Staff Nurse

Job summary

Please note: at this stage, the role is open only to colleagues currently employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts, the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) and Medway Community Healthcare. Nursing vacancies are also open to Student Nurses and Newly Qualified Nurses.

Our inpatient care and management is overseen by a matron, along with a team of registered nurses, healthcare assistants, physiotherapists, occupational therapists' rehabilitation assistants, care management staff, a pharmacist and our visiting medical officers. Community hospitals provide a range of comprehensive healthcare services for patients over the age of 18 and in some sites also outpatient services. The units predominantly provide rehabilitation and end of life support for palliative patients and their families. Patients are referred to the ward either from the acute setting to allow a further period of rehabilitation and assessment or directly from home via their GP or local community nursing teams.

Main duties of the job

• Under the direction of the Matron and Clinical Sisters, you will be responsible and accountable for the holistic care of a named group of patients
• With the support of the Matron and Clinical Sisters, you will be responsible for maintaining clinical standards demonstrating leadership skills
• In the absence of senior staff, you need to have the confidence, knowledge and skills to take charge of the ward and the hospital
• You will be expected to participate in 24-hour internal rotation and undertake other duties where requested which are compatible with the grading of the post
• You will be expected to move to other Community Hospital sites to cover the needs of the service, therefore a full driving licence is essential

About us

Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we've got a passion for delivering high standards of patient care and excellent services to improve the health of our communities. To do this we need outstanding people who share our values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive, Excellent.

We know a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion leads to better patient care and a happier workforce. We pride ourselves in being diverse and welcome applications from people with varied backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want you to be able to work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Talk to us about a flexible working arrangement that won't involve sacrificing time for personal interests or family commitments. We'll support you to work flexibly in a way that will suit us both.

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Job responsibilities

As a community Trust, many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. Where driving is a requirement of the role, you will be asked to confirm that you hold a full UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non-EU country) to proceed with your application. We are committed to supporting candidates with disabilities into employment. If you are unable to drive due to a disability, please contact the Recruitment Team via [contact hidden], quoting the vacancy reference number, so we can support you further.

The job description and person specification gives you all the information you need about this role. Please look carefully at the criteria in the person specification and tell us what you have done that shows you meet this in your application. If you need an application form in an alternative format please let our recruitment team know. All information you supply on your application should, to the best of your knowledge, be true and accurate.

Still have questions? The recruiting manager would love to hear from you, their contact details can be found in the job advert.

We can get a lot of applications for some roles so to be in with the best chance of being shortlisted please make sure you apply as soon as possible. A vacancy may close early if there is a lot of interest in the job.

At [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] we strongly encourage colleagues in clinical and non-clinical roles who have direct or social contact with patients to be fully vaccinated. In this way we will be doing all we can to ensure your safety and that of your colleagues and the patients we serve.

Find out more about the community difference here.

Good luck! We can't wait to meet you and welcome you to #team[Employer hidden — sign up to reveal], #cometocommunity.

Person Specification

Qualifications, training and experience (Essential)

• You will have a Level 6 Degree or equivalent qualification, or equivalent knowledge acquired through experience plus a diploma in nursing
• You'll need to have recent experience of healthcare gained through education, work experience or previous employment. This role is ideal for a newly qualified graduate nurse.
• You will be a registered health care professional with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Knowledge and skills (Essential)

• You will need to be able to use IT systems and databases.
• Having an awareness of developments within the NHS would be an advantage
• You will have knowledge of up-to-date clinical practice by using up-to-date skills and adhering to evidence-based procedures and clinical effectiveness frameworks. You will fully understand the role and remit of a health care worker.

Working environment (Essential)

• A full, valid UK driving licence or a full driving licence issued by an EU country (not exchanged from a non-EU country) and the ability to travel independently are essential for this role. Should you require workplace adjustments under the Equality Act 2010, we are committed to supporting you to meet the mobility requirements of the role wherever possible.

Additional information

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. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]

Address: Tonbridge Cottage Hospital, Tonbridge, TN11 0NE

Employer's website: https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Matron Caroline Essenhigh

Email: [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal]