Job Description

This position offers the opportunity to lead and develop one of the Trust's key areas of priority: the delivery of expert wound care and the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. By guiding the team and service, the TVN Team Lead ensures that best practice is embedded across the organisation, directly improving patient outcomes and experience, and supporting the Trust's strategic objectives in quality and safety.



The role is responsible for providing operational leadership to the tissue viability team, with a focus on reducing the incidence and impact of pressure ulcers across the organisation. The post holder will champion high standards of wound care by delivering targeted education and training to clinical staff, ensuring that care is grounded in the latest evidence and best practice. Responsibilities also include the ongoing review and optimisation of the wound care formulary, as well as delivering timely, specialist advice and clinical input for the management of complex wounds. This support extends to healthcare professionals, patients, and carers, promoting accessible and cost-effective solutions in tissue viability.



We are a leading local employer with a diverse workforce of approximately 6,000 staff, dedicated to providing healthcare services to a growing population of around 780,000 individuals.



Our Trust provides both emergency and planned healthcare across East Surrey, North-East West Sussex, and South Croydon - covering towns like Crawley, Horsham, Reigate, and Redhill. Our main hospital, East Surrey in Redhill, offers a full range of acute and specialist services and is also the closest trauma unit to Gatwick Airport. We also provide outpatient, diagnostic, and planned care services at sites including The Earlswood Centre, Caterham Dene Hospital, Oxted Health Centre, Crawley Hospital, and Horsham Hospital.



We are proud to be an inclusive employer, and we work hard to create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. At our Trust, we strive to be the best place to work and receive care. We are dedicated to supporting you in your current role while helping you grow and develop your career. As part of our team, you will have access to excellent training opportunities, flexible working, dedicated support networks, and a strong emphasis on health and wellbeing to ensure a thriving and positive work environment.



Clinical

Review, establish, implement and maintain standards of clinical practice in Tissue Viability Manage and prioritise referrals to the service, determining those requiring direct review and/or liaison with other agencies Undertake holistic assessments of patients with complex wounds or at risk of wound development Act as a role model through the provision of professional leadership and demonstration of competent practice Provide care and advice to patients, relatives and health care professionals within the Trust. Challenge poor practice and inappropriate interventions in relation to Tissue Viability management.

Communication & Team Working

Establish effective working relationships with other health care professionals whose role links to the Tissue Viability Service e.g. plastics and vascular teams, orthopaedics, pharmacy and primary care, nurses, doctors, Allied Health Professionals. Communicate with professional bodies, locally, nationally and internationally, research and development and academic staff both locally and nationally and national experts and centres within the field of Tissue Viability. Communicate with a variety of patients of all ages with tissue viability needs, who are frequently distressed by their tissue viability status and perceived body image. Provide relevant information, educational advice and counselling. Supervise team members and link nurses to achieve clear communication and smooth running of the Tissue Viability nursing service. Facilitate and chair multi professional meetings relating to the Tissue Viability nursing service. Lead on establishing effective communication across professional boundaries within the Trust in regards to the introduction of new initiatives or alterations in protocol or policy development or referral guidelines. Collaborate with consultants, ward managers to ensure that clinical staff within the Trust are supported through education, advice and clinical protocols to effectively manage patients with a tissue viability needs. Establish and maintain effective communication networks and working relationships with personnel within and outside the organisation. Empower patients' to make informed choices regarding wound management modalities, drug therapy and life style changes. Assess, develop and supervise link nurses and ward teams in providing education and information for patients and/or their carers in the management of tissue viability needs, promoting their understanding and the ability to evolve strategies for self-management. Act as the patient's advocate, using mediation skills when communicating between patients, carers and professionals where appropriate.

Management responsibilities

Monitor workload and time management of the Tissue Viability team and prioritise and allocate clinical and non-clinical duties. Prioritise own workload and manage time effectively, identifying priorities for service delivery. Manage risks within sphere of responsibility. Activities will cross professional and speciality boundaries. Manage the Total Bed Management Contract including operational issues and offer specialist advice with regards to equipment including bariatrics. Investigate and prepare incident and complaint responses within sphere of responsibility. Participate in quality assurance activities and audit, ensuring that guidelines are introduced and monitored consistently. Cascade information to relevant staff within the Trust. Keep up to date with hospital initiatives, and ensure these are promoted within the clinical areas including clinical governance, risk management, infection control and patient forums. Demonstrate professional leadership and act as a positive role model for nursing staff throughout the Trust. Maintain accurate records in line with Trust policy and the NMC records and record keeping guidance. Lead on the development of relevant documentation for use by the tissue viability team and across the Trust Ensure robust processes are in place for documentation of all patient contacts undertaken by the Tissue Viability team.

Education

Provide formal education and advice to multi professional team within primary, secondary care and academic institutions. Co-ordinate/ lead/ organise regional study days and sessions, on Tissue Viability management, for medical, nursing and other professional disciplines. Provide professional support, opportunities and educational updates in Tissue Viability management for all disciplines studying at undergraduate or post-graduate level. Disseminate and share best practice, audit and research at local, national and international level by presenting at conferences and through publication. Assess the information and education needs of patients, carers and relatives in liaison with the multidisciplinary team. Manage the development and review of patient information ensuring that information is based on evidence. Establish, manage and provide a structured development programme to the Trust Tissue Viability Link team Provide expert advice and support to link nurses and medical teams on tissue viability issues Develop and implement Tissue Viability competencies for all levels of staff.

Research & Audit

Acts as a change agent, Trust wide, initiating, facilitating and supporting change initiatives, related to Tissue Viability management, across professional boundaries. Work with nursing executive, general managers and consultants to identify, implement and analyse data from clinical audit activities. Present audit findings to professional groups. Monitor the emergence of new evidence and implement, and evaluate research-based recommendations that are expected to improve care. Lead and advise on Tissue Viability management clinical development initiatives, and corresponding change management across the Trust. Identify and undertake areas for research within own speciality, facilitating the involvement of appropriate staff. Participate in agreed research activities. Lead on the monitoring of patient satisfaction and promote appropriate service developments. Support the development of clinical benchmarks for best practice within the management of patients with a tissue viability needs

Policy & Service Development

Identify the need for strategic service developments to improve clinical effectiveness and efficiency. Lead practice innovation and the implementation of change in relation to the Tissue Viability service within the Trust. Develop and update policies, protocols, clinical guidelines, documentation systems and education materials to direct own and others practice. Develop, review and audit guidelines/ protocols/ polices for specific aspects of the Tissue Viability service. Facilitate implementation of the above policies across the Trust. Monitor trends in relation to the demand and capacity of the service. Facilitate the development of service objectives for Tissue Viability Service, taking into account relevant NHS guidelines and the needs of the organisation. Set and monitor standards of practice in relation to Tissue Viability management providing feedback to the multi professional team within the Trust. Be at the leading edge of innovations in Tissue Viability nursing through effective networking with commercial and professional partners. Promote sharing of best practice with other Departments within the region. Continue to develop and lead the nurse led Tissue Viability team to ensure that clinical management is evidence based.

Professional Conduct & Professional Development

Exercises professional accountability and adheres to the NMC Code of Professional Conduct. Actively participate in own appraisal and personal professional development plan. Maintain a contemporary knowledge of Tissue Viability management and professional issues by participating in ongoing education and continuing self-development. Uses reflection to identify and prioritise areas for self-development to advance professional clinical knowledge and skills. * Actively promotes the professional nursing role within the multi-disciplinary team.