Refine your search
Deputy Head of Nursing
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust View all jobs
Posted 1 day(s) ago
Reference: 2461277
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and highly motivated senior mental health nurse to join the Adult Community Services Division as Deputy Head of Nursing.
Working with the Head of Nursing, Consultant Nurse, Community Matrons and wider leadership team, you will provide visible and influential professional nursing leadership, with a strong focus on safe, effective and high-quality care, professional standards, clinical governance and developing nursing practice.
This is an exciting time to join a Division where innovation and quality improvement are central to nursing practice. Our community nurses won the HSJ Early-Stage Patient Safety Innovation of the Year Award 2025, were runners-up for the HSJ Nurse-Led Patient Safety Award 2025, and shortlisted for the Nursing Times Awards 2026 - Nursing in Mental Health.
In 2026, the Division was also rated GOOD across all domains by the CQC.
We are looking for an inspiring senior nurse who can build on these strengths and help us continue to deliver excellent community mental health care.
Main duties of the job
The Deputy Head of Nursing will work alongside the Head of Nursing to provide senior professional nursing leadership across the Adult Community Services Division and support delivery of the Trust's nursing, quality and patient-safety priorities.
The postholder will provide visible professional leadership and support to Community Matrons and senior nurses, promoting high standards of nursing practice, professional accountability and continuous improvement. They will strengthen clinical governance and assurance, using audit, evidence, benchmarking and quality-improvement approaches to improve the safety, effectiveness and quality of care.
The role will lead and support quality improvement, innovation and service development, ensuring learning from incidents, audits, complaints and service-user experience is translated into practice. The postholder will support nursing workforce development and work collaboratively with service users, carers, multidisciplinary teams and system partners.
They will deputise for the Head of Nursing as required and represent the Division at Trust and wider system forums.
About us
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust are one of just five mental health trusts to achieve an overall rating of 'Outstanding' from the Care Quality Commission
Our family of over 4,500 members of staff provide health and social care for people with mental ill health, physical ill health and learning disabilities across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex and Norfolk, delivering these services within the community and several inpatient settings. Everything is underpinned by choice, independence and equality, with our Trust values embedded throughout:
Welcoming. Kind. Positive. Respectful. Professional.
Details
Date posted
30 October 2026
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 8b
Salary
£68,852 to £79,638 a year per annum, pro rata (Inclusive of 5% HCAS)
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
367-ACM-101748
Job locations
99 Waverly Road
Core Management, 99 Waverley Road, St Albans AL3 5TL
St Albans
AL3 5TL
United Kingdom
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Deputy Head of Nursing will work closely with the Head of Nursing to provide visible, effective professional nursing leadership across the Adult Community Services Division.
The postholder will:
- Provide professional leadership, support and challenge to Community Matrons and senior nursing teams, promoting high standards of practice and accountability.
- Strengthen nursing governance and assurance, with a focus on patient safety, quality, clinical effectiveness and service-user experience.
- Lead quality improvement, innovation and service development, using evidence, audit and benchmarking to improve care and reduce variation.
- Support nursing workforce development, professional supervision, leadership and succession planning.
- Work collaboratively with the Consultant Nurse, Community Matrons, Divisional Leadership, multidisciplinary teams, service users and carers to embed evidence-based practice.
- Contribute to divisional and Trust-wide nursing, quality and patient-safety priorities.
- Deputise for the Head of Nursing and represent the Division as required.
The role requires a credible and inclusive senior nurse who can inspire others, lead change and translate innovation into safe, effective and high-quality care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Deputy Head of Nursing will work closely with the Head of Nursing to provide visible, effective professional nursing leadership across the Adult Community Services Division.
The postholder will:
- Provide professional leadership, support and challenge to Community Matrons and senior nursing teams, promoting high standards of practice and accountability.
- Strengthen nursing governance and assurance, with a focus on patient safety, quality, clinical effectiveness and service-user experience.
- Lead quality improvement, innovation and service development, using evidence, audit and benchmarking to improve care and reduce variation.
- Support nursing workforce development, professional supervision, leadership and succession planning.
- Work collaboratively with the Consultant Nurse, Community Matrons, Divisional Leadership, multidisciplinary teams, service users and carers to embed evidence-based practice.
- Contribute to divisional and Trust-wide nursing, quality and patient-safety priorities.
- Deputise for the Head of Nursing and represent the Division as required.
The role requires a credible and inclusive senior nurse who can inspire others, lead change and translate innovation into safe, effective and high-quality care.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- First level Registered Nurse (MH) in relevant field to the post.
- teaching and assessing course Management or leadership development
- Degree in Nursing or other health related study Master's degree or Equivalent Experience
Desirable
- Evidence of education/training in specialist area (i.e., therapies, interventions, service-specialism)
- Postgraduate certificate in Education or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a senior nursing post in complex mental health & learning disability settings
- Demonstrable knowledge of service issues & priorities facing mental health & learning disability services
- Demonstrable developed leadership skills
- Experience of leading & facilitating change
- Experience of senior nursing leadership to achieve results across a broad range of outcomes, whilst providing senior nursing leadership, service user focus & personal integrity
Desirable
- Experience of writing for publication and/or presenting to professionals and the public
- Experience of leading research/quality improvement initiatives, developingand evaluating new ways of working
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- First level Registered Nurse (MH) in relevant field to the post.
- teaching and assessing course Management or leadership development
- Degree in Nursing or other health related study Master's degree or Equivalent Experience
Desirable
- Evidence of education/training in specialist area (i.e., therapies, interventions, service-specialism)
- Postgraduate certificate in Education or equivalent
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a senior nursing post in complex mental health & learning disability settings
- Demonstrable knowledge of service issues & priorities facing mental health & learning disability services
- Demonstrable developed leadership skills
- Experience of leading & facilitating change
- Experience of senior nursing leadership to achieve results across a broad range of outcomes, whilst providing senior nursing leadership, service user focus & personal integrity
Desirable
- Experience of writing for publication and/or presenting to professionals and the public
- Experience of leading research/quality improvement initiatives, developingand evaluating new ways of working
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).
Additional information
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
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Address
99 Waverly Road
Core Management, 99 Waverley Road, St Albans AL3 5TL
St Albans
AL3 5TL
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.hpft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Address
99 Waverly Road
Core Management, 99 Waverley Road, St Albans AL3 5TL
St Albans
AL3 5TL
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.hpft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)