Emergency Department Senior Sister/ Charge Nurse (Band 7)

Job overview

The post holder will be responsible for leading the unit nursing team on a day to day basis; coordinating the delivery of holistic patient care within the clinical environment, whilst supporting flow in terms of admissions, transfers and discharges to multiple points of contact.

Through clinical leadership, adherence of the Trust Right Care values and the utilisation of effective management skills, the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse will ensure the department team is informed, trained and developed to enable the highest standards of evidence based and compassionate care to be delivered to our patients, their carers and families. They will support a collaborative, open and trusting communication style to all groups that the Unit communicates or interacts with from staff, to visiting teams and the individuals we care for.

To actively participate in the development of the Emergency Department using innovation, challenge and evidence based practice/strategies to support forward growth, progression and value based care.

The post holder must understand the core concepts of safe and effective patient flow through the Department and beyond the acute hospital, using their skills to promote and support the multidisciplinary team.

In pursuing these duties the post holder will ensure compliance with the NHS Constitution and be familiar with the NHS England Guidance ‘Understanding the new NHS’ (details of which can be found in the links section of NHS Jobs)

Main duties of the job

Clinical leadership Provide senior clinical oversight across all ED areas, leading assessment, prioritisation and escalation of unwell or deteriorating patients. Support safe flow through triage, streaming, resus and pathways such as UTC and SDEC. Act as a visible clinical role model promoting evidence‑based, high‑quality care. Operational management Coordinate daily ED operations, ensuring safe staffing, appropriate skill mix and effective allocation. Lead responses to surges, major incidents and high‑risk situations. Work with the MDT, site teams and external partners to maintain flow and reduce delays. Staff management and development Provide leadership, supervision and support to Band 6s and junior nurses. Manage appraisals, sickness, performance and staff wellbeing. Lead induction, mentorship and development of new starters and students. Promote a positive, inclusive team culture. Governance, quality and safety Ensure compliance with NMC standards, Trust policies and regulatory requirements. Lead incident management, learning and quality improvement. Support audits, service development and best‑practice implementation. Maintain high standards of documentation, infection control, medicines management and safeguarding. Professional leadership Represent nursing within the ED, contributing to strategic planning and service improvement. Champion patient experience, safety and continuous improvement.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information and full details of the job role please see the attached job description and person specification.