One of the roles of a Matron is to ensure at all times the patient is at the centre of all our actions and act as role model for clinical staff. The Matron has 24 hour accountability for the wards/departments/areas in their Directorate for the efficient and effective operational management of the nursing workforce, guaranteeing provision of high quality evidence based nursing practice which will be delivered within a hospital, community and outreach setting. The Matron will provide strong clinical leadership within the services and be highly visible and accessible to patients. Leading by example he/she will drive up standards of clinical care.

Qualifications and Experience required

BSc (Hons) Nursing degree (or equivalent health related degree) leading to registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council. To be registered with the NMC to reflect that part of the register, in the particular Matron role ie Adult, Paediatric or Midwifery. To be clinically credible with significant experience at senior nurse level in a relevant setting. Also having recognised management or leadership qualification or relevant experience.

Two routes to gain further leadership qualifications: 

Apprentice route: In a leadership role the Trust may support further development Leadership Apprenticeships :: South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust Intranet (stsft.nhs.uk)

Non apprentice route: In-house Trust leadership courses may become available please see the Training & Development portal for further updates, click the hyperlink Leadership and People Management :: South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust Intranet (stsft.nhs.uk)

If wishing to self-fund. Leadership programmes are offered at local Universities in the Northeast, applications are via University website application portal.

What is a typical day like in the role of a Matron ?

The matron’s day starts with ensuring the site has safe staffing levels and that no incidents need attending to in the morning. After contacting our ward areas and addressing staffing concerns we will attend these wards and ensure we have a visible leadership presence. During our visits we may address any issues that are evident and ensure staff are providing care within the Trust`s expected standard. We can answer any questions and solve problems for staff during these visits. The day can be incredibly varied and we may be asked to attend different meetings/sessions alongside other staff, these can include clinical governance sessions, service improvement initiatives, human resource meetings, senior management meetings or even to have discussions with our patient’s family members. No two days are the same and our schedules can often change as a result of challenges we face during the day. Each Matron role is different depending on what directorate we are placed in but we must all work as a team to ensure that both the hospital and wards under our guidance are providing safe and effective care.

What types of clinical areas are Matrons responsible for?

Matrons are responsible for different clinical areas and work across specialist services for example Medicine, Surgery, Cardiology, Renal. These are just examples.

Return to Nursing