Sister/Charge Nurse Pre-Op Assessment

Overview

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust - Sister/Charge Nurse Pre-Op Assessment. Closing date: 09 February 2026.

Responsibilities

• To provide high level of clinical practice / decision making
• Provide leadership in POA
• Managing staffing levels
• Assist the POA team in assessing and creating a plan of care for patients
• Work closely with schedulers, POA staff, surgeons and anaesthetists to ensure theatre lists are fully utilised
• Able to identify and respond to anaesthetic queries
• Assist in dealing with complaints and HR issues within the team; ensure the POA are updated on all ELMS / mandatory training
• Facilitate KPI in POA service and provide data of improvement to the service
• Review and undertake root cause analysis of cancellations on the day of theatre

Main duties of the job

Establish and develop effective communication verbally and via formal documentation and electronic sources with all disciplines of staff, including schedulers, POA staff, surgeons and anaesthetists, patients and relatives.

Excellent problem solving strategies to enhance patient care.

Have the ability to provide and receive complex and sensitive information.

Communicate with senior colleagues regarding changes in circumstances which may affect safe practice.

Participate, plan and arrange meetings relevant to the clinical area and disseminate information regularly.

Ensure that accurate records and information systems are maintained.

Be aware of the legal implications of accurate record keeping.

Adhere to the NMC code of professional conduct with regard to patient confidentiality and data protection.

Work in partnership with patient/family and colleagues to develop and maintain effective working relationships within the clinical area.

About us

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust (LNWH) cares for the people of Brent, Ealing, Harrow and beyond. Our team of more than 8,200 clinical and support staff serve a diverse population of almost one million people.

• Northwick Park Hospital: home to one of the busiest emergency departments (A&E) in the country. The hospital provides a full range of services including the country's top-rated hyper-acute stroke unit and one of only three hyper-acute rehabilitation units in the UK
• St Mark's Hospital: an internationally renowned specialist centre for bowel disease
• Ealing Hospital: a busy district general hospital providing a range of clinical services, as well as 24/7 emergency department and urgent care centre, and specialist care at Meadow House Hospice
• Central Middlesex Hospital: our planned care site, hosting a range of surgical and outpatient services and collocated with an urgent care centre

We are a university teaching NHS trust, in recognition of the important role we play in training clinicians of the future and bringing the benefits of research to the public.

Job responsibilities

Specialist knowledge in the field of Pre assessment. Provide advice / support to junior colleagues and support their decision making and diagnoses.

Support and assist the POA team in case managing complex patients by liaising/trouble shooting with multiple departments to ensure relevant results and letters are available.

Using judgment and diagnostic skills involving a complex range of facts or situations, which require analysis, or comparison of a range of options, e.g. working up patients in fitness for GA by liaising with GP, anaesthetists and the surgical team.

To ensure a high standard of care provision by initiating and supporting the POA team in liaising with GP (about hypertension, asthma and abnormal blood results) regarding their assessment, planning and evaluation of individual patient needs in particular.

Carry out complex procedures, initiate diagnostic procedures and interpret results within their sphere of practice (e.g. physical assessment skills, ECG diagnostics, phlebotomy and blood result interpretation).

Regularly participate and present at clinical governance meetings, Newton Theatre utilisation meetings and teaching on POA course.

Work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals for the benefit of patient care, e.g. ward staff and schedulers.

Ensure that clinical practice accurately reflects unit and Trust policies.

Provide specialist clinical advice to healthcare professionals outside the unit.

Please see attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details of duties and role responsibilities.

Person Specification Knowledge & Experience

• Update knowledge of Pre-operative assessment / surgery
• Experience of audit, KPI and research
• Experience in patient advocacy
• Update experience in Anaesthetics

Skills, Abilities and Attributes

• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal and communication skills
• Able to supervise staff
• Creative and lateral thinker
• Time management and organisation skills
• Managerial and leadership skills

Education/ Qualifications

• RGN
• Pre-operative assessment
• Degree

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.

London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust

£44,485 to £52,521 a year inclusive of High Cost Area Supplement