Ward Sister

Merseywestlancs; Chorley; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Trust in England seeks a Band 6 NIV Nurse for Ward 2C at Whiston Hospital. The ideal candidate will have prior experience in an acute setting and demonstrate leadership and clinical skills. Responsibilities include supporting a high standard of respiratory patient care and participating in team development. This full-time position offers competitive salary and is integral to a dedicated team caring for patients with respiratory conditions, ensuring high-quality service delivery.

Benefits

27 days annual leave (pro rata)

Generous pension scheme

NHS discounts

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse with NMC registration.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• Experience in leading a clinical team.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and management within the team.
• Coordinate patient flow to meet national targets.
• Ensure high standards of patient care are maintained.

Skills

Leadership skills

Clinical assessment

Teamwork

Communication skills

NIV experience

Education

Registered Nurse Diploma / degree

NMC Registration

Leadership training (minimum Level 3 ILM)

Job description

We want talented and enthusiastic people from all backgrounds to join #TeamMWL, with us you can learn, grow and develop yourself and your career, realising your true ambitions and aspirations.

Whatever you’re looking for in your career, you’ll find it here at MWL.

Ward Sister / Charge Nurse - Ward 2C Respiratory Team

NHS AfC: Band 6

Main area Respiratory Grade NHS AfC: Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 409-7715860

Site Whiston Hospital Town Prescot Salary £38,682 - £46,580 Per Annum Salary period Yearly Closing 02/02/2026 23:59 Interview date 11/02/2026

After applying via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred Third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. You will not be able to track the progress of your application or receive messages through the NHS Jobs website, and furthermore, as an employer, we will not be able to respond to any e-mails sent to us via the NHS Jobs website. By applying for this post you are agreeing to "name of trust" transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are appointed to a post information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 6 NIV Nurse on Ward 2C. The new post holder will join our already existing, dedicated and friendly team of staff on Ward 2C at Whiston Hospital.

The post holder should have previous experience in an acute setting and have experience in looking after patients who require Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV)

Ward 2C is a 37 bedded Respiratory ward, which includes a six bedded NIV unit. The ward care for patients with acute respiratory conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Asthma, Lung fibrosis and TB including patients stepping down from ICU/HDU

We are dedicated to providing high quality patient care supported by staff education and development. Our multi-disciplinary team embraces the very latest innovations and technology to care for patients with a wide range of respiratory conditions including acute NIV and CPAP. There are eight Consultants, and the ward has implemented seven day working.

Main duties of the job

We are looking for a Band 6 NIV Nurse who will bring experience, knowledge, and leadership skills to the existing team. Having a positive approach to supporting and developing your team will be crucial to maintaining the consistently high standard of care that our patients and their families require.

We would like to hear from you if you have a special interest in Respiratory and want to lead the way in the continued development of a high standard of care in an acute setting.

There are strong links with both respiratory nurse specialists and community staff, and we work closely with all members of our MDT to provide quality care and treatment for our patients.

The NIV Nurse is expected to be dynamic and enthusiastic and be able to ensure the highest standards of care are maintained.

• Prior experience of working in an acute setting is essential
• Evidence of relevant ongoing professional development
• Clinical leadership
• Use of expanded nursing role
• Previous experience as Band 5 within the acute medical setting
• The ability to deputise in the Ward Manager’s absence

Working for our organisation

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 9000 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.

We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.

Our Services:

Acute Care

Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation, freeing up space for more unwell patients. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements:

