Job overview
Are you ready to take the next step in your nursing career within a dynamic, fast‑paced, and specialised environment? We are looking for a motivated and compassionate Band Deputy Sister to join our vibrant team on our busy orthopaedic complex and acute ward, caring for patients with a wide range of elective and complex orthopaedic needs—including those undergoing treatment for bone and soft tissue sarcomas.
This is an exceptional opportunity to become part of a forward‑thinking multidisciplinary team known for high standards, innovation, and strong professional values. Our ward offers a unique blend of acute surgical care, complex post‑operative management and specialist rehabilitation, making every day both challenging and rewarding.
As Deputy Sister, you will take a key leadership role in ensuring safe, effective, and compassionate care. You will support the Ward Sister in driving clinical excellence, nurturing team development, and ensuring the smooth running of the ward. You will act as a role model for junior staff, lead by example in promoting best practice, and help shape the future of our service. This role provides an outstanding platform for career progression into leadership.
If you thrive in a fast-moving setting, enjoy leading others, and are passionate about delivering high-quality care to patients with complex and often life‑changing conditions, we’d love to welcome you to our team.
Main duties of the job
As a Band Deputy Sister, you will step into an influential leadership role where you will inspire, guide, and support a dedicated team of Band Registered Nurses and Nursing Assistants. You will act as their line manager, providing clinical supervision, pastoral support, and professional development, while ensuring high‑quality, compassionate care for your allocated group of patients. You will take overall responsibility for the delivery of safe and effective care throughout each patient’s admission, acting as a visible and proactive clinical leader.
You will regularly take charge of clinical shifts, overseeing the smooth and safe running of the ward. This includes coordination of care for all patients, supporting the nursing team, and serving as the senior point of contact during your shift. You work closely with the wider multidisciplinary team and on‑call services to ensure seamless and responsive patient care.
Working collaboratively with fellow Band Deputy Sisters and the Clinical Education Team, you will play an active role in nurturing the development, confidence, and competence of staff across the ward.
You will also provide essential support to the Ward Sister, deputising in key areas such as audit and quality improvement activity, incident investigation, and roster planning. This is a role where your leadership will make a tangible difference every day, combining hands‑on clinical expertise with strategic ward management.
Working for our organisation
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. For more information on OUH please view
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.
We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.