Ward Sister​/Charge Nurse

Ward Sister/Charge Nurse Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Oxford, United Kingdom

The closing date is 21 July 2026
Job summary The Cardiology Ward is a 41 bedded unit located within the Oxford Heart Centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital. An exciting opportunity has arisen in the form of Cardiology ward Sister/Charge nurse on the John Radcliffe site of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The post is a substantive appointment. The ward Sister/Charge Nurse will be a highly experienced and knowledgeable clinical leader with experience in an acute cardiac care setting.

They will provide strong clinical and professional leadership to the ward team, offering guidance, support, and direction in delivering high-quality care. The ward Sister/Charge Nurse will act as a visible role model, promote best practice, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective care while actively monitoring and maintaining clinical standards. The ward Sister/Charge nurse will develop the ward team to ensure considerate and compassionate care is delivered by a competent workforce.

The ward Sister/Charge Nurse will work with the Lead nurse, Matron and directorate management team to develop processes to enhance the patient experience. Cardiology also incorporates a 6 bedded acute cardiac care unit. The post holder will have clinical experience as this post will include a clinical commitment, they will also have experience of leading a team and ideally have had some input into service development or re-design.

Main duties of the job The post holder will be visible, easily identifiable and accessible to patients, relatives and all staff working within the clinical area as service needs, providing overall leadership, direction and vision for the service. You will be providing an excellent standard of evidence-based care delivery within the unit whilst acting as an effective role model. You will have good knowledge and skills whilst managing complex and changing health care needs of the cardiac patient.

You will be working collaboratively with colleagues within the Cardiothoracic Directorate and multi-disciplinar team to promote a culture that enhances the patient's experience. An important focus will be the well being of staff and their development and education ensuring they have the correct skills and knowledge to care for the patients within the Cardiology Ward/ACCU. There are opportunities for personal and professional development with access to a supportive network within MRC, Trust resources and courses as well as Oxford Brookes University.

About us Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. Find out more here  The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family.

Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via theOUH You Tube channel.
Job responsibilities

• Lead and manage a progressive nursing team, fostering a positive and supportive environment that encourages professional growth and development.
• Act as a senior presence on the ward, providing visible leadership and being a key point of contact for site issues relating to the ward and surrounding areas, escalating concerns appropriately.
• Ensure the delivery of consistently high standards of patient care, maintaining patient safety, dignity, and respect at all times.
• Develop, implement, and monitor evidence-based practice to advance nursing care and improve patient outcomes.
• Manage the wards resources effectively, including staffing, equipment, and supplies, to meet service needs and budgetary requirements.
• Be proactive in the operational management of the ward, identifying and addressing any issues that may impact service delivery.
• Support and deputise for the Matron, or Lead Nurse, or Deputy Matron in delivering the Trusts Nursing Strategy, objectives, and targets, as required.
• Attend relevant meetings and provide feedback on governance, risk management, and quality assurance, ensuring shared learning from incidents and audit results.
• Lead and participate in the completion of monthly audits and scorecards, analysing data and implementing action plans to address any areas for improvement.
• Deputise for the Matron or Lead Nurse as needed, ensuring continuity of leadership and service…