Charge Nurse - Critical Care/High Dependency Unit

NHS Scotland; Greater London; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension Scheme

Study bursaries

Learning and development opportunities

27 days annual leave

Job summary

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is seeking an experienced Charge Nurse to lead the Critical Care team at The Royal Alexandra Hospital. You will oversee safe, effective and compassionate care for critically ill patients, providing operational leadership and staff development in a fast-paced environment.

All roles are assessed for sponsorship eligibility in line with Home Office requirements. NHSGGC offers flexible working options where possible and a range of development opportunities

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration.
• Significant experience in Critical Care.
• Post-registration qualification in Critical Care.
• Demonstrable leadership and communication skills.
• Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.
• Commitment to professional development.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate safe and effective management of the Critical Care unit while on duty.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for critically ill patients.
• Lead, supervise and support nursing staff to deliver high quality patient-centred care.
• Participate in ward rounds, clinical handovers and multidisciplinary discussions.
• Respond to clinical emergencies and maintain patient safety.
• Support efficient use of staffing, equipment, supplies and resources.
• Provide education, mentorship and professional support to nurses and students.

Skills

Critical Care experience

Leadership

Communication skills

Decision making

Teamwork

Education

NMC registration

Critical Care qualification

Job description

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is one of the largest healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 40,000 staff across a wide range of clinical and non-clinical professions and roles. We deliver acute hospital, primary, community and mental health services to a population of over 1.15 million people, and to a wider population of 2.2 million when regional and national services are included.

The Role

You need to have a live NMC UK pin in order to be considered for this post.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Charge Nurse to join the Critical Care team within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. This rewarding role will see you leading the delivery of safe, effective and compassionate care for critically ill patients while providing operational leadership and support to the wider nursing team. Working in a fast-paced and highly specialised environment, you will play a key role in coordinating patient care, supporting staff development and driving high clinical standards. NHSGGC offers the opportunity to be part of one of Scotland's largest and most innovative healthcare organisations, where your expertise, leadership and commitment to improving patient outcomes will be recognised and valued.

All roles will be assessed for sponsorship eligibility in line with current Home Office requirements. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) can only issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) where these are met.

Duration, Location, and Working Pattern

• Full-time, Permanent
• You will be based at The Royal Alexandra Hospital
• Working Pattern: Rotational day/night

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate the safe and effective management of the Critical Care unit whilst on duty
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for critically ill patients using specialist knowledge and skills
• Lead, supervise and support nursing staff to deliver high quality patient-centred care
• Participate in ward rounds, clinical handovers and multidisciplinary discussions to support treatment planning
• Respond to clinical emergencies, adverse incidents and changing patient needs while maintaining patient safety
• Support the efficient use of staffing, equipment, supplies and other resources
• Provide education, mentorship and professional support to nurses, students and other members of the healthcare team

Knowledge, training, qualifications and/or experience required to do the job

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
• Relevant and significant experience working within a Critical Care nursing environment
• Post-registration qualification or further study relevant to Critical Care practice
• Demonstrable leadership skills with the ability to motivate, support and develop others
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to make informed clinical decisions, prioritise workload and remain calm under pressure
• Commitment to continuous professional development, quality improvement and delivering outstanding patient care

What We Offer

We offer a wide range of supportive policies designed to enhance your employee journey, including a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, Cycle to Work Scheme, bursary scheme and extensive learning and development opportunities.

As an NHS Scotland employee, you will be entitled to:

• A minimum of 27 days annual leave, increasing with length of service, plus public holidays
• Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme, including life insurance benefits
• Salary Sacrifice Car Benefit Scheme
• Development opportunities including study bursaries, e-learning and classroom-based courses
• Enhanced pay for working public holidays
• NHS discounts on a wide range of goods and services
• Confidential employee support and assistance, including counselling and psychological therapies

AI

AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be great for planning and preparing your application, but your answers must be your own.

• Show us the real you: Your application should reflect your skills, experience, and motivations authentically.
• Use AI wisely: It’s fine to use AI for ideas or to check spelling and grammar, but don’t let it write your answers.
• Why this matters: Applications that rely on AI-generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm your responses are based on your own knowledge and achievements.

Tip

Think of AI as a helper, not a substitute. We want to understand you, not an AI tool.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) recognises the importance of work-life balance and is committed to offering a range of flexible working options where service needs allow. For roles where less than full-time hours can be accommodated, and where the tenure is listed as “various”, we encourage applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements. Flexible working will be included as a topic for discussion during the recruitment process.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde encourages applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and are proud of the diverse workforce we employ.

By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, NHSGGC has pledged its commitment to being a Forces Friendly Employer. We welcome applications from across the Armed Forces Community and recognise military skills, experience and qualifications throughout the recruitment and selection process.