Older Adult Mental Health Clinical Services Manager - London
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and motivated mental health nurse with extensive experience working with older adults, to lead and shape the future of older adult services in Kensington, Chelsea, and Westminster (KCW). Reporting to the Assistant Borough Director, this Band 8B role combines strategic and operational leadership across a diverse portfolio of services, including:
- KCW Memory Service
- Older Adult Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) in KCW
- Two acute mental health wards (Redwood and Kershaw at St Charles Hospital)
- 3 Beatrice Place, a specialist hospital for older adults with complex dementia or mental health needs.
- The Clinical Service Manager will provide operational and professional leadership across the portfolio, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, evidence-based, and personalised care.
A key priority will be to oversee patient flow in and out of hospital, proactively managing delays and ensuring timely escalation to maintain efficiency and optimise outcomes. The postholder will also take responsibility for conducting complex Patient Safety Incident Response Framework investigations, complaint and HR investigations, ensuring these are managed impartially and in line with Trust policies.
The role requires a strong focus on quality, safety, and efficiency, with a visible presence in clinical service areas, attending complex multi-disciplinary meetings and supporting day-to-day operations.
Main duties of the job- Collaborate with Team Managers and Clinical Leaders to ensure operational delivery and embed transformation agendas into business as usual.
- Lead the delivery of integrated services across health and social care, supporting service users and carers with seamless and holistic care.
- Oversee patient flow across the system, addressing delays in hospital admissions and discharges while ensuring continuity of care.
- Conduct and oversee complex PSIRF and HR investigations, ensuring thoroughness, impartiality, and the implementation of lessons learned.
- Drive service innovation, including the development of new care models such as the Peer Open Dialogue pilot approach.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, supporting staff development and ensuring adherence to governance standards.
- Represent KCW Older Adult Services in external forums and partnerships, influencing policy and service developments at local and national levels.
Working for our organisation
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
The post holder is a member of the Senior Management Team and as such has responsibility to participate in the management of the service and provide sound guidance to the ABD . The post holder will participate in the Trust On call rota.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached job description for full details. This role offers the chance to lead a number of high-performing teams, supported by an experienced Senior Management Team committed to delivering exceptional care. With the opportunity to work across a wide range of services, you will be at the forefront of innovative patient care delivery, transforming services and making a meaningful difference in the lives of older adults.
Key Requirements- Significant experience in managing mental health services, particularly for older adults.
- Strong nursing leadership skills with advanced clinical knowledge and a commitment to patient-centred care.
- Experience in managing patient flow and conducting complex PSIRF and HR investigations.
- A proven track record of leading service transformations and integrating health and social care services.
- Excellent communication and organisational skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate multidisciplinary teams.
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential criteria- Educated to Master’s Degree level or equivalent
- Recognised senior management training in leadership, policy or strategy
- Evidence of on-going personal and professional development
- RMN qualification
- Open Dialog Qualification
- Certificate in Quality Improvement methodology
- Trained in PSIRF Methodology
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Essential criteria- A substantial amount of NHS experience with Operational experience (including budgetary/financial).
- Significant experience of clinical practise working with older adults with mental health needs and dementia.
- Proven experience of managing a multi-disciplinary team including senior managers and clinicians.
- Experience of organising and chairing of small and large steering groups.
- Experience overseeing patient flow and managing delays in hospital and community care transitions.
- Experience of policy development and strategic planning and clinical governance development resulting in change management projects/programmes
- Experience of successful interagency partnership working
- Experience of working within statutory and other regulatory frameworks within which health and social care services operate such as the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and Safeguarding Adult legislation.and translating these at an operational level
- Experience of developing programmes designed to improve user and carer involvement
- Experience of managing a diverse workforce
- Experience of leading complex HR/Incident investigations
- Experience of working in an acute hospital setting
- Experience of working in an OA CMHT or Memory Service
SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES
Essential criteria- Decision making: Sensitive to complex political and organisational issues;
- Communication: builds rapport through consistent, confident and open communication
- Analytical rigour: encourages rigour and provides critical challenge in determining outcomes; Presents data and conclusions in a logical and defensible way; undertakes robust risk and impact management; seeks others’ views to test own thinking
- Relationships: awareness of, and works collaboratively with key decision makers in area of operation; promotes partnership and collaborative working within teams; demonstrates the ability to seek out and harness the views and contributions of others,
- Drive for results: Champions measurable achievement of outcomes; makes best use of diverse talent, capabilities and technologies to achieve optimum results; recognises and recovers under delivery; negotiates the prioritisation of work targets and resources.
- Business thinking: Understands external context at national and local level; translates context and purpose to enable teams to see their contribution; encourages teams to consider innovative approaches and review applicability to working environment.
- Personal integrity: has a strong commitment to openness, honesty, inclusiveness and high standards
- Self-management: demonstrates resilience; recognises the anxieties of others and helps them to manage appropriately; absorbs criticism constructively; recognises and delivers to the ‘greater good’
- Self-awareness: knows own strengths and weaknesses and empowers others to ensure goals are achieved; adopts a ‘can do’ approach
- Business thinking: Understands external context at national and local level; translates context and purpose to enable teams to see their contribution; encourages teams to consider innovative approaches and review applicability to working environment.
CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) has almost 8,000 staff providing integrated healthcare to a third of London's population, Milton Keynes and areas beyond. We involve service users, carers, the public, staff and partner organisations in the way that we are run.
Our catchment area spans diverse communities, with over 100 first languages spoken. It contains areas of great affluence as well as areas of much deprivation. We are committed to providing services that meet the needs of the people who use them, and we actively encourage involvement from local people who can help make a difference.We’re proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME and people with disabilities to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
We are recognised locally, nationally and internationally for providing high quality, innovative healthcare. We aim to employ only the best people, and our experts are frequently called upon to contribute to national health strategy and policy, and many models of our care have been adapted for use in other countries.
We offer a generous relocation package (subject to eligibility assessment) and flexible working options, including bank assignments for most roles. For more information on these and other benefits of working for us, see our Benefits, Reward and Wellbeing page
Become part of our team. We care for you as much as you care for others.
CNWL NHS Foundation Trust are committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow safe recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults.
Due to the high response levels we receive for some vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date and advise you to submit your application as soon as possible.
Our Agenda for Change employment contracts are subject to a contractual 13 week probationary period.
If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.