Mental Health Matron

Site Royal Lancaster Infirmary or Furness General Hospital Town Lancaster and Barrow In Furness Salary £55,890 - £62,682 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 22/01/2026 23:59

''Creating a great place to be cared for and a great place to work''

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay has a firm commitment to strengthening the diversity of our workforce, and therefore welcome and encourage applications from likeminded people who can support our ambition to become effortlessly inclusive. We are particularly keen to hear from protected groups – including BAME, LGBT+ and people with a disability.

We are seeking an exceptional individual to join our Modern Matron team, who is experienced and innovative with a registered Mental Health qualification (RMN). This pivotal role will provide visible clinical leadership, overseeing the delivery of safe, high-quality care across our acute services: ensuring we are providing high quality mental health care across inpatient wards, urgent and emergency care and bespoke patient pathways.

You will play a key role in service development-leading the overarching mental health strategy to facilitate a trauma informed approach across the organisation. As well as a subject matter expert in mental health: specifically around the interface with safeguarding and patient safety. The role will involve working collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams and system partners to enhance patient experience and outcomes.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a developing service, working closely with the Divisional Head of Nursing, the Admiral Nursing team and wider Modern Matron team.

This post represents an excellent opportunity for an expert clinical and professional practitioner to work collaboratively and innovatively with colleagues from within the Trust, Local Authority and other external stakeholders to provide outstanding care for our patients who have a mental health condition and are accessing acute services.

• Provide professional leadership and operational oversight for mental health across all wards and departments
• Ensure compliance with clinical governance, safeguarding, and mental health legislation. Undertake audits and benchmarking
• Lead on quality improvement initiatives to improve outcomes for Mental Health
• Support ward managers, offering mentorship, training and guidance.
• Manage complaints and incidents, identifying themes
• Maintain oversight of budgets and workforce planning within your portfolio.
• Line manage the Admiral Nurse team for dementia and delirium
• Act as a visible role model, promoting compassionate and inclusive leadership.
• Provide on hand clinical support for frontline staff in supporting patients with mental health, social, emotional and behavioural needs admitted with mental health needs.
• Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) with current NMC registration.
• Significant experience in acute inpatient, crisis response, or community mental health settings.
• To assure pathways of care for patients with emotional, psychiatric, social and behavioural needs is timely, appropriate and well supported
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to inspire and motivate teams.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Training, education, research and evaluation skills
• Provide a point of contact for external and internal teams seeking up to date information on patients.

We operate from three main hospitals – Furness General Hospital (FGH) in Barrow, the Royal Lancaster Infirmary (RLI), and Westmorland General Hospital (WGH) in Kendal, as well as a number of community healthcare premises including Millom Hospital and GP Practice, Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, and Ulverston Community Health Centre.

FGH and the RLI have a range of General Hospital services, with full Emergency Departments, Critical/Coronary Care units and various Consultant-led services.

WGH provides a range of General Hospital services, together with an Urgent Treatment Centre, that can help with a range of non-life threatening conditions such as broken bones and minor illnesses.

All three main hospitals provide a range of planned care including outpatients, diagnostics, therapies, daycase and inpatient surgery. In addition, a range of local outreach services and diagnostics are provided from community facilities across Morecambe Bay.

The Matron is managerially responsible to and accountable to the Divisional Head of Nursing. Appraisal will be undertaken by the HON.

The matron will, in partnership with the Clinical Lead and Directorate Manager (service triumvirate), lead improvement in care, service delivery and the achievement of organisational priorities within the Division. The post-holder will deputise for the HON as required.

The Matron has overall responsibility for the delivery of safe, clinically and cost effective, compassionate care within the service and provides assurance evidence…