Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated and enthusiastic Band 6 Junior Sister in Paediatric Surgery to join our dynamic and progressive team at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. The successful candidate will play a vital role within a highly motivated multidisciplinary team, contributing to the delivery of exceptional care and supporting the ongoing development of our services.
Our paediatric services encompass a wide range of specialisations, including acute general medicine, elective and non-elective surgery across ENT, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, urology, and gastroenterology. We also provide ambulatory and Same Day Emergency Care, alongside comprehensive children's outpatient services. The wards are supported by a team of Paediatric Nurse Specialists, a hospital play specialist team, and a Clinical Nurse Educator. Additionally, community provision is facilitated by KCHFT, with key partnerships with Demelza and NELFT.
The post holder will predominantly work within the paediatric surgical areas, both in clinical practice and by leading and supporting the pre-assessment service across sites for paediatric surgery.
Main duties of the job
In this role, you will be responsible for leading and developing a team of highly skilled and dedicated staff, ensuring the delivery of the highest standards of care for children and their families.
As an experienced nurse, you will assess care needs and implement and evaluate care programs, maintaining clinical credibility in delivering both general and specialist paediatric services. You will work closely with the Ward Manager, Consultants, and Nurse Specialists to ensure that all patients receive high-quality services when accessing our departments. Your role will also involve developing link nurse roles, care pathways, PGD guidelines, and policies to support the continued excellence of care.
In addition to leadership responsibilities, you will support the Ward Manager in ensuring an effective and skilled workforce is available to deliver services within the clinical areas. You will take an active role in assessing and enhancing the patient experience within Children's services and contribute to the development of elective surgery pathways, including pre-assessment and post-operative care. Furthermore, you will provide support in paediatric ambulatory areas during periods without surgery.
If you would like further information or to arrange an informal visit and meet the team, please contact Millie Welch on 07523 942263 or via email at .
About us
MTW is a large acute hospital trust in the south-east of England.
We provide a full range of general hospital services and some aspects of specialist and complex care to around 600,000 people living in west Kent and East Sussex. We have a team of over 8,000 full and part-time staff. We also provide specialist cancer services to around 2 million people across Kent and East Sussex via the Kent Oncology Centre.
In the 2024 NHS staff survey, our employees ranked MTW among the top 10 NHS Trusts nationwide and the second-best Trust to work for in the South East.
Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Once your pre-employment checks have been completed you will be contacted by Recruitment to arrange your start date which will be in line with one of our Corporate Inductions.
Following your Corporate Induction you will be expected to attend the Trusts 2-week Induction Programme for RNs, NAs, RMs, ODPs and Paramedics. The programme is full-time (please this is problematic) and will involve travel to both Trust sites. The programme includes supernumerary shifts in the clinical area, classroom-based sessions and e-learning.
Please note that appointment to this post will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure & Barring Service Check at Enhanced Level. (Enhanced level now includes regulated checks against vulnerable adults and children)
At MTW, we seek to develop a culture where everyone can reach their full potential with opportunities to grow and develop their career. We recognise and value the unique contributions that each of our staff bring, delivering the best quality care and service to our patients. We are committed to being a diverse employer and strive to reflect everyone in our local communities. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences and celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that will make our Trust the best place to work.
We support our staff with disabilities to ensure they have the adjustments they need to be the best they can be in the workplace. Collaborating with Access to Work means that our staff are assessed by experts in the workplace and we ensure that their recommendations are implemented as quickly as possible. You can find out more here: Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is - (
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Please note that this role may often attract a high level of applications. Please note this role may close earlier than the original closing date so please ensure you submit your application as soon as possible
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. RSCN/RN Child
2. Evidence of a relevant post-registration professional development
3. Teaching/ Assessing Qualification.
Desirable
4. Specialist course relevant to post
5. Degree or equivalent or working towards
Experience & Knowledge
Essential
6. Previous experience in a Band 5 post with experience of paediatric surgery
7. Evidence of interest in paediatric surgery
8. Proven management experience
9. Knowledge of current specialist clinical evidence based practice
10. Knowledge and understanding of clinical governance
11. Knowledge of local community and understanding of a multi-cultural, racially diverse population
12. Knowledge of current professional issues relating to nursing
13. Understanding of equal opportunities
14. Understanding of patient confidentiality
Desirable
15. Post registration study
16. Link nurse experience
17. Experience of working within speciality
Skills
Essential
18. Ability to support and manage a case-load of patients including assessment, planning, monitoring and evaluation, including providing health promotion and education to patients and carers
19. Ability to organise and deliver a high standard of evidence based clinical nursing care
20. Ability to demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills
21. Excellent inter-personal and counselling skills
22. Ability to liaise effectively with members of the Primary Health Care team, shared care teams and tertiary centres
23. Ability to work on own initiative and prioritise work
24. Proven teaching /presentation skills
25. Computer skills