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Provide leadership, management and team development as delegated by the Department/Ward Manager to the team, allocating workloads.
• Contribute to setting goals and benchmarking standards of care. Develop tools to improve the quality of the service and co-ordinate clinical services across the ward.
• To co-ordinate and manage patient flow within the unit including timely admission and discharge, ensuring national targets are met where possible
• To promote the unit and the Trust as a whole in the most positive manner to patients, relatives and the local population
• To have knowledge of relevant national and local health policies and their impact on the service
• To inform/escalate to Department/Ward Manager / Matron if acceptable levels of care, standards, practice and patient safety is compromised and develop appropriate actions
• To assist and or lead in the development/implementation of local and trust policies and protocols relevant to the specialty, ensuring effective implementation in local area.
• To manage control and quality of levels of stock and equipment within the clinical and non-clinical areas and promote and ensure economic use of all resources.
• To attend corporate groups as a representative of the directorate and team.
• To represent the clinical area on working groups as appropriate and at relevant conferences at regional and national level and on working groups as appropriate.
• To promote and deliver effective communication with all members of the multidisciplinary team and other wards and departments in the Trust and externally.
• To participate in the business planning process, helping to identify areas for service development and improvement.
• In the absence or as delegated by the Department/Ward Manager. Initiate and coordinate investigations of incidents, accidents, complaints involving staff, patients and visitors in accordance with the trust policies and lead in any investigations where required to do so

Clinical Management

• Provide senior nursing advice and support to facilitate high quality, individualised care to patients/carers in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team.
• Manage and coordinate complex clinical situations, taking appropriate action in emergency or unforeseen situations.
• To be clinically competent and confident in the use of specialised equipment in varied clinical settings.
• Act as a clinical role model and leader for all members of staff providing daily unit management, continuity of care and a high standard of excellent nursing care.
• To assess, plan, implement and evaluate programmes of care, actively seeking evidence based practice which will improve the quality of care and meet the needs of the patient. A holistic approach to caring should be planned which will include the appropriate level of physiological, psychological, spiritual, socio - economic and cultural aspects which influence the care of patients within the unit.
• To contribute to setting and monitor standards of nursing care within the ward.
• To liaise with medical staff and other disciplines on the management of high quality patient care.
• To ensure that patient care is delivered within the Nursing and Midwifery Scope of Professional Practice and Code of Professional Conduct.
• To promote the involvement of patients and their relatives in the management and evaluation of care.
• To have shared responsibility for the delivery of patient care by all members of the nursing team on the unit.
• To maintain safe custody of drugs, ensuring that checking, witnessing and administration procedures are compatible with statutory and trust requirements.
• To undertake appropriate training to expand relevant clinical skills.
• To regularly take charge of the clinical area, utilising resources effectively and to ensure that safe staffing levels are maintained for their shifts.
• Identify clinical risks and ensure that appropriate action is implemented in accordance with the Trust risk management policy.
• Ensure the nurse documentation is maintained to the Trust standard.

People Management

• To assess and develop action plans to meet individual development needs.
• To participate in orientation programmes for all newly appointed nursing staff.
• To monitor staff performance, conduct or participate in Individual Performance Appraisal, including supporting revalidation process.
• To encourage & motivate staff within the ward on personal & professional development at all levels.
• To deploy and utilise staffing resources effectively and efficiently.
• To support members of the team and refer to appropriate services.
• To assist in the selection, appointment & induction of new staff.
• Ensure staffing levels and skill mix is scheduled to reflect the workload and meet the needs of the patient.
• To assist in the co-ordination and monitoring of off duty, annual leave, sickness and absence occurring in the unit.

Leadership Development

• To promote an environment conducive to learning.
• To participate in staff education and development, including orientation and supervision and act as a mentor and resource for learners and the nursing team and the multi-professional teams
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of a positive learning environment for colleagues, patients and visitors.
• To assess learning & developmental needs of members of the ward nursing team.
• To assist in the development, implementation and monitoring of programmes of specialty based teaching ensuring learning objectives are achieved.
• To ensure that own personal development is maintained and recorded to ensure compliance for revalidation.
• To be responsible for the continuing professional development and overall performance of a particular group of staff delegated by the Charge Nurse or Senior Sister.
• Supervise and support the nursing care of the other junior nurses, students and HCAs to maintain a high standard of excellent nursing care.
• To share highly specialist knowledge and skills around the Trust with active involvement in ward patient care if the unit allows.
• Provide support mechanisms for sharing good practice within the ward and trust wide.

Budget responsibilities

• Ensure the effective and efficient use of resources including stock management and care and maintenance of equipment.
• Handles patients valuables, ensuring safe storage and transportation
• Authorise timesheets for temporary nursing and support staff as appropriate.

