The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Pre-operative Assessment Senior Sister

The closing date is 23 March 2026

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, motivated and forward-thinking Pre-operative Assessment Senior Sister to join our innovative Pre-assessment Team.

We are seeking a dedicated senior nurse with expert knowledge in pre-operative assessment who is committed to delivering high standards of safe, effective and compassionate care. The successful candidate will act as a specialist clinical resource, supporting patients throughout their surgical pathway and contributing to excellent patient outcomes and experiences.

You will work autonomously, demonstrating comprehensive assessment and decision-making skills for complex patients. You will identify and manage clinical risk, coordinate investigations, and work effectively with the multidisciplinary team, providing specialist advice, support and education.

The post holder will promote evidence-based practice and continuous quality improvement through audit, service development and patient feedback. You will ensure practice is compliant with clinical governance, health and safety, infection prevention and risk management standards.

You will be professionally accountable for maintaining standards of practice and behaviour in line with NMC, national and local requirements, practising within an ethical framework based on dignity, respect and patient safety.

This role is ideal for a proactive senior nurse with strong leadership, communication and influencing skills and a passion for service improvement.

Main duties of the job

Provide senior clinical leadership and deliver a high-quality, safe and effective pre-operative assessment service.

Undertake and oversee comprehensive pre-operative assessments for elective and complex surgical patients in line with local and national guidance.

Make autonomous clinical decisions regarding patient optimisation, surgical readiness and the need for delay or postponement of procedures.

Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure robust, efficient and safe patient pathways.

Lead, support and develop junior nursing staff through supervision, education and clinical leadership.

About us

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust is one of the largest NHS trusts in the West Midlands providing primary, acute and community services and we are incredibly proud of the diversity of both our staff and the communities we serve. We are building a workforce that can help us to fulfil our values, improve the quality of care for patients, and solve the health care problems of tomorrow. We're passionate about the value that diversity of thinking and lived experience brings in enabling us to become a learning organisation and leader in delivering compassionate care for our patients.

We are delighted that we have been rated as "Good" by CQC. We have achieved numerous awards; The Nursing Times Best Diversity and Inclusion Practice and Best UK Employer of the Year for Nursing Staff in 2020.

The Trust is a supportive working environment committed to creating flexible working arrangements that suit your needs and as such will consider all requests from applicants who wish to work flexibly.

Details

Date posted

09 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

225-DIV1-7779265

Job locations

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

New Cross Hospital

Wolverhampton

WV10 0QP


Job description

Job responsibilities

Maintain professional accountability for standards of practice and behaviour in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code, national legislation and local organisational policies. Take personal responsibility and accountability for personal actions and omissions, recognising professional responsibilities at all times. Practise within an ethical framework that promotes dignity, respect, safety and the wellbeing of patients, carers and colleagues. Demonstrate expert and comprehensive knowledge in diagnostics, therapeutics, biological, social and epidemiological sciences, applying advanced consultation and clinical decisionmaking skills across a range of clinical settings. Act as a change agent by developing and embedding clinically effective, evidencebased practice through the implementation, monitoring and review of standards, policies, procedures and protocols. Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement through audit, patient feedback, reflective practice and service evaluation at individual and team levels. Ensure a clean, safe and supportive environment for staff, patients and visitors, maintaining compliance with health and safety legislation, infection prevention, clinical governance, risk management and incident investigation processes, including root cause analysis. Deliver and promote consistently high standards of compassionate clinical care and record keeping in line with NMC, national and local standards. Lead effective communication across the multidisciplinary team to support safe, coordinated and patientcentred care.Identify, assess and manage clinical risk, ensuring appropriate use of protocols and safe medical device practices to minimise harm. Monitor standards of care, implementing timely actions where practice falls below expected levels. Ensure incidents and near misses are reported promptly and appropriately, taking action to reduce future risk. Develop and implement systems that promote and demonstrate the contribution and impact of advanced nursing practice within the healthcare team and wider health and social care environment. Undertake and support ongoing evaluation and audit of practice at individual and system levels, applying valid and reliable methodologies and acting on findings to improve outcomes. Critically appraise and apply evidence from research, audits and service evaluations to inform and enhance clinical practice.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Maintain professional accountability for standards of practice and behaviour in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code, national legislation and local organisational policies. Take personal responsibility and accountability for personal actions and omissions, recognising professional responsibilities at all times. Practise within an ethical framework that promotes dignity, respect, safety and the wellbeing of patients, carers and colleagues. Demonstrate expert and comprehensive knowledge in diagnostics, therapeutics, biological, social and epidemiological sciences, applying advanced consultation and clinical decisionmaking skills across a range of clinical settings. Act as a change agent by developing and embedding clinically effective, evidencebased practice through the implementation, monitoring and review of standards, policies, procedures and protocols. Promote a culture of continuous quality improvement through audit, patient feedback, reflective practice and service evaluation at individual and team levels. Ensure a clean, safe and supportive environment for staff, patients and visitors, maintaining compliance with health and safety legislation, infection prevention, clinical governance, risk management and incident investigation processes, including root cause analysis. Deliver and promote consistently high standards of compassionate clinical care and record keeping in line with NMC, national and local standards. Lead effective communication across the multidisciplinary team to support safe, coordinated and patientcentred care.Identify, assess and manage clinical risk, ensuring appropriate use of protocols and safe medical device practices to minimise harm. Monitor standards of care, implementing timely actions where practice falls below expected levels. Ensure incidents and near misses are reported promptly and appropriately, taking action to reduce future risk. Develop and implement systems that promote and demonstrate the contribution and impact of advanced nursing practice within the healthcare team and wider health and social care environment. Undertake and support ongoing evaluation and audit of practice at individual and system levels, applying valid and reliable methodologies and acting on findings to improve outcomes. Critically appraise and apply evidence from research, audits and service evaluations to inform and enhance clinical practice.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
  • Degree Level qualification
  • Teaching and assessing qualification or equivalent
  • Experience as a band 6 working in pre-operative assessment environment

Desirable

  • Experience and skills
  • Evidence of professional updating within last 12 months
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
  • Degree Level qualification
  • Teaching and assessing qualification or equivalent
  • Experience as a band 6 working in pre-operative assessment environment

Desirable

  • Experience and skills
  • Evidence of professional updating within last 12 months

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Address

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

New Cross Hospital

Wolverhampton

WV10 0QP


Employer's website

https://www.royalwolverhampton.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Address

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

New Cross Hospital

Wolverhampton

WV10 0QP


Employer's website

https://www.royalwolverhampton.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Matron

Samantha Sewell

samantha.sewell6@nhs.net

07795020364

Details

Date posted

09 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

225-DIV1-7779265

Job locations

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

New Cross Hospital

Wolverhampton

WV10 0QP


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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