Deputy Unit Manager inIvybridge inIvybridge PUBLISHED MON 23 DEC 2024

30 hours per week. A rare opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic & committed experienced band 6 to join our successful & highly motivated team as a Deputy Unit Manager. You will support the manager & senior team to ensure the team provides high standards of care to service users within a Low Secure Environment. You will provide clinical leadership, experience & act as a decision maker within the staff team. We are looking for somebody who can continue supporting service development within a large team, whilst ocnsidering all aspects of relatinal security.

Lee Mill LSU is a 12-bed male inpatient ward set just outside of Plymouth. We provide specialist mental health care to men who require a high level of risk management due to their histories & complex mental health difficulties. The staff are passionate about providing the highest level of patient centred care to an often challenging & disadvantaged patient group.

We offer a comprehensive, supportive induction programme with access to further training & continuing professional development training including essential training for staff working within secure services.

All staff are required to attend PMVA training to ensure we can meet the needs of our patients & remain effective in maintaining the safety & wellbeing of all. This post covers a 24/7 shift pattern inclusive of nights.

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.

• Provide high standards of care to service users within a Low Secure environment

• To provide clinical leadership, experience and act as a decision maker within the staff team

• To line Manager a group of staff to include undertaking caseload management and appraisals

• To ensure adequate staffing levels and undertake ongoing monitoring of safer staffing levels on shifts and at times of acuity and increased risk.

• To have a knowledge of areas of performance in aspects of finance, workforce, safety and quality and contribute to performance monitoring reviews and processes.

• Implement quality improvement initiatives in line with Commissioning, governance and best practice frameworks and standards.

• To liaise with regional Commissioners and Case Managers and prioritise bed management co-ordination for regional secure pathway at the Unit Manager request.
• Supporting the team around complex risk management and decision making.
• Please note that Livewell may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline if a high number of applications are submitted. Therefore, we recommend you submit your application at the earliest opportunity.
• All Livewell staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us

Key Tasks and Responsibilities of the Post

• Deputising for the Manager in a variety of meetings and forums and ability to contribute in a meaningful way or as part of personal development.

• To have an understanding of the organisation performance requirements and monthly data submissions and ability to contribute to tasks delegated by the Unit Manager

• To act as professional leader in response to clinical practice issues which are often complex and urgent

• Contribute to Human Resources issues such as providing line management supervision to an agreed number of clinical staff. This would incorporate managing sickness absence, staff appraisal and performance issues in line with the organisations policies and procedures.

• Represent the team positively and proactively at relevant meeting or forums, which relate to clinical practice, act as lead professional in specified areas agreed with Unit Manager.

• Ensure that there is effective delegation of responsibilities to other team members utilising and developing their skills and abilities.

• Contribute to creative creation of the roster for the team to ensure staffs covers across seven days and effective use of resources. Awareness and responsive to staffing levels on an ongoing basis in the best interests of patient and staff safety using dynamic risk assessment techniques.

• To liaise between the unit and other services in the pathway and community teams in order to improve care pathway opportunities for service users.

• Requirement to engage in auditing as part of ongoing service development, able to contribute to the collection of data and clinical information for reporting purposes and commissioning requirements as delegated by the Unit Manager.

To undertake Investigations, Complaints and HR investigations as per organisational requirements

• Support bed management and flow using electronic bed management system for the Low Secure Pathway for Lee Mill Unit. To include undertaking access assessments using relevant access criteria and approved assessments in line with regional guidance as delegated by the Unit Manager.

• Deputise if required in weekly Regional Low Secure bed management call and implement actions generated.

• To maintain extensive knowledge of the patient flow through the unit and expected date of discharge and escalated any barriers to discharge.

• Maintain communication and relationships with Case Managers and Commissioners as part of the Provider Collaborative regards all aspects of patient care that requires relevant escalation as relevant.

• Ensure whiteboards meetings or equivalent are held on a regular basis and participate when required.

• Participate in the peer review process on an annual basis and membership of the Quality Network. This requires a process of self-assessment against Royal college of Psychiatry standards and continuous review, action planning and audit.

