• Job Description

  Req#: C9846-25-0688?language=en&page=658&sort=publicationDateDesc

  Job summary

  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 Tonbridge Cottage Hospital. 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.

  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.

  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

  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 KCHFTcareer pathways

  Details

  Date posted

  30 October 2025

  Pay scheme

  Agenda for change

  Band

  Band 6

  Salary

  £38,682 to £46,580 a year pro rata per anum

  Contract

  Permanent

  Working pattern

  Full-time, Part-time

  Reference number

  846-7585522-TonbridgeN-CF

  Job locations

  Tonbridge North, Tonbridge Cottage Hospital

  Vauxhall Lane

  Tonbridge

  TN11 0NE

  
  

  Job description

  Job 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 kentchft.recruitment@nhs.net 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 cant wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

  Job description

  Job 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 kentchft.recruitment@nhs.net 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 cant wait to meet you and welcome you to #teamKCHFT, #cometocommunity.

  Person Specification

  Qualifications

  Essential

  • Registered health care professional (NMC or HCPC registration) / experience in health improvement environment
  • Health related degree and evidence of relevant post graduate development at Level 6
  • Evidence of Specialist qualifications relevant to area of practice (examples -: non-medical prescribing; mentorship, coaching, clinical expertise)

  Experience

  Essential

  • Experience in being a mentor / educator / supervisor
  • Significant experience in area of practice
  • Practical experience in managing health related projects/complex caseloads

  Skills

  Essential

  • Ability to prioritise and work under pressure to meet deadlines
  • Ability to work effectively with a variety of people at all organisational levels across different sectors including areas of social deprivation
  • Ability to communicate complex, sensitive information to individuals and groups

  Personal attributes

  Essential

  • Ability to motivate and organise others to ensure best practice
  • Ability to manage others and lead change

  Ability to manage

  Essential

  • Able to support the implementation of local and national agendas for health under the guidance of the senior Practitioner
  • Ability to prioritise care delivery in a professional manner, taking into account Trust policies and procedures

  Person Specification

  Qualifications

  Essential

  • Registered health care professional (NMC or HCPC registration) / experience in health improvement environment
  • Health related degree and evidence of relevant post graduate development at Level 6
  • Evidence of Specialist qualifications relevant to area of practice (examples -: non-medical prescribing; mentorship, coaching, clinical expertise)

  Experience

  Essential

  • Experience in being a mentor / educator / supervisor
  • Significant experience in area of practice
  • Practical experience in managing health related projects/complex caseloads

  Skills

  Essential

  • Ability to prioritise and work under pressure to meet deadlines
  • Ability to work effectively with a variety of people at all organisational levels across different sectors including areas of social deprivation
  • Ability to communicate complex, sensitive information to individuals and groups

  Personal attributes

  Essential

  • Ability to motivate and organise others to ensure best practice
  • Ability to manage others and lead change

  Ability to manage

  Essential

  • Able to support the implementation of local and national agendas for health under the guidance of the senior Practitioner
  • Ability to prioritise care delivery in a professional manner, taking into account Trust policies and procedures

  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 (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  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.

  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 (Opens in a new tab).

  From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

  UK Registration

  Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

  Address

  Tonbridge North, Tonbridge Cottage Hospital

  Vauxhall Lane

  Tonbridge

  TN11 0NE

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

  Employer details

  Employer name

  Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust

  Address

  Tonbridge North, Tonbridge Cottage Hospital

  Vauxhall Lane

  Tonbridge

  TN11 0NE

  
  

  Employer's website

  https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

• About the company

  National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly-funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). The founding principles were that services should be comprehensive, universal and free at the point of delivery—a health service based on clinical need, not ability to pay. Each service provides a comprehensive range of health services, free at the point of use for people ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom apart from dental treatment and optical care.

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