Department Manager

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust Pre-Operative Assessment Unit Manager

Closing date: 24 February 2026

Are you an experienced and dynamic leader looking for a pivotal role in surgical services? We are seeking a Pre-Operative Assessment Unit Manager to lead and manage a team of approximately 33 staff across our three main sites.

The purpose of Pre-Operative Assessment is to ensure every patient scheduled for surgery is clinically optimised, safe, and ready for their procedure. This process is critical to patient safety and the efficient running of our operating theatres. Each week, we need to deliver over 350 fully assessed and suitable patients to populate theatre lists across all sites.

• Provide day-to-day operational and clinical leadership for the Pre-Op Assessment service across Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Westmorland General Hospital, and Furness General Hospital.
• Manage and support a team of approximately 33 staff
  , ensuring safe staffing levels, skill mix, and compliance with Trust policies.
• Oversee patient flow and scheduling to ensure over 350 patients per week are assessed and ready for surgery, supporting theatre efficiency and elective recovery targets.
• Ensure adherence to national safety standards including CQC Fundamental Standards, GIEFT, RCoA, NatSSIPs, and WHO Surgical Safety Checklist.
• Lead on service development and quality improvement initiatives
  , driving innovation in pre-op pathways and digital solutions.
• Monitor and report on performance metrics
  , including RTT compliance, cancellation rates, and patient experience.
• Manage budgetary responsibilities
  , workforce planning, and training compliance for the unit.
• Act as the escalation point for clinical and operational issues
  , ensuring timely resolution and robust governance.
• Foster a positive team culture, supporting staff wellbeing, professional development, and retention.
• Collaborate with surgical, anaesthetic, and operational teams to optimise patient safety and surgical efficiency.

This is a challenging but highly rewarding role with real scope to influence change and innovation in surgical pathways. You will play a key part in improving patient experience, reducing cancellations, and supporting the Trust's elective recovery programme.

If you are passionate about patient safety, operational excellence, and leading multidisciplinary teams, we would love to hear from you.

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.

• Registered Nurse (Adult) with current NMC registration.
• Significant experience in pre-operative assessment or perioperative/surgical services.
• Proven leadership and management experience within a clinical setting, including staff supervision and workforce planning.
• Strong understanding of national safety standards (CQC Fundamental Standards, NatSSIPs, WHO Surgical Safety Checklist).
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex patient pathways and optimise patient flow.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
  , with the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams across multiple sites.
• Experience in budget management
  , resource allocation, and service improvement.
• Evidence of quality improvement initiatives and ability to drive change.
• Competent in data…