Pre operative Assessment Lead

The post holder will provide clinical and operational leadership for the generic nurse-led Pre-Operative Assessment (POA) Service at The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust. The role is responsible for the development, implementation and ongoing improvement of the service, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and evidence-based pre-operative care for patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures and interventions. The post holder will work autonomously to undertake comprehensive pre-operative assessments, including detailed medical, surgical and anaesthetic histories, clinical examination and appropriate investigations in line with national guidance. They will interpret clinical findings, identify and manage risk, initiate appropriate referrals and liaise with anaesthetic, surgical, pharmacy and wider multidisciplinary teams to determine patients fitness to proceed with surgery. The role will ensure appropriate follow-up of investigations and referrals and identify any additional communication, cultural, social or specialist support requirements. The post holder will provide effective clinical and operational leadership to the POA team, including workforce planning, rota management, recruitment, induction, supervision, appraisal, performance and attendance management, competency development and education. They will act as a clinical role model and support the development of staff through teaching, supervision and evidence-based practice. A key responsibility will be the continued development and optimisation of the POA pathway, including implementation of appropriate IT systems and processes to support safe and efficient service delivery. The post holder will monitor activity, quality and key performance indicators, undertake audit, manage incidents and contribute to clinical governance and service improvement. The role will work collaboratively across surgical, anaesthetic, medical and nursing teams to ensure effective patient flow and timely progression to surgery. The post holder will contribute to the development and implementation of Trust policies, national standards and evidence-based practice, ensuring the service remains responsive to changing patient and organisational needs. The post holder will maintain specialist knowledge of neurosurgical procedures and interventions and undertake ongoing professional development through clinical supervision, appraisal, education, networking, audit and research. They will support relevant research and audit programmes and identify opportunities to improve patient safety, experience and outcomes within the pre-operative pathway.