Chief Nursing Officer

Go back Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

Chief Nursing Officer

The closing date is 29 March 2026

A defining leadership opportunity for an exceptional senior nurse

The Royal United Hospitals Bath (RUH) is seeking an inspiring, visionary, and values-driven Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) to join our Executive Team and help shape the future of nursing, midwifery and AHP care across our organisation and the wider BSW Hospitals Group.

As our most senior nurse, you will provide strategic, professional leadership to all nursing, midwifery and AHP colleagues, championing the delivery of safe, high-quality, compassionate care. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring our services meet the highest standards of clinical excellence, patient experience, continuous improvement, and regulatory compliance.

This is a role for a leader who wants to make a meaningful impact locally, regionally, and across our Integrated Care System. You will work alongside a talented executive team, influence strategic decision-making at board level, and represent RUH at national forums.

You are a credible and compassionate senior nurse leader who brings substantial board-level experience and an exceptional track record in professional nursing leadership.

Main duties of the job

As our Chief Nursing Officer, you will:

Lead with Purpose

• Act as an inspirational role model for nurses, midwives and AHPs upholding the highest professional standards and fostering a culture of compassion, inclusion, and continuous learning.
• Provide trusted professional nursing and AHP advice at RUH Board and BSW Hospitals Group Board (where you will be a full voting member).

Shape Quality, Safety & Governance

• Take Executive responsibility for quality, patient safety, clinical governance, safeguarding (adults and children), maternity & neonatal care, mental health, and CQC compliance.
• Jointly lead our quality improvement &clinical governance agenda with our CMO

Drive Professional Excellence

• Lead the development and delivery of nursing, midwifery and AHP workforce strategies, including safer staffing and workforce redesign.

Hold Key Executive Portfolios

• Serve as the Director of Infection Prevention and Control (DIPC).
• Act as the Accountable Officer for Controlled Drugs.
• Lead the implementation of the Improving Together programme

Influence and Collaborate

• Build strong relationships across the Integrated Care System, working closely with leaders

Lead Corporate & Strategic Delivery

• Support sound financial stewardship, including the oversight of nursing agency budgets.

Support Organisational Resilience

• Participate in the Director on-call rota, supporting organisational leadership and emergency planning.

About us

At the RUH we put people at the heart of what we do, working together as one team to make a difference for our patients, each other, and our community. No matter what your role is, we value everyone's contribution in supporting the exceptional, person-centred care we pride ourselves on.

We are proud to be in thetop 20 best hospitals to work for in the country.

We are committed to creating a compassionate and inclusive environment. This can be seen in our growing community of staff networks - celebrating successes and creating opportunities to listen and learn. We value our differences, champion kindness and civility, and truly believe that diversity makes us stronger.

A culture of learning, developing and innovating is the thread that runs throughout our whole organisation. We want to support you to thrive, taking your career to its full potential.

We value staff wellbeing, with a well-established programme of support. We believe in a holistic approach spanning all aspects of living a healthy life, including physical, emotional, spiritual and financial wellbeing. We've even got a pool!

We are committed to supporting you and hope you want to join our team. In the meantime, find out more about living and working the beautiful historic city of Bath, learn about our extensive package of staff benefits, and read about how we're providing healthcare fit for the future with the landmark Dyson Cancer Centre and our passion for research.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the attached candidate information pack and job description for further information about this opportunity

Person Specification Qualifications & training

• NMC registered
• Ongoing evidence of CPD

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.

Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust

Depending on experienceAccording to experience & in line with Band C of VSM framework