Job overview
Are you a compassionate and experienced Nurse ready to take the next step in your career? Join Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust as a Band 6 Charge Nurse in one of our Community Hospitals. You’ll play a vital role in delivering high-quality, holistic care to patients, while leading and supporting a dedicated team of healthcare professionals. Working under the direction of the Matron, you’ll take charge of the ward and hospital in their absence, represent the team at Trust forums, and contribute to service development.
This is a fantastic opportunity to work in a supportive, multidisciplinary environment that values kindness, professionalism, and excellence. If you’re passionate about making a difference and ready to lead with care, we’d love to hear from you.
We have opportunities at the following locations,
1., ME13 8PS
2., TN18 4PU
3., Herne Bay, CT6 6EB
4., TN11 0NE
5., CT14 9UA
6., Tenterden TN30 6TX
7., CT5 2HN
You will be asked as part of your application form to confirm your preference of base, please include your 1st, 2nd and 3rd preferences.
Driving may be required for these roles as you may be asked to travel to other sites to provide support to your community hospital colleagues if and when needed.
Main duties of the job
As Charge Nurse, you’ll be responsible for the clinical and managerial leadership of a team of Nurses and Healthcare Assistants, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, and compassionate care. You’ll manage patient assessments, develop rehabilitation programmes, and monitor outcomes. You’ll also support staff development through supervision, appraisals, and in-house teaching.
You’ll work closely with the Matron to maintain high standards of care, manage resources efficiently, and ensure compliance with governance and safety protocols. Your role will involve attending multidisciplinary meetings, liaising with internal and external partners, and responding to patient and family concerns. You’ll also contribute to service improvement initiatives and uphold the Trust’s CARE values—Compassionate, Aspirational, Responsive, and Excellent—in everything you do.
Working for our organisation
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
We ask for information about your protected characteristics on our application forms. This isn’t visible to anyone involved with shortlisting or interviewing you, except when you choose to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme due to disability. Short listers will see two ticks alongside your application to ensure they apply the principles of the scheme to your submission
The data we collect helps us to ensure we are attracting diversity in our applicants, that all our colleagues have equitable access to career opportunities and supports us on our journey to being a Great Place to Work
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 suits us both
See where you can go with KCHFT
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
As a Community Trust many of our roles require individuals to be able to drive to perform their duties. As such you will be asked to confirm you have a full UK driving licence where driving is a requirement of the role to be able 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 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 KCHFT 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 #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.
Person specification
Base preference
Essential criteria
8. Please indicate your 1st, 2nd and 3rd preference of Hospital locations, list included in the advert text. Failure to complete this question correctly will delay your application being processed.
Qualifications
Essential criteria
9. Registered health care professional (NMC or HCPC registration) / experience in health improvement environment
10. Health related degree and evidence of relevant post graduate development at Level 6
11. Evidence of Specialist qualifications relevant to area of practice (examples –: non-medical prescribing; mentorship, coaching, clinical expertise)
Experience
Essential criteria
12. Experience in being a mentor / educator / supervisor
13. Significant experience in area of practice
14. Practical experience in managing health related projects/complex caseloads
Knowledge
Essential criteria
15. Evidence of continued relevant professional development and implementation in practice within the last 12 months
16. Understanding of National Service Frameworks and NICE guidance relevant to care setting and its application across health care services
Skills & abilities
Essential criteria
17. Ability to prioritise and work under pressure to meet deadlines
18. Ability to work effectively with a variety of people at all organisational levels across different sectors including areas of social deprivation
19. Ability to communicate complex, sensitive information to individuals and groups
Personal attributes
Essential criteria
20. Ability to motivate and organise others to ensure best practice.
21. Ability to manage others and lead change
Ability to manage
Essential criteria
22. Able to support the implementation of local and national agendas for health under the guidance of the senior Practitioner
23. Ability to prioritise care delivery in a professional manner, taking into account Trust policies and procedures.
Employer certification / accreditation badges