Research And Audit

• To develop and implement methods of auditing nursing practice within the unit.
• To promote awareness of current nursing research in members of the unit.
• To introduce and apply research findings to the unit relating to nursing practice where relevant.
• To promote and disseminate local/national/international research findings to the ward.
• Identify areas where local audit is needed, conduct the audit and analyse the data with support.
• Arranges for the collection and analysis of audit and research data as required.
• Participate in the collection of audit and research data as required.
• Use data which will contribute to the improvement of patient care.

Personal Development

• Responsible for ensuring own continuing professional development and identifying development needs within the Trust knowledge and skills development review process.
• To identify areas for self-development, areas of interest and training requirements within your personal performance planning and Development Review.
• To maintain a professional portfolio and reflective diary for developmental purposes and revalidation.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse Diploma / degree level or equivalent experience
• Current NMC Registration
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Leadership training or qualification (minimum Level 3 ILM or equivalent) or working towards

Knowledge & Experience

• Able to demonstrate knowledge of NMC professional standards for practice contained within the code
• Experience of leading a team in a clinical environment
• Research awareness and commitment to evidence-based practice
• Experience of clinical risk assessment & management of identified risk
• Understanding key features of Clinical governance
• Knowledge of audit & audit procedures

Skills

• Up to date clinical skills in order to ensure quality of services being provided by ward
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent organisational skills – prioritise and coordinate own workload
• Able to act as a leader, effectively managing staff in the department
• Ability to act as a change agent
• Ability to co-ordinate & liaise with MDT members
• Computer literacy e.g. of electronic patient record

Other

• Frequent sitting or standing in a restricted position; occasional moderate effort for several short period
• Frequent concentration, work pattern unpredictable Concentration for patient clinical work
• Occasional distressing / highly distressing or emotional circumstances. Deals with patient complaints, conveys unwelcome news, complaints, concerns arising from incident communicated to patients and relatives.
• Working in ward environment providing direct clinical care

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward-thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.

Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware, that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.

The Trust may contact you during the recruitment process for your feedback on your experience. We always aim for continuous improvement in our practice.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspective and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

If you are having difficulty completing an online application, or require any disability reasonable adjustments, to the application process, please contact [e-mail]

We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details are shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision-making process.

The equality monitoring information you provide is used in the following situations: to review our recruitment practices; where a job is limited to a specific person to verify their eligibility to apply; and to offer disability reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click here to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorship.

eVisa Update

For successful candidates on selected work and study visa routes, who have completed and paid for their applications will no longer receive a visa vignette in passport as evidence of their permission to enter the UK. Instead, you will be issued with an eVisa only, which is accessed by creating a UKVI account.

Before travelling to the UK, we advise applicants to:

• Understand how to generate an eVisa share code

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

If this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 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.

Please note if applicable, applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment.

If you have not already done so, you are therefore encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service to which a small annual fee of £13 per year applies.

Flexible Working

We actively support flexible working patterns throughout MWL. Changes made to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook mean that:

• All employees have the right to request flexible working from day one of employment.
• There is no limit on the number of requests they can make.
• Employees have the right to make requests, have them considered, regardless of the reason.

At Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, we will consider requests for flexible working. We would also encourage you to also discuss flexible working options at interview stage.

Working for Team MWL

Staff recognition is especially important to us; as well as performance reviews and appraisals, we recognise staff through Employee of the month. Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services.

The Trust is a non-smoking across all our sites. Failure to follow this rule could lead to disciplinary action. For more information, see the Smoke Free NHS website.

You will be expected to undertake the Trusts' commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

You must ensure that your application, including personal statements and behaviour examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Please note plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

The Trust will not accept applications which are found to be AI generated and will check all applications against AI detection software.

Additional Information

Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trusts Values and Behaviours which are We are KIND, We are OPEN, We are INCLUSIVE, which can be found here.

An applicant guide to help and support you with your application and what to expect during your recruitment journey can be accessed in the supporting documents.

Good luck with your application. We hope to welcome you to Team MWL very soon.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

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