Deputy Ward Manager-Acute

PrioryPrestonreedpublished 11/10/2026
Must-have:Senior

Deputy Ward Manager

Priory Hospital Preston has an opportunity for a Deputy Ward Manager to join our team. Based in Bartle, near Preston, Priory Hospital Preston is a 50-bedded mental health hospital, offering an extensive range of services, delivered across four wards. We can support adult males and females with acute mental health needs and eating disorders, and specialise in the management and treatment of these conditions. Priory's acute services aim to allow more people to be treated closer to home and we support the NHS to repatriate out-of-area patients back to local areas.

You'll be part of a dedicated and compassionate team, all working together to ensure the smooth running of the hospital and to support the wellbeing of our patients. While your role doesn't involve providing direct care, your contribution is vital in helping to maintain a safe, comfortable, and welcoming environment for everyone. Whether you're assisting with day-to-day operations, keeping things organised, or ensuring our spaces are well looked after, your support plays an important part in creating a positive experience for those who live and work here.

  • Works as Senior Nurse in a Ward or equivalent area ensuring a safe and therapeutic environment for patients, their families and visitors.
  • Apply relevant policies and statutory requirements within the ward and hospital framework of governance and communicates requirements to the wider team.
  • Ensures that risk is assessed and managed across the immediate and wider working environment and that statutory requirements are met.
  • Respects and applies the requirements of diversity and inclusion, promoting and role modelling these across the team.

What you'll bring to the role:

  • Relevant professional qualification and significant experience in a healthcare leadership role.
  • Strong understanding of clinical governance, quality, safeguarding and regulatory standards.
  • Proven experience leading and developing multidisciplinary teams.
  • Strong communication, decision-making and people management skills.
  • Previous experience within mental health, complex care or a similar healthcare setting.
  • Experience working within a regulated healthcare environment, ideally with CQC.
  • Experience managing budgets, performance and service improvement.
  • Experience of working at senior management or Hospital/Service Director level.

What we will give you in return:

  • Free on-site parking
  • Birthday Holiday - your birthday as an extra days annual leave
  • Enhanced maternity pay
  • Contributory pension scheme
  • Flexible benefits including reduced rates and access to new schemes including gym membership, IT technology (laptops / tablets / smartphones) and Healthcare Cash Plan (Simply Health Scheme)
  • Access to development opportunities
  • Sponsorship of professional qualifications through our Individual Professional Development (IPD) panel
  • Leadership & management development
  • Long service award
  • Refer a friend bonuses

About Priory:

Priory is the UK's leading independent provider of mental health and adult social care. With 12,000 colleagues and a network of 270 services, we support over 24,000 people each year to live their lives as fully and independently as possible. We treat more than 70 conditions – including depression, anxiety, eating disorders and children's mental health – and provide residential and supported living care for autistic adults, people with a learning disability, Prader–Willi Syndrome, brain injuries and older people. We are an equal opportunities employer committed to providing an inclusive, accessible recruitment process.