Orthopaedic Unit Manager

An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead and manage the dedicated Trauma and Orthopaedic Fracture Clinic Department, based on Gifford Nash Ward at Bedford Hospital. Working collaboratively with the Orthopaedic and Nursing teams and in partnership with the Matron, you will provide strong leadership, ensure effective departmental management, and support the professional development of staff to deliver high-quality, patient-centred care.

Main duties of the job

• To be responsible for assessing patients' care needs and for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of individualised care plans, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality patient care at all times.
• To oversee and coordinate the delivery of clinical services within the department, promoting quality governance, enhancing the patient experience, and supporting workforce development, staff education, and training to maintain high standards of clinical practice.

To provide kind, skilled, and expert leadership in supporting the unit, whilst possessing the ability to have innovative ideas, empower others and deliver continuous sustained improvements.

To support the operational management team in the management of long waiting patients, ensuring collaborative working towards waiting list reduction and achievement of referral to treatment (RTT) targets.

To supervise and teach other nursing and non-nursing staff, acting as an excellent clinical role model and team leader to ensure quality care is delivered to the patients.

The post holder will be required to work in all areas as required to meet the needs of the service, including the development of expertise in T&O nursing care and the achievement of a BOA recognised plastering certificate.

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.

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.

Details

Date posted

12 October 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year

pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

418-COR49716-CW

Job locations

Bedford Hospital

Kempston Road

Bedford

MK42 9DJ

United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• To take responsibility for assessing patients care needs and for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of individualised care plans, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality patient care at all times.
• To oversee and coordinate the delivery of clinical services within the unit, supporting effective clinical governance, improving the patient experience, and promoting staff development, education, and training to maintain high standards of care.
• To provide compassionate, knowledgeable, and effective leadership across the unit, encouraging innovation, empowering colleagues, and driving continuous, sustainable improvements in service delivery and patient outcomes.
• To support the operational management team in managing patients who have been waiting for extended periods, promoting collaborative working to reduce waiting lists and achieve Referral to Treatment (RTT) targets.
• To supervise, support, and educate nursing and non-nursing staff, acting as a positive clinical role model and effective team leader to promote best practice and ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care.
• To work flexibly across all areas of the service as required to meet operational and patient care needs, developing specialist knowledge and skills in Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) nursing and achieving a British Orthopaedic Association (BOA)-recognised plastering certificate.

Job responsibilities

• To take responsibility for assessing patients care needs and for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of individualised care plans, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality patient care at all times.
• To oversee and coordinate the delivery of clinical services within the unit, supporting effective clinical governance, improving the patient experience, and promoting staff development, education, and training to maintain high standards of care.
• To provide compassionate, knowledgeable, and effective leadership across the unit, encouraging innovation, empowering colleagues, and driving continuous, sustainable improvements in service delivery and patient outcomes.
• To support the operational management team in managing patients who have been waiting for extended periods, promoting collaborative working to reduce waiting lists and achieve Referral to Treatment (RTT) targets.
• To supervise, support, and educate nursing and non-nursing staff, acting as a positive clinical role model and effective team leader to promote best practice and ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care.
• To work flexibly across all areas of the service as required to meet operational and patient care needs, developing specialist knowledge and skills in Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) nursing and achieving a British Orthopaedic Association (BOA)-recognised plastering certificate.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• oRGN / AHP qualification or equivalent
• oTeaching qualification
• oRelevant ongoing CPD

Desirable

• oDegree level education
• oBOA casting certificate and/or desire and ability to complete the course.
• oLeadership qualification

Experience

Essential

• oExtensive experience in trauma and orthopaedics
• oUnit/department/ward management experience
• oExperience of leading a team
• oEvidence of change management
• oExperience of audit / Quality Improvement

Desirable

• oIT skills (Advanced Keyboard skills and experience in using Microsoft packages, such as Word and Excel)

Knowledge

Essential

• oTransformational leadership style and experience
• oKnowledge of outpatients processes and systems
• oKnowledge of complaints and governance management

Desirable

• oDemonstrable knowledge in fractures and the application of casts.

personal skills

Essential

• oEnthusiastic and self-aware
• oReliable, Adaptable and Dependable
• oAble to lead and motivate a team

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• oRGN / AHP qualification or equivalent
• oTeaching qualification
• oRelevant ongoing CPD

Desirable

• oDegree level education
• oBOA casting certificate and/or desire and ability to complete the course.
• oLeadership qualification

Experience

Essential

• oExtensive experience in trauma and orthopaedics
• oUnit/department/ward management experience
• oExperience of leading a team
• oEvidence of change management
• oExperience of audit / Quality Improvement

Desirable

• oIT skills (Advanced Keyboard skills and experience in using Microsoft packages, such as Word and Excel)

Knowledge

Essential

• oTransformational leadership style and experience
• oKnowledge of outpatients processes and systems
• oKnowledge of complaints and governance management

Desirable

• oDemonstrable knowledge in fractures and the application of casts.

personal skills

Essential

• oEnthusiastic and self-aware
• oReliable, Adaptable and Dependable
• oAble to lead and motivate a team

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 .

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 .

Employer details

Employer name

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bedford Hospital

Kempston Road

Bedford

MK42 9DJ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Bedford Hospital

Kempston Road

Bedford

MK42 9DJ

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/ (Opens in a new tab)

Job responsibilities

• To take responsibility for assessing patients care needs and for the planning, implementation, and evaluation of individualised care plans, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality patient care at all times.
• To oversee and coordinate the delivery of clinical services within the unit, supporting effective clinical governance, improving the patient experience, and promoting staff development, education, and training to maintain high standards of care.
• To provide compassionate, knowledgeable, and effective leadership across the unit, encouraging innovation, empowering colleagues, and driving continuous, sustainable improvements in service delivery and patient outcomes.
• To support the operational management team in managing patients who have been waiting for extended periods, promoting collaborative working to reduce waiting lists and achieve Referral to Treatment (RTT) targets.
• To supervise, support, and educate nursing and non-nursing staff, acting as a positive clinical role model and effective team leader to promote best practice and ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care.
• To work flexibly across all areas of the service as required to meet operational and patient care needs, developing specialist knowledge and skills in Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) nursing and achieving a British Orthopaedic Association (BOA)-recognised plastering certificate.

Qualifications

Essential

• oRGN / AHP qualification or equivalent
• oTeaching qualification
• oRelevant ongoing CPD

Desirable

• oDegree level education
• oBOA casting certificate and/or desire and ability to complete the course.
• oLeadership qualification

Experience

Essential

• oExtensive experience in trauma and orthopaedics
• oUnit/department/ward management experience
• oExperience of leading a team
• oEvidence of change management
• oExperience of audit / Quality Improvement

Desirable

• oIT skills (Advanced Keyboard skills and experience in using Microsoft packages, such as Word and Excel)

Knowledge

Essential

• oTransformational leadership style and experience
• oKnowledge of outpatients processes and systems
• oKnowledge of complaints and governance management

Desirable

• oDemonstrable knowledge in fractures and the application of casts.

personal skills

Essential

• oEnthusiastic and self-aware
• oReliable, Adaptable and Dependable
• oAble to lead and motivate a team