Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
Pre Operative Assessment Sister
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North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This creates an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.
Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received. Considering this, if you are interested in this role, please do apply as soon as you can.
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Job Overview
The post holder will work as a Sister/Charge Nurse within the Pre operative assessment clinic to provide specialist clinical and managerial duties to support the Senior Sister, registered and unregistered staff. The role will be responsible for leading the team to ensure that standards of care are always upheld. The post holder will form part of the leadership team in Pre Operative assessment and play a vital role in the management of the team in terms of sickness/appraisals and ensuring the team uphold Trust values and those of their profession. The individual will be visible and accessible to patients and their families and staff ensuring all patients and their families have the opportunity to seek information, help and support or to communicate problematic or celebratory issues.
You will be an experienced Band 5 or already a sister / Band 6 Nurse looking for a change or an opportunity to shine and show your potential as a future Leader in Nursing care.
Main duties of the job
- Ensure that care needs are assessed, and programmes of care are developed, implemented, evaluated and documented contemporaneously for caseload of patients in clinical area.
- Plan, allocate, supervise and evaluate working practices of the team on a day-to-day basis, leading the team with confidence.
- Respect individuals’ dignity, wishes and beliefs, involving them in shared decision making with consideration for the vulnerable patient, learning disabilities and child protection concerns.
- Be responsible for minimising the risks of infection control and maintain cleaning standards on the ward.
- Accountable for self and team members for accurate and legible record keeping in accordance with local policies and NMC guidelines within own practice and sphere of responsibility.
Working for our organisation
Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.
With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.
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Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Supervisory and Management Responsibilities
- Take charge of defined clinical areas on a daily basis.
- Assist the Supervisory Sister and support cascade of information and key messages to the team in a timely manner.
- Adhere to the Trust’s complaints PALS procedures with regard to written and verbal complaints and escalating cases to Supervisory Sister or higher when required. Where necessary, develop remedial action plans for designated clinical area and evidence the implementation of action plans.
- Working with the Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse, be responsible for the effective use of E-Rostering to ensure optimum skill mix for the effective running of the preoperative assessment clinic, monitor annual leave allowances.
- Support the Supervisory Sister in identifying staffing projections for the forthcoming 6- and 12-month period.
- Accountable for the monitoring and initial management of sick absence for own immediate team and escalating cases as appropriate in accordance with Trust policy.
- For designated area tackle poor performance and standards of behaviour and, where necessary, initiate ad-hoc meetings for staff to discuss performance.
- Act as directorate/service/clinical representative at meetings in the absence of Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse or Matron.
- Where necessary, instigate the relevant HR processes to deal with any breaches e.g., Equality and Diversity, Bullying and Harassment etc.
- Ensure all Annual Development Reviews (ADRs) and Personal Development Plans are completed annually for staff within their team.
- Assist with the interview, selection and recruitment process for staff for their own designated areas and wider when requested by Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse or Matron.
- As a shift co-ordinator, have responsibility for health and safety within own sphere of responsibility (e.g., fire, COSHH, violence and aggression, mental capacity act etc.), leading by example ensuring a working culture of the team which is conducive to good health, safety and security practices.
- Report all accidents and/or untoward incidences as per NBT’s clinical risk. management procedure.
- Be responsible for the supervision and checking of specialist equipment on a shift-to-shift basis.
Practical And Technical Skills
- Be competent in patient history taking, assessment and examination.
- Venepuncture.
- ECG recording and basic interpretation.
- Physical Assessment and Clinical reasoning level 3 (PACR).
- Interpreting test results and acting on them accordingly.
- Service development and improvement.
- As part of service development ensure activity measures for the designated area and other appropriate data sets are used to inform future project activity.
- Be familiar with Business Intelligence reports (BI) and use these to monitor the service and drive change.
- Assist the Supervisory Sister with the implementation of any local service programmes and to ensure they are consistent with Trust objectives and any other quality indicators/targets.
- Assist with the promotion of local, Trust and national targets and quality indicators for designated areas.
- Implement service development recommendations from NHS England and Getting it right first time (GIRFT).
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Person specification
Education And Qualifications
Essential criteria
- RGN with current NMC live registration.
- BSc or BA Hons Degree in Adult Nursing.
Desirable criteria
- Teaching and assessing qualification or willing to undertake.
- Physical Assessment and Clinical reasoning or willing to undertake.
- Pathophysiology and Diagnostic Reasoning in Clinical Practice or willing to undertake.
- Masters Degree in Advanced Practice or other relevant MSc.
Experience
Essential criteria
- 5 Years NHS experience in a secondary care / Hospital setting at Band 5 or 6.
- Venepuncture, ECG interpretation, clinical history taking and physical examination competency.
- Ability to take charge of a ward or department in a calm and confident manner.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in pre operative assessment.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Sound knowledge of Trust Policies & practices.
- Sound knowledge of the guidelines set out in the NMC code of professional conduct and current Nursing and Trust developments.
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
- Flexible and punctual.
- Empathetic, fair and consistent.
- Ability to make informed independent decisions.
We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.
As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.
BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.
If you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK, to avoid disappointment, please check to ensure you are eligible under the UKVI points based system.
The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.
By applying for this post, you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.
Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.
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