Critical Care Band 5 Nurse
The closing date is 23 July 2026

Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity to join the critical care team in Brighton. The intensive care unit is based in the new part of the hospital and has excellent facilities for staff and patients. We are a very busy unit and you will gain experience in trauma, neuro surgery, cardiac and general intensive care. We currently have 31 beds open within a 55 bedded unit, so there is room for expansion.

Our sister hospital in Haywards Heath has a smaller unit and there will be times when you will be rotated to this site.

We are looking for someone who has more than a year of acute experience to join our friendly and diverse team.

This role is eligible for visa sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker route. Sponsorship can only be provided where applicants meet the specific requirements set by UKVI, including the relevant skill and salary thresholds, and any role-specific criteria. For example, applicants for the Senior HCA role must be able to evidence a minimum of 2 years' experience in the same role to qualify for sponsorship.

If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.

Main duties of the job
You will be part of the critical care team and will be looking after critically unwell patients. The unit is a tertiary trauma centre and patients from the around the region are moved to Brighton for specialist treatment.

Your role will involve becoming proficient in critical care nursing and you will be expected to study outside of work in order to achieve your competencies within the national frame work.

We will support this professional development with a number of in house study days, a neuro and trauma course, the university based critical care course and a number of 1:1 coaching shifts with a practice educator.

You will be expected to adhere to our local guidelines and policies and join in with the unit safety and governance.

About us
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always deliver Excellent Care Everywhere, as shown in our Outstanding for Caring CQC rating. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of staff networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We're proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 3) and a Veteran Aware Trust.

Candidate Information Pack: Apply through our website.

Details
Date posted: 09 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £32,073 to £39,043 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time
Reference number: 279-8115811-JUL26
Job locations: Royal Sussex County Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

• 1. Participate in ensuring effective multidisciplinary communication links both upwards and downwards within Critical Care and the rest of the Trust. This involves all staff members, relatives and patients. Adhere to NMC guidelines on documentation; accountability and responsibility for accurate, professional record keeping either on paper and/ or the electronic system.
• 2. Display competent use of; Trust e-mail, CIS message centre (where applicable), visitors intercom system, and telephone.
• 3. Responsible for effective shift handovers ensuring relevant detail is communicated and identifies and challenges any unprofessional or subjective comments made about patients.
• 4. Participate in medical ward rounds showing a thorough knowledge of the patients medical history, current condition and recent clinical events. Ability to present this concisely, at the appropriate time, and in the appropriate manner.
• 5. Involvement in complex patient case conferences when discussing future treatments for patients which could involve withdrawal of treatment in situations of poor prognosis.
• 6. Participate in mortality and morbidity meetings (where appropriate). Support families on a 1:1 basis using knowledge, experience and skill to explain complicated medical conditions. Provide adequate and appropriate information and education, whilst ensuring this information is understood.
• 7. Provide and receive highly complex information on clinical conditions, which could be sensitive and occasionally contentious. Information given to patients and relatives could involve breaking bad news and may result in conflict with relatives understanding of the critically ill patient. E.g. communicating withdrawal of treatment, deterioration in condition, or sudden death. This must be done with great tact and skill.
• 8. Ability to guide relatives through withdrawal of treatment, tissue / organ donation in conjunction with relevant personnel e.g. Trust Donation Nurse Specialist, Transplant Co-ordinator, Trust personnel available for distressed / bereaved relatives.
• 9. Recognition of poor standards of care among MDT. Ability to highlight these to appropriate personnel, at an appropriate time, and in an appropriate manner.

Please see Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Person Specification
Interview
Essential

• NMC Registration (already in place)
• Acute experience

Desirable

• Acute Care Course
• Mentorship

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
Essential

• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)
• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues

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.

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

Employer details
Employer name: University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
Address: Royal Sussex County Hospital, Eastern Road, Brighton, BN2 5BE, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website.

For questions about the job, contact:
Matron Lucy Pitt
Email: Lucy.Pitt4@nhs.net
Phone: 07341884379