Deputy Ward Manager - Eating Disorders Unit

This is an all-gender service for adult patients (age 18 and above) with an eating disorder. The ward is a 16 bedded unit where individuals are offered treatment for a period of 6 to 16 weeks. We use a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) approach to treatment. We are a national service and provide treatment for both local and national patients.

We have pioneered a number of innovative treatment pathways for people with eating disorders and autism spectrum disorders, and eating disorders and diabetes and would encourage the successful candidate to champion these and other treatment pathways.

The service is inspected by CQC and is unique in that it is dual accredited with the QED network and the National Autism Service, in recognition of the innovations implemented for patients with anorexia and traits autistic traits.

We are looking to recruit a Deputy Ward Manager to our Eating Disorder Unit (EDU) to help support our growing nursing team and work alongside our ward manager in maintaining professional and high standards of care to our patients.

We are looking for an assertive, dynamic, approachable and driven individual to take on this. As the deputy ward manager, you will be responsible for supporting the day to day running of the EDU including role modelling high standards of care, reviewing referrals, service development, promoting good practice, maintaining patient and staff safety, completing weekly and monthly audits, supporting the ward to maintain accreditation, rostering, monitoring KPIs, reviewing incident reports and much more.

South London and Maudsley’ Adult Eating Disorders Inpatient service, is one of two specialist eating disorders inpatient units within the South London Partnership (SLP). The SLP is a collaboration between South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, and South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust. The Partnership brings together clinical expertise, experience and innovation, aiming to improve quality, use resources most effectively, and deliver best practice consistently to the service users and families across South London.

About the Location:
You will be based at Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3BX. While Bethlem is set in beautiful grounds, consisting of ancient woodland and nature trails with free on-site parking, staff can look forward to moving to new purpose-built premises at Maudsley Hospital, a few minutes’ walk from Denmark Hill station, zone 2, in Summer 2023.

South London and Maudsley’ Adult Eating Disorders Inpatient service, is one of two specialist eating disorders inpatient units within the South London Partnership (SLP). The SLP is a collaboration between South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust. The Partnership brings together clinical expertise, experience and innovation, aiming to improve quality, use resources most effectively, and deliver best practice consistently to the service users and families across South London.

As a Deputy Ward Manager you will promote and develop clinical leadership and clinical practice and be a positive role model to junior members of the team through the practice of evidence-based care. You will be expected to support professional development through clinical appraisal and supervision and contribute to the ongoing educational programme for staff, fostering a positive learning environment.

Successful candidate must be a qualified nurse who has successfully completed preceptorship and have registered as an approved NMC mentor.

We offer excellent training and development opportunities to obtain specific competences for this specialist role and we also support leadership development programmes via the NHS Leadership Academy. There is a range of apprenticeships programs offered by the Trust to support your professional development. Funding for long courses as part of continued personal development is available after 1 year in post and many of our staff have completed courses in cognitive behavioural therapy or family therapy training. There are flexible working opportunities, including long days. We ensure individual and peer supervision, alongside reflective practice, as we acknowledge that the nursing within this setting maybe can be challenging, intense and diverse.