• Support the monitoring around compliance and delivery of standards of care within the unit adhere to service specification for low secure units. This will include compliance with staff training specific to staff in low secure services and matters that relate to procedural and relational security
• Provide clinical expertise on service user care in a supportive/mentoring and empowering role to the nursing team
• Facilitate the effective use and development of multi-disciplinary team meetings and the effective review of service user care using the CPA framework and My Shared Pathway
• Undertake reviewing and audit of clinical record as part maintaining standards assessment or record keeping of the Care Programme Approach
• Contribute to case conferences and reviews, supporting service users and carers to engage with services and contribute to their care.
• Give clear direction to junior staff around provision of care and standards of care.
• Awareness of the requirement to ensure that the unit meets the requirements as outlined by the CQC to deliver safe and effective care.
• Demonstrate the ability to manage and lead a teams development and improvements in their clinical practice.
• Monitor standards for clinical practice and patient care and ensure teams have the right skills to deliver a high quality service.
• To support and ensure the implementation of clinical supervision for staff within areas of responsibility.
• Develop opportunities to enhance service user involvement and carers.
• Demonstrate accountability of involvement with user/carers in practice within their immediate practice setting.
• Work in line with the service specification for Low Secure services and the Operational policy which underpins the practice of the service
• Demonstrate high levels of knowledge and skills with regard to the setting and seek opportunities for training and development.
• Frequently critique the nursing interventions of the team against latest evidence to assess where improvements could be made.
• Ability to keep accurate, timely and concise records in line with organisational policy using electronic system and in line with GDPR.
• Provide skilled clinical and managerial supervision to the multi-disciplinary team.
• Use specialist knowledge to deal effectively with newly encountered clinical situations.
• Maintain and update knowledge of Mental Health Act relating to service area and be aware of responsibilities and clients rights under the Act.
• Have knowledge of relevant policies in relation to Medicines safety so that practice within with local policy and accountability if relevant to professional practice.
• Sound working knowledge of the policies and procedures relating to safeguarding procedures and the responsibilities and accountability of the registered practitioner with this
• To work the scope of own the Code of Practice and least restrictive principles and its application within a low secure environment
• Chair and facilitate meetings e.g. staff meetings/handovers to ensure that excellent communication systems are in place across the ward team.
• Attend and contribute to local and regional forums and meetings to engage in learning that relate to practice with a focus on safety and quality of care.
• Act as a role model and support communication between team members. Encourage and facilitate the opportunity for staff to give each other constructive timely feedback in the best interest of team communication to promote positive team work and mutual respect.
• Maintain up to date service user records on SystmOne in line with information governance standards.
• Update and complete an electronic diary.
• Ensure staff are competent to complete delegated duties.
• Ensure student placements are of a high quality and services provide a positive learning environment, supporting Unit managers and ensuring that there are sufficient trained numbers of practice supervisors and assessors.
• Provide support to staff that are practice supervisors and assessors and support the development of newly registered nurses with preceptorship programmes.
• Work in line with guidance of relevant policies and guidance and maintaining ongoing knowledge.
• Support competency development for all grades of nursing/allied health professionals and support staff through line management and appraisal process.
• Demonstrate sound knowledge of clinical governance and risk management.
• Ensure that all new staff complete induction training and mandatory training as required.
• Organise in-house training where appropriate.
• Participate in regular supervision, clinical and line management, engage in reflective practice and be committed to continued development.
• Support the manager in effectively delivering care to the patients within budgetary constraints.
• Meet with the Manager regularly to review all expenditure and income to ensure effective use of budget and identify any potential savings
• Attend the performance meetings and engage with budget reviews in theabsence of the manager or as ongoing development opportunities.
• Be an authorised signatory for staff payments and minor budgetary purchases in the absence of the Team Manager.
• In conjunction with the Manager, ensure all action plans are put in place following infection control or estates assessments.
• Where appropriate handles or processes cash or patient valuables in line with local policies.
• To immediately report any faulty equipment.
• Be a signatory for the staff expenses, liaising with staff to ensure effective use of resources.
• Have a role as Fire Marshall in ensuring the safety of the building and to ensure there are sufficient team members with this training to have a fire marshall available.
• Report accidents, incidents and near misses, implementing corrective action where necessary and completing Managers report in a timely way.
• Ensure the Unit undertakes relevant patient satisfaction surveys at agreed intervals also taking into account the views of patients and carers in liaison with the Patients Advocacy Services, Complaints and Litigation department and Service User Experience Manager.
• To undertake change processes in the best interest of patient safety, service development improvements using QI methodology or other effective tools.
• To contribute to the development, implementation and evaluation of a range of audits within the service area, e.g. health and safety, infection control, specific clinical audits, NICE and NPSA.