuse or neglect of vulnerable patients and know how to act on their concerns in line with the Trust policy.

Education, Training and Development

To act as an expert resource and provide advice on nursing care in relation to clinical interventions, policies, service development and delivery.

Develop own and others knowledge and practice across professional and organisational boundaries.

Empower Departmental Sisters/Charge Nurses supporting the development of their role through enabling them to acquire and maintain appropriate management skills, which enable them to discharge their responsibilities effectively.

Ensure that a training and development plan, based on need, is produced, and reviewed annually.

Participate in the PDR process and undertake annual PDR for all staff for whom the post-holder has line managerial responsibility and ensure that PDR arrangements are in place for all nursing staff within the sphere of responsibility, in order to address training and development needs within your team.

Facilitate the development of other nurses within the area of responsibility ensuring appropriate succession planning arrangements are in place.

Patient/Carer Support

Maintain personal contact with patients, relatives and carers being sensitive to their needs for respect, safety, privacy and dignity and act as a senior point of contact. Have visible daily contact with staff, patients, and their carers, and provide feedback about the Trust services, ensuring that concerns that are raised are dealt with quickly and efficiently, ensuring excellent and effective communication takes place.

Ensure that complaints are investigated in a timely fashion in accordance with Trust policy, promote a culture of dealing with complaints with compassion and responsiveness to ensure that lessons are learned and are disseminated appropriately.

Actively devise, implement, and support the development of health education/promotion strategies/patient information in order to improve the patient experience.

Clinical Governance

Develop a working environment and culture that actively improves health, safety and security for patients and staff.

Take appropriate steps to ensure that a safe environment is maintained for patients, staff, and visitors within the area of responsibility, by producing risk assessments and action plans for any hazards in the environment.

Ensure that all untoward incidents and near misses are reported by staff within their area of responsibility in accordance with the Trust policy, and that appropriate mechanisms are put in place to investigate serious clinical incidents under the direction and guidance of the Risk Management Department, following which appropriate action plans are developed and monitored, and lessons are learned and disseminated.

Endeavour to ensure that staffing levels are maintained that ensure patient safety and any concerns are brought to the attention of the Divisional Director of Nursing.

To be ultimately responsible for the health and safety of staff, patients, and visitors to the area, reporting areas of concern to the Divisional Director of Nursing or Directorate Manager

Ensure that all Trust policies and procedures are implemented within the area of responsibility and followed by all staff and regularly audited.

Professional Responsibilities

Maintain personal registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) with recognized revalidation process.

Maintain own personal and professional development including in areas specific to speciality, attending mandatory study sessions as required.

Maintain and update Trust mandatory training as appropriate.

Demonstrate evidence of continuous professional development in line with professional body revalidation requirements to maintain evidence base of current developments within the NHS.

Research, Development, and evidence based practice

Create, maintain, and develop a culture to enable and support nurses to undertake and disseminate research as well as apply evidence-based practice.

Co-ordinate and lead projects in clinical practice development exploring appropriate models to support best clinical practice.

Support Department managers in developing a Practice Development plan for each Department.

Support the development of a learning culture and ensure appropriate nursing audit mechanisms are in place, in order to compile evidence to support any changes in practice required.

Inform the development of clinical audit cycles across areas of responsibility. Identify areas of clinical practice for audit and participate in the audit process, taking responsibility for the implementation of change leading to the standards of best practice.

Business and Service Development

To actively work with Directorate Managers to identify opportunities for new markets and schemes to generate additional income.

To contribute to the long-term strategies of the Directorate, including major operational changes, service reviews and developments including clinical pathways which may cross organisational boundaries.

Advise and contribute to directorate service development and business plans, in order to promote new initiatives and plans.

Contribute pro-actively to directorate productivity and efficiency plans (PEP)/savings plans in order to ensure your areas are working within the agreed budgets.

Lead in the development of workforce plans by regularly undertaking skill mix reviews on establishments to ensure that the nursing resource is maximised to best effect (annual review). Advise on day-to-day allocation of nursing resources throughout your Directorates and in collaboration with other matrons ensure a safe and effective service.

To actively participate in Hospital management team meetings.

To participate in the maternity Senior Nurse/Midwife on-call rota.

Person specification

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Evidence of advanced knowledge and understanding of clinical specialties relevant to role.
• Understands the concepts of clinical governance and shared governance including evidence-based practice and critical appraisal of research findings.
• A strong sense of personal and team accountability coupled with a clear understanding of the boundaries around delegated authority.
• Evidence of effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Effective of negotiating and influencing skills.
• Well-developed delegation, people, and workload management skills.

Desirable

• Evidence of high-quality report writing and critical analysis.

Qualifications

Essential

• RSCN/RN Child
• Current NMC Registration
• Educated to Degree level
• Evidence of on-going professional development
• Post-graduate specialty qualification relevant to the role
• Recognised teaching/assessing qualification
• Recognised leadership or management qualification

Desirable

• Masters Degree or equivalent management experience

Personal qualities

Essential

• Strategic thinker.
• Highly developed leadership skills with a positive approach.
• Effective personal organisation skills.
• Willingness to challenge practice and current thinking.
• Ability to conduct oneself as a highly professional nursing role model.
• Articulate and emotionally resilient.
• Strong sense of commitment to openness, honesty and integrity in undertaking the role.

Experience

Essential

• A proven track record of operational management at a senior level in an acute hospital environment, including staff, financial and change management.
• Proven track record of delivering the quality agenda, ensuring patient safety is paramount and at the forefront to planning services and resource allocation.
• Demonstrable previous success in leading and delivering change and performance with and through clinical teams, engaging them in the strategic direction and delivery plans.
• Establish clear work priorities, delegates appropriately and effectively, ensuring a capability to deliver, monitoring performance, and giving feedback.

Other job requirements

Essential

• Willing to undertake training in relation to post.
• Complaints management.
• Performance management.
• Able to fulfil Occupational Health requirements for post.

About the employer

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.

The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester

Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.

We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.

Being open and honest

Ensuring people feel cared for

Showing respect to everyone

We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System.

We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.

DBS Checks and Costs

Any applicants who are offered posts requiring a DBS check as part of their employment check will have the cost of this check (at the current rate) deducted from their salary. Please see link in Supporting Information section for more details on DBS checks and costs.