Band 7 - Senior Sister/Charge Nurse, Frailty

Band 7 - Senior Sister/Charge Nurse, Frailty

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

We are seeking a dedicated and experienced Senior Sister/Charge Nurse to join our dynamic and evolving Frailty team.

In this key role, you will be responsible for leading and coordinating the care of frailty patients, both within the unit and across other care settings when required.

You will work closely with a multidisciplinary team, including Consultants, Advanced Clinical Practitioners, Nurses, Acute Physicians, Carers, and other stakeholders to ensure high-quality, compassionate care delivery that enhances patient experience and outcomes.

As the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse, you will play an essential role in the ongoing development and delivery of frailty services, ensuring a seamless, patient-centred approach to care.

You will be expected to lead by example, providing clinical expertise and supervision to nursing staff while supporting the development of team performance and nursing standards.

Key responsibilities include:

• Coordinating and supporting frailty patient care within and outside of the unit.
• Collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement effective care plans.
• Leading the development and delivery of frailty services to enhance patient outcomes.
• Ensuring high standards of care, patient experience, and safety.
• Providing leadership, mentoring, and support to nursing staff and students.
• Working in collaboration with trust partners to support early discharge/admission avoidance through our hospital at home pathway.

Main duties of the job

This position will initially require you to work Monday to Friday, five days a week. However, there may be a future transition to a seven-day-a-week working pattern as the service evolves.

Clinical & Leadership

• Manage the care and coordination of frailty patients, ensuring effective supervision and clinical leadership.
• Oversee team performance to provide high-quality care for frailty patients.
• Monitor resources, staffing, and training including specific frailty care.
• Implement audits and quality initiatives to improve frailty care outcomes.

Patient-Centred Frailty Care

• Ensure frailty patients receive personalized, patient-centred care.
• Collaborate with PALS and complaints to resolve any concerns from frailty patients and families.
• Ensure safe staffing levels for optimal frailty care.

Teamwork & Development

• Conduct regular appraisals for staff and develop their skills.
• Promote interdisciplinary and cross-organisational working to improve care delivery for frailty patients.
• Empower staff to take a proactive role in enhancing frailty care.

About us

With a new hospital planned for Watford and work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital, this is an exciting time to join us.

We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working ever more closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare.

Staff wellbeing and development are a priority at our Trust, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes, and patient experience.

Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional, and inclusive. They capture an important balance across what we must all do as individuals and to support others.

At West Herts we offer a variety of flexible working options as we recognise the importance of a good work-life balance and the ability to work flexibly.

We kindly invite you to consider submitting an application.

If you have a disability or long-term health condition and should you require support or guidance please contact westherts.recruitment@nhs.net

If you are a Service Leaver, Veteran, Military Reserve, Cadet Force Adult Volunteer, or partner/spouse of those serving please tick "Member of the Armed Forces Community" on the application form.

If you do not hear back within 3 weeks of your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Job responsibilities

The role is full time 37.5 hours a week, permanent position.

Health, Safety & Security

• Ensure the frailty ward/area meets cleanliness, safety, and infection control standards.
• Ensure proper drug administration and maintain compliance with information governance.

Education & Practice in Frailty

• Support the learning environment for frailty care, including induction and mentorship for staff and students.
• Lead in developing and implementing best practices for frailty care.

Research & Professional Responsibilities

• Use research to guide best practices in frailty care.
• Ensure professional development specific to the frailty care team and maintain NMC registration.

Governance & Risk Management in Frailty

• Monitor risks, conduct audits, and investigate incidents related to all care.
• Promote learning from incidents and trends within the frailty team.

Key Performance Indicators

• Monitor frailty-specific performance metrics such as falls, pressure ulcers, infection control, and patient satisfaction.

Person Specification

Education

• Registered General Nurse
• Degree in Nursing or related subject or working towards this.
• Frailty or Care of the Elderly Training

Knowledge

• Knowledge and experience of negotiating and motivating groups and individuals to deliver on agreed objectives.
• Understanding and experience of managing casemix and skillmix according to competing clinical priorities.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of decisions made in a variety of clinical settings, ensuring user safety is at the forefront of planning.
• Health & safety agenda.
• Hospital Cleanliness standards.
• Understanding and some experience of Clinical Governance processes in relation to specialty.
• Knowledge about local and national Frailty requirements.

Experience

• Experience as Band 6 within specialty.
• Experience of line management of staff.
• Management of complaints: Local resolution.
• Care of the elderly or frailty nursing.

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.

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust