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Job requirements
Requirements from the employer’s person specification. These describe the role, not your personal match.
Essential
12 listedRequirements the employer expects applicants to meet.
- Experience
Significant experience in field of own practice including Critical Care experience of caring for patients with extra corporeal devices (e.g. ECMO/VADs).
- Experience
Ability to lead and manage a multi-disciplinary team as well as mentor and educate junior staff and students.
- Experience
An understanding of clinical governance frameworks including Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), policy and procedure, audit and quality assurance.
- Experience
An understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures, particularly those related to vulnerable patients.
- Experience
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to be able to problem solve, use own initiative and plan, organise and prioritise own and others' workload.
- Experience
Evidence of continuous professional development and a willingness to participate in further training and education.
- Experience
Competent IT skills.
- Qualifications
Professional adult nursing qualification and clinical knowledge acquired through training to diploma or degree level.
- Qualifications
Post graduate critical care course at level 6 (60 credits) (or equivalent). Completion of Step 2 and 3 competencies.
- Qualifications
Leadership/management training and/or experience.
- Qualifications
Registered with Nursing and Midwifery Council.
- Additional Criteria
As well as being able to demonstrate examples of how they work in a way that is consistent with our values of compassion, excellence and collaboration the successful candidate will be able to clearly demonstrate a commitment to driving culture change through equality, diversity and inclusion.
Desirable
Not listed in the available specification.
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Deputy Sister/Charge Nurse in our Critical Care team at Royal Papworth Hospital.
We are a 36 bedded Cardiothoracic Critical Care Unit. The Critical Care Area cares for a range of patients including those who are post Cardiac Surgery, Thoracic Surgery, PPCI, Heart and Lung Transplantation, supported on ECMO and other mechanical support including Impella and Ventricular Assist Devices.
As a member of the senior nursing team, the Deputy Sister/Charge Nurse will take responsibility for ensuring all aspects of patient care and critical care services are of the highest standard, whilst providing an experienced specialist resource to the nursing and multi-disciplinary team. You will have NMC registration and provide evidence of continued professional development to degree level. With effective communication and interpersonal skills, as well as recent Cardiothoracic Critical Care experience at band five or above, you will be proficient in staff development, supervision and teaching. Together with the band 7 Sister and Senior Nursing Team you will be required to assist in the day-to-day management of the Critical Care Area.
Main duties of the job
-Act as a role model to others.
-Assess, plan, deliver and evaluate the complex care for individual patients for their personal needs, wishes and rights. Ensure that high standards of individualised, evidence based care are maintained at all times and seek help and support where necessary.
-Assess complex health and wellbeing needs of patients in CCA, develop, monitor and review plans of care to meet needs.
-Plan and deliver interventions and treatments when there are complex issues and/or serious illness. Ensure care is given in accordance with accepted standards and guidelines i.e. professional guidance from NMC or similar body, Royal Papworth Hospital and Critical Care guidelines, policies and procedures.
-Develop oneself and others in areas of practice. Keep up to date with professional issues, maintain a professional portfolio and actively participate in the performance review programme.
-Recognise own limitations and professional responsibility and seek help, training and support where necessary.
-Successfully complete the deputy sister training programme within 12 months of employment and, thereafter, provide evidence of on-going clinical development as required by the service.
-Develop advance clinical practice through completion of both ECMO specialist and cardiac surgery specialist programmes. The post holder will then maintain clinical skill through reassessment of professional scope and practice.
About us
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the UK's leading heart and lung hospital, delivering care to more than 50,000 patients a year in its new state-of-the-art hospital in Cambridge. We perform the most heart and/or lung transplants in the UK and carried out the UK's first successful heart transplant in 1979. It also offers emergency heart attack treatment, sleep centre care and is one of just five centres nationally for those in severe respiratory failure.
Based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe the Trust is at the heart of treatments of the future. Royal Papworth became the first hospital trust in the country to be rated outstanding in all five areas assessed by the Care Quality Commission - a rating it still holds today. The Trust holds its values of compassion, excellence & collaboration at its core, and all colleagues joining the team are expected to uphold these in their day-to-day roles & interactions. Royal Papworth is proud of its diverse workforce and encourages people to embrace their individuality.
The Trust values difference and welcomes all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, sex and sexual orientation. Providing they meet the minimum post criteria, applicants with disabilities will be offered an interview.
For a street view tour: https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/virtual-tour
Details
- Date posted: 08 September 2026
- Pay scheme: Agenda for change
- Band: Band 6
- Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year
- Contract: Permanent
- Working pattern: Full-time
- Reference number: 175-2627-1979
- Job locations: Royal Papworth Hospital, Papworth Road, Cambridge Bio Medical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 0AY, United Kingdom
Job responsibilities
On this page you will find a Role Profile which provides information about the hospital and full details about the role. We recommend that you review this and refer to it as you complete your application. Please include how you will meet the Trust Values Compassion, Excellence and Collaboration. If you would like more information about the role or working at Royal Papworth Hospital, please get in touch with the contact for this role.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Deputy Sister/Charge Nurse CCA with Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Cambridge, England. It is listed as a Band 6 Charge nurse role. The advertised salary is £39,959 to £48,117 a year. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 27 Sep 2026.
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