Community Sister / Charge Nurse

NHS; Tavistock; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity with NHS in Tavistock for a full-time Community Sister/Charge Nurse role. You'll lead a dedicated community nursing team, managing clinical care and supporting staff development while collaborating with various healthcare providers to ensure high-quality patient outcomes.

Benefits

Protected CPD time

Training pathways

Funding for qualifications

Qualifications

• Experience working as a Band 5 or Band 6 nurse.
• Ability to manage a clinical caseload.
• Strong communication skills for teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Assess and treat patients with complex health needs.
• Lead and develop nursing teams.
• Coordinate with various health and social care services.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical Judgment

Patient Assessment

Care Planning

Team Collaboration

Education

NMC registration

Leadership qualifications

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Tavistock community nursing team as a full-time, permanent Community Sister/Charge Nurse. We welcome applications from experienced Band 5 or existing Band 6 nurses passionate about leading a team of community nurses.

You will work closely with the Team Manager and collaborate with various internal and external services, including PCN and health & social care colleagues across primary & secondary care.

As an autonomous practitioner, you'll assess and treat patients with complex health & social care needs, manage a clinical caseload, and ensure holistic, evidence-based care to maintain patients at home. Responsibilities include thorough patient assessment, recognising deterioration, appropriate escalation, and treatment planning.

The managerial aspect of the role requires strong leadership skills to effectively manage, support, and develop the nursing team. You will embed excellent management practices to foster a positive, motivated, and adaptable work environment, driving change and maintaining team cohesion.

This role suits experienced nurses looking to expand their clinical and managerial expertise, committed to creating a supportive & dynamic culture.

The position requires frequent travel to multiple locations, some with limited public transport access; candidates must demonstrate how they will manage this.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will:

1. Be responsible for the assessment of care needs & the development, implementation & evaluation of care through effective caseload management.
2. Supervise junior staff & be able to teach qualified/unqualified staff, including students.
3. Be involved in the management & leadership of the service.
4. Be a member of a multi-disciplinary team, contributing in all its forums, attending meetings & MDT discussions for patients and service delivery.
5. Be responsible for designated staff and hold line management and appraisal responsibilities.
6. Promote a collaborative approach to team culture & patient care within the team, providing support to junior staff.
7. Assist the Team Manager in maintaining standards of care and escalate as needed.
8. Act as a clinical role model, demonstrating high standards of nursing practice.
9. Participate in clinical governance & quality improvement initiatives, e.g., clinical audit, incident and risk reporting, policy development.

This role will be required to cover a 08:30 to 17:00 service, 7 days a week.

This post will require face-to-face interviews.

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.

All staff are expected to work across a 7-day service.

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.

We are guided by our values: kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Our work centers on individual needs to help people lead healthy, independent lives.

We prioritize staff development, offering protected CPD time, training pathways, leadership programs, and funding for qualifications like the Care Certificate and Nurse Training Scholarships. Our induction and preceptorship programs support a smooth transition into our organization.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all community sections, including armed forces experience, mental health lived experience, neuro-diverse conditions, and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Job responsibilities

2. JOB PURPOSE

To be responsible for assessing, triaging, planning, implementing, and evaluating care, which may be complex, sensitive, and unpredictable, with support from senior nurses or nurse specialists.

To coordinate the delivery of care, applying clinical judgment in day-to-day changes in patients' needs, determining when to seek advice from senior clinical or management staff, including responses to immediate crises.

To develop all nursing skills and competencies, updating as required, to enhance the skill mix of the nursing team and meet changing health needs of patients.

To maintain accurate, confidential, contemporaneous, and legible records, whether paper or electronic, in line with policies and professional guidelines.

To provide clinical supervision to staff and students.

To promote and support patients in managing their own health and wellbeing, maximizing independence and facilitating health promotion.

Depending on the role, work within a defined geographical area, undertaking clinical nursing duties in various settings such as homes, care homes, or clinics.

Provide clinical and managerial leadership in the absence of the team leader.

Work within the NMC code of practice and be flexible to move across the organization as needed, e.g., during a pandemic.

You may be required to be a non-medical prescriber / Nurse Prescriber, responsible for prescribing within formulary guidelines.

Work collaboratively with managers, service leads, and stakeholders, including ICBs, NHS organizations, CHC, PCNs, local authorities, and voluntary sectors.

Support management of assessments, rehabilitation programs, and service developments.

Support patient independence and wellbeing, share knowledge, and empower others.

Assist in auditing patient outcomes and may require additional training for certain medication administrations.

Prevent hospital admissions.

Some roles may require working 7 days including bank holidays, subject to contract terms.

5.1 Responsibility for People Management

Plan, implement, develop, deliver, and evaluate care across community nursing teams and clinics.

5.2 Responsibility for Resources

Use resources efficiently, providing cost-effective, quality-controlled care.

5.3 Responsibility for Administration

Maintain accurate, confidential patient records as per policies and regulations.

5.4 Responsibility for Service Users

Ensure holistic, evidence-based care, promoting independence and quality of life.

5.5 Responsibility for Policy Implementation

Adhere to organizational policies, develop and review care guidelines, and support policy implementation to reflect best practices and national/local guidelines.

5.6 Other Responsibilities

Maintain records, support risk management, health and safety, infection control, safeguarding, and engage in research activities. Promote sustainability and climate responsibility.

6. COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS

Coordinate with primary and secondary care, mental health, voluntary and statutory organizations, and other stakeholders.

7. PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB

Physical effort required for manual handling, prolonged periods of bending, kneeling, and lifting. Mental and emotional effort involved in multi-tasking, caring for distressed patients, and managing unpredictable situations. Working conditions include working in patients' homes and outdoor environments.

8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Follow policies on risk management, health and safety, infection control, safeguarding, and participate in research and sustainability initiatives. The role may evolve with organizational needs, and compliance with policies is mandatory.

Qualifications include NMC registration, relevant experience, mentorship, and leadership qualifications. The role is subject to DBS checks. Flexible working arrangements are available.