Job summary
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) is looking for a strategic and compassionate leader to join our Board as Chief Nurse. Candidates will be a senior health leader with an excellent track record of delivering high quality of care to patients and will also be a champion of the workforce delivering that care.
Main duties of the job
As a member of the Executive team, our Chief Nurse will play a significant role in our ambitious reconfiguration plans ensuring our services are designed to enhance patient experience, as well as provide a positive environment for colleagues.
Our Chief Nurse will work nationally, regionally and locally to further advance our work on Health Inequalities and will be a determined and focused champion for the quality of care we provide across all our services. You will join a Board that is fully committed to improving health outcomes in our communities and who sees the health and wellbeing of its workforce as vital to the delivery of compassionate care to our patients.
About us
CHFT is an integrated Trust of 6,500+ colleagues providing hospital and community services to patients and communities across Calderdale and Kirklees. We are rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission, are a top performing Trust for Elective Recovery, Emergency and Cancer Care and widely acknowledged as a national digital lead when it comes to caring for people across our local and regional systems.
Our people are at the core of everything we do, hence our commitment to One Culture of Care. Our focus is to care for and support each other in order to provide outstanding compassionate care to our patients. That is why we are looking for an inclusive collaborative, creative, innovative and compassionate leader to join us in this role.
For a discussion about the role please contact our Chief Executive, Brendan Brown via email at Brendan.Brown@cht.nhs.uk and by telephone on 01484 355999.
The deadline for applications is 19 June 2025
Selection for the role will take place on 22 July 2025 (stakeholder panels) and 23 July 2025 (formal selection panel).
We look forward to hearing from you.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As an Executive member of the Board, the Chief Nurse has collective
responsibility with other Executives and Directors in leading CHFT
collaboratively, compassionately, creatively and innovatively in line with One
Culture of Care.
Inclusion is at the core of our values and behaviours, and the Chief
Nurse will play a key role in further improving our workforce diversity and
leadership at CHFT as well as providing a positive approach that includes
colleagues in the decisions that impact them.
Championing the quality of care to our patients and the wellbeing of
colleagues, the Chief Nurse is responsible for advising and guiding the Board
on nursing and midwifery issues whilst also being the Board lead for
professional matters relating to Pharmacy and Allied Health Professionals.
In conjunction with the Director of Corporate Affairs and the Medical
Director, the Chief Nurse will ensure the provision of safe, compassionate care
to patients, embedding the quality of care and patient safety at the core of CHFT
services.
They will also be a key player in the improvement of public health
education and health inequalities at a national, system and place level ensuring
that CHFT is a centre of excellence for all issues related to patient care and
the nursing, midwifery and AHP workforce.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As an Executive member of the Board, the Chief Nurse has collective
responsibility with other Executives and Directors in leading CHFT
collaboratively, compassionately, creatively and innovatively in line with One
Culture of Care.
Inclusion is at the core of our values and behaviours, and the Chief
Nurse will play a key role in further improving our workforce diversity and
leadership at CHFT as well as providing a positive approach that includes
colleagues in the decisions that impact them.
Championing the quality of care to our patients and the wellbeing of
colleagues, the Chief Nurse is responsible for advising and guiding the Board
on nursing and midwifery issues whilst also being the Board lead for
professional matters relating to Pharmacy and Allied Health Professionals.
In conjunction with the Director of Corporate Affairs and the Medical
Director, the Chief Nurse will ensure the provision of safe, compassionate care
to patients, embedding the quality of care and patient safety at the core of CHFT
services.
They will also be a key player in the improvement of public health
education and health inequalities at a national, system and place level ensuring
that CHFT is a centre of excellence for all issues related to patient care and
the nursing, midwifery and AHP workforce.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of clinical quality and safety methodologies
- Knowledge of corporate risk management systems and processes
- Knowledge of clinical and corporate governance frameworks, legislation and best practice
- Understanding of public and patient involvement policy
- Understanding of CQC fundamental standards of care
- Significant previous nursing / midwifery experience at an executive level in a provider organisation
- Demonstrable understanding of the national strategic context and governance agenda as set by the regulatory and compliance requirements (e.g. NHS England and CQC)
- Extensive experience of dealing with regulatory issues (e.g. CQC)
- Demonstrable evidence of working effectively at a corporate level
- Experience in developing and leading workforce strategies for nursing, midwifery and AHPs
- Track record of achieving continuous quality, and patient experience improvements
- Track record of leading and managing large scale change or service redesign that results in improved patient outcomes
Skills and attributes
Essential
- Proactive and innovative strategic thinker with ability to convert strategy into operational reality
- Strong and inclusive leader with a track record of delivery
- Excellent people management skills with the ability to lead individuals and influence without direct line management authority
- Team player with ability to contribute effectively at corporate level, with the ability to take and remain accountable for decisions
- Highly developed interpersonal and facilitation skills, with ability to gain and sustain credibility with Board of Directors, Council of Governors and other stakeholders
- Excellent presentation skills both verbal and written
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered general nurse/ general midwife
- Additional post graduate or professional qualification
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of clinical quality and safety methodologies
- Knowledge of corporate risk management systems and processes
- Knowledge of clinical and corporate governance frameworks, legislation and best practice
- Understanding of public and patient involvement policy
- Understanding of CQC fundamental standards of care
- Significant previous nursing / midwifery experience at an executive level in a provider organisation
- Demonstrable understanding of the national strategic context and governance agenda as set by the regulatory and compliance requirements (e.g. NHS England and CQC)
- Extensive experience of dealing with regulatory issues (e.g. CQC)
- Demonstrable evidence of working effectively at a corporate level
- Experience in developing and leading workforce strategies for nursing, midwifery and AHPs
- Track record of achieving continuous quality, and patient experience improvements
- Track record of leading and managing large scale change or service redesign that results in improved patient outcomes
Skills and attributes
Essential
- Proactive and innovative strategic thinker with ability to convert strategy into operational reality
- Strong and inclusive leader with a track record of delivery
- Excellent people management skills with the ability to lead individuals and influence without direct line management authority
- Team player with ability to contribute effectively at corporate level, with the ability to take and remain accountable for decisions
- Highly developed interpersonal and facilitation skills, with ability to gain and sustain credibility with Board of Directors, Council of Governors and other stakeholders
- Excellent presentation skills both verbal and written
Qualifications
Essential
- Registered general nurse/ general midwife
- Additional post graduate or professional qualification
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).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
