Deputy Chief Nurse

Job overview

Reporting to the Group Chief Nurse/Executive Director Nursing, AHPs and Quality, the Deputy Chief Nurse is a senior leadership role within the Nursing and Quality Directorate. The post holder will provide visible, credible and compassionate professional nursing leadership across NHFT, supporting the delivery of safe, effective, high-quality care and strengthening assurance, professional standards and quality improvement across the organisation.

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The post holder will be a member of the Operational Directors’ management team through the Trust Operational Management Group (TOMG) and Executive Management Board (EMB), contributing to corporate decision-making, operational grip, quality assurance and delivery of strategic priorities. Working with Care Delivery Pathway leadership teams, Operational Directors, Clinical Directors, Heads of Nursing, Matrons and corporate teams, the Deputy Chief Nurse will ensure nursing and quality priorities are embedded in operational delivery. This includes supporting strong clinical governance, regulatory compliance, patient safety, patient experience, risk management, safeguarding, professional standards and continuous improvement. The post holder will provide senior nursing leadership, support and challenge across Forensic and Secure Services and Specialist Services, ensuring services are safe, responsive, well-led and aligned to national standards, commissioner requirements and local population needs. They will deputise for the Group Chief Nurse/Executive Director of Nursing, AHPs and Quality as required and act as Deputy Director of Infection Prevention and Control, supporting Trust-wide IPC leadership, oversight and assurance. They will also participate in the senior on-call rota, providing advice and leadership on urgent operational, quality, safety and professional issues.

Working for our organisation

NHFT is an NHS Community and Mental Health Foundation Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in hospital settings and in the community. We provide over 200 services across the county - as well as some specialist services in bordering and nearby counties. We work together with our partners to ensure that everyone who comes through our doors receives compassionate, person-centred care, regardless of their background or circumstances.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning, to improve the care and safety of our patients and colleagues. We have achieved our ‘outstanding’ rating by encouraging opportunity, innovation, development and growth across our workforce.

At NHFT we believe that work should be rewarded in every sense which is why we are proud to an accredited living wage employer.

We aim to support financial wellbeing and create an environment where are people feel valued and able to thrive.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Deputy Chief Nurse is a senior nursing leader within the Nursing and Quality Directorate, reporting directly to the Group Chief Nurse/Executive Director of Nursing, AHPs and Quality. The post holder provides visible, credible and compassionate professional nursing leadership across the Trust, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality care. Working with significant autonomy, they support the Chief Nurse in driving quality improvement, professional standards, patient safety, workforce development and organisational assurance.

The role works closely with Operational Directors, Clinical Directors, Heads of Nursing and Care Delivery Pathway leadership teams to ensure nursing, quality and patient safety priorities are embedded in operational delivery and strategic planning. The Deputy Chief Nurse provides expert advice, support and constructive challenge in relation to clinical governance, risk management, safeguarding, patient experience, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement.

Key responsibilities include leading and contributing to Trust-wide quality improvement programmes; supporting robust ward-to-board assurance arrangements; overseeing the management of quality and safety risks; and ensuring learning from incidents, complaints, audits and patient feedback is translated into measurable improvements. The post holder contributes to Executive Management Board and senior governance forums, providing professional nursing leadership and assurance on complex issues.

The Deputy Chief Nurse acts as Deputy Director of Infection Prevention and Control, supporting the delivery of infection prevention strategies, assurance and improvement across the organisation. They also deputise for the Group Chief Nurse as required and participate in the senior on-call rota, responding to urgent operational, quality and safety issues.

The role requires strong partnership working with internal and external stakeholders, including regulators, commissioners, system partners and education providers, while promoting a culture of inclusion, continuous learning, professional excellence and compassionate leadership.

Important Information

By completing an application you are giving authorisation for the transfer of your data. In submitting an application form, you authorise us to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process. Including factual reference, occupational health clearance and statutory and mandatory training records and full service history.

You must ensure that your application, including supporting statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Correspondence regarding your application will be sent to you via a TRAC system account.

Please submit your application as soon as possible; due to the high volumes of applications we receive we reserve the right to close any adverts before the closing date once we have received sufficient applications.

We are an equal opportunities employer, which aims to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from all backgrounds.

All roles are subject to the home office immigration rules and therefore eligibility must meet certain requirements for any sponsorship to be considered. Please visit the government website for more information regarding eligibility,

At NHFT we support many of our colleagues to work flexibly and we will consider requests for flexible working from day one. For this role, we are open to discussing a range of options including flexible hours, agile/home working, compressed hours and part time hours. Please have a conversation with the recruiting manager about the flexibility you need and we will promise to explore what is possible with you.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.

All posts that are engaged in a regulated activity will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and a DBS re-check on a three yearly basis whilst employed in such a role. Staff employed in these posts will therefore be asked to register with the DBS Automatic Update Service upon receipt of their DBS certificate and must update yearly , the annual fee will be reimbursed subject to Trust policy. For further information please visit: DBS Update Service: applicant guide - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Please note if a DBS is applicable for the position then a charge will be deducted from your first salary.

Please note that all new starters to the trust are subject to a probationary period.