Senior Charge Nurse - Ophthalmology Clinic

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Charge Nurse/Senior within the Ophthalmology Department at Southend Hospital.

The Senior Sister/Charge Nurse is responsible for the professional, clinical and operational leadership of the Ophthalmology Clinic and Ward. The post holder will ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centred care, providing visible leadership to the nursing team and supporting the effective day-to-day management of services.

Working closely with the Matron, Head of Nursing, medical staff and the multidisciplinary team, the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse will lead on patient safety, workforce management, quality improvement, governance, education and service development. The post holder will be accountable for maintaining clinical standards, supporting staff development and ensuring the efficient flow of patients through outpatient, day case and inpatient ophthalmology pathways.

The role requires strong clinical expertise, leadership skills and the ability to manage competing operational demands while ensuring compliance with Trust policies, professional standards and national ophthalmology best practice.

We are looking for a dynamic and pro-active person to lead the department. It is an exciting time to join us with new and exciting times ahead.

The candidate must have proven leadership and management experience, working within an Ophthalmology environment with sound clinical Ophthalmology knowledge & skills.

Main duties of the job

The role requires providing effective leadership to all nursing staff and technicians, including oversight of sickness management, rota planning, recruitment processes and appraisals. It involves promoting best practice in the care of patients with ophthalmic conditions and working collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure high‑quality, patient‑centred services.

The post holder will support the daily clinical and operational management of the department and ensure that evidence‑based care is consistently delivered to agreed standards, contributing to the achievement of all clinical and operational performance indicators. An understanding of local and national nursing strategies, including Compassion in Practice and the 6Cs, is essential to positively influence patient safety, experience and quality of care.

The role also requires maintaining accurate and compliant record keeping in line with Trust and NMC guidelines, ensuring all risk‑management procedures are followed, and overseeing the reporting, investigation and learning from incidents, near misses, accidents and equipment faults. Additionally, the post holder must ensure a clean, safe and compliant environment for patients, staff and visitors in accordance with all relevant legislation, policies and clinical protocols.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Are you looking for an exciting new role using your unique qualities, then we want to hear from you.

For full details about this varied and rewarding role, please see attached job description.

We look forward to your application.

Applicant requirements

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.