Job Description

This is an exciting opportunity for two exceptional Registered Mental Health Nurses to influence the strategic direction , provide clinical leadership and drive innovation in promoting mental health services in clinical practice within University Hospital Lewisham & Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The post holder will be practising autonomously as an advanced mental health practitioner within the acute services to provide patient-centred quality care. As a Mental Health Matron you will:



Through strong clinical leadership support the Ward and Departmental Nurses to promote excellence in nursing care to maintain and improve clinical standards for Mental Health patients.



The Matron's key responsibility is to ensure that the patient experience is of the highest quality inspiring patient and public confidence. This will be achieved through high visibility, accessibility and surveillance. The post holder will be expected to work clinically for an agreed amount of their time and will be a specialist in Mental Health Nursing.



The post holder will be practising autonomously as an advanced mental health practitioner within acute services to provide patient-centred quality care and has the ability to challenge stigmatising practice or culture towards patients with mental health needs will be essential.



The post holder will devise and implement a confident, safe, holistic approach to mental health care and risk management in the general hospital setting, promoting understanding and effective support for patients with mental health needs and co-morbid physical health problems, working in partnership with the Mental Health Liaison Team and CAMHS Crisis Teams.



The post holder will be responsible for implementing relevant national standards, protocols and agreed Trust initiatives.

Collaborate with the Head of Nursing for Mental Health and Divisional teams on the service and business strategy for Mental Health in the Trust.



Participate in service improvement projects or development programmes that contribute to the modernisation of patient services, providing both professional and clinical advice as necessary.



Work in close partnership with appropriate Clinical Leads and Service Managers to ensure all local, corporate, national initiatives and targets are met.



Please see JD for further information.



Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, (LGT), is a community-focused provider of local and acute care, delivering high-quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, and Bexley. We provide whole-life care and are here to support our communities to live healthier lives as well as taking care of them when they need us the most.



Employing almost 7,500 colleagues, affectionately known as Team LGT, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham, and at over a dozen community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Mary's Hospital in Sidcup.



We have recently launched our new vision and values to mark the LGT10 - the tenth anniversary of our Trust forming in 2013. Our trust vision is to be exceptional. In the quality of our patient care; our support for colleagues; and in the difference we make through our partnerships and in our communities.



To achieve this we value Respect, Compassion, and Inclusion; Being accountable over staying comfortable; Listening over always knowing best; and Succeeding together over achieving alone. You can read more about our visions and values here



Our hospitals and community sites provide a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, as well as emergency and planned care. The Trust is rated as "good" or "outstanding" in over three-quarters of the services inspected by the Care Quality Commission.



The post holder will be aware this is an innovative role. They will seek and promote research to support excellence in mental health care within a general hospital setting promoting integrated working with the mental health liaison team, embedding a culture of shared working within the Trust



Working in collaboration with the clinical teams on a daily basis, the post holder will monitor and action decisions in relation to clinical areas ensuring an appropriate mental health nursing skill mix in relation to activity and acuity.



Manage report and where appropriate take action on any risk issues identified. Escalate any issues outside area of knowledge or competence to the Head of Nursing in a timely manner.



Provide expert advice and support in the use of Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act, working closely with the safeguarding team



Facilitate training and development programmes, working with Head of Nursing for Mental Health to ensure clinical staff are able to develop skills to undertake basic psychological assessments and provide a high standard of emergency care for patients with mental health problems