Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust
Ward Leader
The closing date is 29 November 2026
Job summary
Are you an exceptional nurse leader ready for your next challenge?
As Ward Leader, you will provide visible, compassionate, and effective leadership to a multidisciplinary team, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centred care within a busy inpatient environment. You will be professionally accountable for the operational management of the ward, leading on quality, patient safety, workforce development, patient flow, and service improvement.

You will work closely with the Clinical Matron, medical colleagues, and the wider multidisciplinary team to create a positive culture that promotes excellence, continuous learning, and innovation. As a role model for professional practice, you will inspire and support staff to deliver outstanding care, ensuring patients and their families receive the best possible experience.

The successful candidate will be an experienced registered nurse with strong leadership skills, a passion for developing others, and a commitment to driving quality improvement. They will be responsible for maintaining high standards of clinical care, ensuring compliance with governance and regulatory requirements, and leading the team to achieve key performance, safety, and quality objectives.

This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and forward-thinking leader who is committed to making a lasting difference to patient outcomes, staff wellbeing, and the future development of the service.
Main duties of the job
The Ward Leader provides clinical, operational, and professional leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate patient care.
Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the day-to-day management of the ward and maintaining safe staffing levels.
• Providing visible leadership and support to nursing and multidisciplinary teams.
• Promoting high standards of patient safety, quality, and patient experience.
• Managing incidents, complaints, risks, and safeguarding concerns, ensuring learning is embedded into practice.
• Supporting patient flow, bed management, and effective discharge planning.
• Leading staff recruitment, appraisal, performance management, wellbeing, and professional development.
• Ensuring compliance with Trust policies, clinical governance, and professional standards.
• Managing ward resources effectively, including workforce, equipment, and budgets.
• Leading audits, quality improvement, and service development initiatives.
• Working collaboratively with the Clinical Matron and multidisciplinary teams to deliver operational and strategic objectives.
• Acting as a role model for Trust values through compassionate, inclusive leadership.
• Supporting service transformation and continuous improvement to enhance patient outcomes.
• The post holder will maintain clinical credibility and contribute to direct patient care when required.

About us
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is at the heart of acute and specialist care for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We care for a population of around 470,000 people, a number that increases during visitor seasons. We employ around 6,700 staff, united by a shared commitment to deliver safe, high-quality care. We provide services across three main hospital sites, with around 780 inpatient beds:

• Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro
• St Michael's Hospital in Hayle
• West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance

As a teaching hospital, we're proud to work in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, the University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School, supporting the next generation of health professionals. We're committed to staying at the forefront of medical advance; investing in our people, developing our facilities, and expanding the specialist care we can offer locally so more patients can receive the care they need closer to home. We have a growing reputation for research and innovation that helps shape better care for the future. The Knowledge Spa, located on our Truro site, is a vibrant hub for medical, nursing and professional education across clinical and non-clinical roles. It plays a vital role in attracting, developing and retaining highly skilled teams.
We are driven by one clear ambition, Outstanding Care for One and All, care that's safe, kind and high-quality. We are RCHT.
Details
Date posted: 13 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year pa pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 156-8354696
Job locations: Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, TR1 3LJ, United Kingdom
Job responsibilities
PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.
To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:

• Identity Checks
• Professional registration and qualification checks
• Employment history and reference checks
• Occupational Health clearance
• Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check
• Right to work in the UK

For further information please visit: https://www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation
We reserve the right to close this advert early. We may be able to offer flexible working. Please discuss at interview.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
• Degree in Nursing or equivalent professional qualification
• Evidence of ongoing professional development relevant to leadership and clinical practice
• Compassionate, visible, and approachable leader

Desirable

• Knowledge of workforce planning and e-rostering systems
• Experience analysing and using performance data to drive improvement
• Acts as a positive role model for Trust values and behaviours

Experience
Essential

• Experience of leading and managing teams
• Knowledge of governance, risk management, and patient safety frameworks
• Resilient and adaptable under pressure

Desirable

• Practice Assessor/Mentorship qualification
• Experience of managing budgets and resources
• Ability to influence and lead change

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
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. 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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
Employer details
Employer name: Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust
Address: Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro, TR1 3LJ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/
For questions about the job, contact: Clinical Matron, Natalie Keogh, nataliekeogh@nhs.net, 07502799811
Supporting documents
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