Job summary
An exciting 12 month secondment opportunity has arisen for a , full-time Band 7 Charge Nurse / Senior Sister position on Draycott Ward.

Draycott is a 25 bedded No Criteria to Reside ward, which looks after patients who are medically optimised for discharge but are awaiting a D2A pathway for either support at home, or in a community bed. We care for patients from medical, surgical, and orthopaedic specialities but as the majority are transferred to us from acute care of the elderly wards we have an elderly care consultant. Our medical patients are seen weekly by the doctor team so a lot of our care is nurse led.

Draycott ward works closely with ward therapy teams, the Home First team, and community services to improve the patients experience of discharge planning, while meeting their ongoing care needs with an holistic approach. We have a good relationship with the dementia, delirium, and falls practitioner, and we have a full time activities co-ordinator to support our patients who have often been in hospital for an extended period of time.

Main duties of the job
The successful candidate must have experience in leadership. They will be given support and training to further develop leadership and management skills, and will be responsible for the overall management of the ward and its staff.

The successful candidate will be proactive and innovative in improving patient safety and driving standards of care forward. The successful candidate must also have excellent clinical skills, and be proactive in the care and management they provide to their patients.

The successful candidate will be able to facilitate learning and development opportunities for their ward staff.

The successful candidate will be flexible, a good team worker, bring with them a passion to excel and ensure high standards are adhered to and exceeded and be innovative within a team environment.

About us
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we're meeting our pledge.

Details
Date posted: 01 September 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year pa pro rata
Contract: Secondment
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 387-WD2421-JJ
Job locations: Weston General Hospital, Grange Road, Uphill, Weston-super-Mare, BS23 4TQ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person Specification
Public Sector Language Competency

• Be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard

Education and Qualifications
Essential

• RGN. 1st Level or relevant children's qualification
• Current NMC Registration
• 1st Degree in nursing or health related topic
• Evidence of Masters level academic study or willingness to work towards Masters (in relevant health related subject)
• Qualification in Teaching, Assessing and Mentoring
• Management qualification

Desirable

• Relevant post registration qualification at level 3
• Non-Medical Prescribing

Skills & Abilities
Essential

• Highly effective communication skills - verbally and written to staff, patients and relatives including in situations of conflict or distress
• Able to gain credibility with and influence colleagues including influencing clinical changes where appropriate
• Strong organisational skills - prioritising complex situations
• The Ability to lead and influence change
• Able to accept responsibility for ward/area working under own initiative within the boundaries of role
• Demonstrates ability to take overall responsibility and accountability
• Flexibility, adaptability to meet needs of a changing service
• Demonstrates ability to implement and utilise audit data to improve quality
• Clinical expert in defined area of work
• Able to advise on and implement improvements to the quality and efficiency of care for patients in ward/area
• Ability to act as facilitator, mentor and supervisor to colleagues
• Familiar with current local and national nursing issues
• Information technology skills
• Commitment to the development and provision of high quality nursing care
• Initiative

Knowledge & Experience
Essential

• Significant relevant clinical and management experience
• Able to lead and manage the nursing team: Effective standard setting, monitoring and feedback, understanding of the principles and application of effective budgetary management, understanding of the principles and application of effective staff and HR management/appraisals, Understanding the theory and application of clinical governance
• Understanding of NMC Code of Practice and requirements of it for practice and behaviour and its application to the management of staff and self

Desirable

• Undertaken nursing research
• Experience and knowledge of advanced practice/protocols
• Thorough and up to date knowledge of nursing theory and best practice particularly within speciality area

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).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).