Ward Sister / Charge Nurse Secondment
The closing date is 03 June 2026
This is an opportunity to join the Leadership team on 4 South as a Band 7 ward sister charge nurse on a 12 Month secondment covering maternity leave.
4 South is a 36‑bedded Respiratory Ward, with 56 staff members. We fundamentally specialise in Cystic Fibrosis, Lung Defence and Pulmonary Vascular Disease, but we do often see other respiratory specialities including patients cared for by our Interstitial Lung Disease team, Thoracic Oncology team and Transplant team.
Alongside general ward management a large part of the role entails managing a group of healthcare professionals including Registered Nurses, Nursing Associates, Assistant Practitioners and healthcare support workers. The goal is to inspire them through role‑modelling clinical and professional excellence and supporting them in delivering an excellent patient experience.
We are looking for a proficient staff nurse with evidence of current or previous leadership experience. This post requires excellent communication skills, and tact and diplomacy are essential when dealing with patients and their relatives as well as other members of the multidisciplinary team.
We are looking for a highly motivated and forward‑thinking Sister/Charge Nurse who can provide clinical leadership and ensure the provision of high‑quality nursing care. You will be expected to work closely alongside the current Ward Sister to act as a role model and expert clinical practitioner.
Main duties of the job
If you are a well‑organised, team player and able to deal with ever‑changing priorities then we would love to hear from you. As part of our team, we would expect you to be able to effectively multitask and ensure all infection‑control risks are managed effectively. We pride ourselves on delivering high‑quality patient care which is enhanced through good and clear communication and team working.
About us
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the UK’s leading heart and lung hospital, delivering care to more than 50,000 patients a year in its new state‑of‑the‑art hospital in Cambridge. We perform the most heart and/or lung transplants in the UK and carried out the UK’s first successful heart transplant in 1979. It also offers emergency heart attack treatment, sleep centre care and is one of just five centres nationally for those in severe respiratory failure.
Based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe, the Trust is at the heart of treatments of the future. Royal Papworth became the first hospital trust in the country to be rated outstanding in all five areas assessed by the Care Quality Commission – a rating it still holds today. The Trust holds its values of compassion, excellence & collaboration at its core, and all colleagues joining the team are expected to uphold these in their day‑to‑day roles & interactions. Royal Papworth is proud of its diverse workforce and encourages people to embrace their individuality.
The Trust values difference and welcomes all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, sex and sexual orientation. Providing they meet the minimum post criteria, applicants with disabilities will be offered an interview.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Professional adult nursing qualification and clinical knowledge acquired through training to diploma or degree level.
- Postgraduate learning or experience relevant to practice with demonstrable competence or specialist knowledge across the range of work procedures and practices, underpinned by theoretical knowledge or relevant practical experience.
- Teaching and assessment qualification or equivalent.
- Leadership/management training and/or experience.
- Registered with Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Experience
- To be a clinical expert within own field of practice.
- Ability to lead and manage a multi‑disciplinary team as well as mentor and educate junior staff.
- Knowledge and application of clinical governance frameworks including Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), policy and procedure, audit and quality assurance.
- Knowledge and application of safeguarding policies and procedures, particularly those related to vulnerable patients.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to be able to problem solve, use own initiative and plan, organise and prioritise own and others’ workload.
- Evidence of continuous professional development and a willingness to participate in further training and education.
Additional Criteria
- Demonstrate examples of working in a way that is consistent with our values of compassion, excellence and collaboration and provide clear evidence of a commitment to driving culture change through equality, diversity and inclusion.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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