Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, motivated, and compassionate registered Nurse to join Whitbread Ward as a Band 7 Acute Ward Manager.
As Ward Manager, you will provide visible and inspirational leadership, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe, and person-centred care within our acute inpatient service. You will lead a multidisciplinary team, promote a positive culture, and drive continuous service improvement while maintaining the highest standards of clinical practice and governance.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be responsible for the day-to-day operational management of Whitbread Ward, ensuring effective clinical leadership, workforce management, and the delivery of excellent patient care.
You will work closely with senior leaders and multidisciplinary colleagues to support patient care, improve patient outcomes, and ensure compliance with national standards and organisational policies.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Job description
Job responsibilities
Provide strong clinical and operational leadership to the ward team.
Ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate patient care.
Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing multidisciplinary workforce.
Manage staffing, budgets, and resources effectively.
Maintain high standards of clinical governance, quality improvement, and risk management.
Support staff wellbeing, supervision, appraisal, and professional development.
Foster a culture of learning, innovation, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
Work collaboratively with patients, carers, community teams, and partner agencies to promote recovery and positive patient experiences.
Person Specification
Essential & Desirable
Essential
- RGN with active membership of N.M.C
Desirable
- Masters degree or equivalent level of experience
Experience
Essential
- 2 years working in an acute setting
- Band 6 for at least 2 years
- Experience in mentoring, assessing, coaching
- Leadership management, leading a team
- Experience in managing bed capacity and flow within the hospital.
Desirable
- Educational link responsibilities
- Experience of leading service development
- Up to date knowledge of relevant political & professional issues in health care
Knowledge
Essential
- Audit / research/presentation skills
- Knowledge of clinical governance and safeguarding
- Evidence of influencing and implementing change
- Knowledge of performance management
- Excellent personal and communication skill
Desirable
- Problem solving and decision making skills
- Working knowledge of Mental capacity Act, safe guarding policies.
Personal Skills & other
Essential
- Organisational ability
- Role Model
- IT Skills
- Demonstrate ability to think creatively and laterally
- Able to work under pressure
- Adaptable, reliable and dependable
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Bedford NHS trust- south wing
Kempston road
Bedford
MK429DJ
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/ (Opens in a new tab)
This listing was aggregated from publicly-available sources. The employer holds an A-rated sponsor licence at the time of this listing, but sponsorship of this specific role is not guaranteed — the employer's offer and UK Visas and Immigration are the final authority. Details may have changed since our last update — verify with the employer via the Apply link.