Senior Sister/Senior Charge Nurse - Emergency Department

NHS; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust in Maidstone is seeking a Senior Sister/Senior Charge Nurse for their Emergency Department. The ideal candidate must have experience at Band 6 level or equivalent and will be responsible for providing leadership and high-quality patient care. The role offers a competitive salary between £47,810 and £54,710 per annum, alongside benefits including annual leave and NHS Pension Scheme membership.

Benefits

At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays

Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme

Blue Light card eligibility

Qualifications

• Experience at Band 6 level or equivalent.
• Extensive experience within specialty.
• Knowledge of NMC Code of Professional Conduct.

Responsibilities

• Support and provide leadership to staff within the Emergency Department.
• Act as a positive role model for junior staff.
• Deliver high-quality patient care.

Skills

Organisation and management skills

Ability to lead a team

Advanced written and oral communication skills

Competency in medication administration including IV drugs

Ability to perform clinical activities specific to specialty

IT skills including use of email and office packages

Education

Registered Nurse

Teaching Qualification or equivalent experience

Graduate

Job description

Senior Sister/Senior Charge Nurse - Emergency Department

Please note this role is currently only being advertised to staff members who are currently working within the Kent and Medway ICŚ.

Maidstone Hospital is part of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust and is currently one of England's top performing Emergency Departments. We see in excess of 80,000 patients a year in our ED which comprises of a 5 bedded resuscitation room, 11 majors cubicles, a new 7 bedded rapid assessment area, clinical decision unit, designated paediatric unit and minor injuries. We are supported by GP streaming, SDEC and are now one of Kents designated Hyper Acute Stroke Unit.

We are looking to recruit Band 7 Senior Sister/Charge Nurses into our ED at Maidstone Hospital. We welcome applications from experienced ED nurses who would like to join our friendly and supportive team.

Our ED offers an educationally focused environment. We are committed to developing and supporting our staff at all levels with their career pathway and have strong links with both Greenwich and Canterbury Christ Church Universities. We have a Practice Development Team who will support your development alongside the senior nursing team which comprises of matrons and a lead matron. You will get to work in all areas of the department to enable you to further develop your clinical and leadership skills. With our career pathways we look to support our Band 7s development in their chosen field such as through Emergency Nurse Practitioner training or undertaking leadership courses.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for experienced emergency department nurses who have experience at band 6 (or equivalent). Applicants will need to have experience of leading a shift and managing patient flow. As a Senior Sister/ Charge Nurse you will be expected to support and provide leadership to staff within the Emergency Department, acting as a positive role model for junior staff and able to deliver high quality patient care.

To work with us you will need to demonstrate a kind and compassionate attitude. You will be dynamic, motivated and hardworking, have excellent communication skills and are passionate about emergency care.

There will be a requirement to work day and night shifts.

About us

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust ranks among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and was named the second-best Trust to work for in the South East in the 2023 and 2024 NHS Staff Survey.

We are a large acute hospital trust in south-east England, providing general hospital services and specialist care to around 600,000 residents in West Kent and East Sussex. With a dedicated and diverse team of over 8,000 staff we are proud to offer specialised cancer services to over two million people through the Kent Oncology Centre.

Fordcombe Hospital, near Tunbridge Wells, became part of the Trust in October 2024. Specialising in planned care, it offers two operating theatres, 28 inpatient and day‑care beds, diagnostic services (X‑ray, MRI, CT, and endoscopy), and consultation/treatment rooms.

Looking for flexible working?

We are a flexible working‑friendly organisation. Whether it's adjusting your hours or exploring other flexible arrangements, we want to work with you to find the best solution for you, our patients, and the Trust. Talk to us about how we can accommodate your working needs.

Click here to hear what our staff say.

Joining us includes a comprehensive benefits package:

• At least 27 days of annual leave plus public/bank holidays (pro‑rata for part‑time staff).
• Membership in the NHS Pension Scheme, with a 20.6% employer contribution and life assurance benefits
• Blue Light card eligibility
• And more, additional benefits can be found in the benefits documents below

Job responsibilities

Weve provided all the details you need about this role in the job description and person specification. Please take a moment to review the criteria in the person specification and share specific examples in your application that demonstrate how you meet these requirements. Please also check your application for errors/omissions prior to submission.

Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children). If a role involves regulated activity and requires a DBS check with a barred list check, you cannot apply if you are on the barred list.

All successful applicants will be required to complete our corporate trust induction once a start date had been agreed.

Following your corporate induction you will be expected to attend the Trusts Induction Programme for RNs, NAs, RMs, ODPs and Paramedics. The programme is full‑time (please email [e-mail] if this is problematic) and will involve travel to both Trust sites. The programme includes supernumerary shifts in the clinical area, classroom‑based sessions and e‑learning.

Person Specification

Skills

• Organisation and management skills.
• Ability to lead a team.
• Articulate with advanced written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to perform clinical activities specific to speciality.
• Competency in medication administration including IV drugs.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Ability to problem solve.
• Ability to perform clinical activities specific to speciality.
• IT skills including use of email and office packages.
• Ability to appraise staff or willingness to learn

Experience/Knowledge

• Extensive experience within speciality.
• Experience at Band 6 level or equivalent.
• Knowledge of quality, standard setting, benchmarking and audit.
• Knowledge of NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
• Extensive knowledge of speciality.
• Knowledge of budget management.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse
• Teaching Qualification or equivalent experience.
• Graduate

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.

£47,810 to £54,710 a yearper annum pro rata