Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Ward Sisterto join our team of knowledgeable and committed Nursing Staff in the Trauma and Orthopaedics Department at Whiston Hospital.
Successful applicants will need to be highly motivated and enthusiastic, have experience in trauma and orthopaedic nursing and possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills. We require an individual who is forward thinking, well organized with a positive attitude towards flexibility and change. You will need current acute trauma and orthopaedic experience at Band 5 level or above and have a proven track record of effective communication, leadership and clinical expertise.
An enhanced DBS with barred lists for both Adults & Children is required for this post.
Main duties of the job
KEY DUTIES
- To act as clinical expert for nursing issues
- To supervise junior staff in the delivery of safe competent care
- Take appropriate action to address any issues or risk
- Promote a patient focused multi-disciplinary approach to care in collaboration with carers, health care professionals and other AHPs
- Ensure a safe and timely discharge / transfer of patients
- Ensure that treatment prescribed by the medical team are carried out and that changes in patient condition are escalated as appropriate
- Contribute to the Enhanced Recovery Programme and ensure adherence to its principles
- Act as advocate for the patient, respecting dignity, wishes and beliefs.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
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. 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
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please ensure you have read through the attached Job Description and Person Specification before submitting your application.
Advertising date: 30th March 2026
Closing date: 19th April 2026
Shortlisting date: 20th April 2026
Proposed Interview date: 28th April 2026
Please note, this post may close earlier than advertised if a sufficient number of applications are received.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please ensure you have read through the attached Job Description and Person Specification before submitting your application.
Advertising date: 30th March 2026
Closing date: 19th April 2026
Shortlisting date: 20th April 2026
Proposed Interview date: 28th April 2026
Please note, this post may close earlier than advertised if a sufficient number of applications are received.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- 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
Essential
- 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
Essential
- Up to date clinical skills in order to ensure quality of services being provided by ward
- Excellent communication skills
- 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 eg experience of electronic patient record
Other
Essential
- 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
- Potential blood or body fluids exposure.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- 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
Essential
- 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
Essential
- Up to date clinical skills in order to ensure quality of services being provided by ward
- Excellent communication skills
- 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 eg experience of electronic patient record
Other
Essential
- 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
- Potential blood or body fluids exposure.
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.
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.
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).
