Chief Nurse QEHNHS

Job summary

This is an exceptional opportunity for two outstanding nursing leaders to shape the quality, safety and experience of care at two of the hospital sites within the Norfolk and Waveney University Hospitals Group.

The role will be based at either the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital or Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn.

As Site Chief Nurse, you will provide visible, empowering professional leadership for our nursing, midwifery and allied health professional workforce. Working as a key member of the Hospital Leadership Team, you will share responsibility for delivering safe, high-quality and compassionate services, while helping to shape the Group's wider strategic direction.

You will lead organisation-wide improvements in patient care and experience, fostering a culture of innovation, learning, inclusion and continuous improvement. The role offers the scope to influence beyond the hospital site: deputising for the Group Chief Nurse and leading Group-wide portfolios, programmes and priorities.

As we are advertising for positions at both QEH and NNUH please make sure you express in your supporting statement whether you wish to be considered for QEH, NNUH or both.

There is no need to apply to both adverts.

Please be aware your application will be shared with colleagues at NNUH for shortlisting and interview purposes

Contact details to find out more about each site and the Group can be found below.

Main duties of the job

Working closely with the Site Medical Director, Executive Managing Director and Group Chief Nurse, you will:o Hold senior professional responsibility for the quality and safety of care delivered at the hospital site.o Provide visible leadership to nursing, midwifery and allied health professional teams.o Lead improvements in patient safety, patient experience, clinical governance and professional practice at site and Group level.o Ensure the workforce is skilled, productive, engaged and clinically and financially sustainable.o Shape workforce, education and development plans that meet current and future service needs.o Lead the site's response to regulatory requirements and maintain constructive relationships with the Care Quality Commission and professional regulators.

Job description

You will bring extensive senior nursing leadership experience within a complex organisation, including experience operating at director level and influencing strategic decisions. You will have a strong track record in quality governance, quality improvement, patient safety and risk management, alongside experience of leading service innovation, transformation and collaboration across health and social care. You will be able to manage complexity, make sound decisions and communicate clearly with staff, boards, regulators and partners, supported by strong financial, workforce and strategic planning capability. Your collaborative, inclusive and compassionate leadership style will give you the credibility to inspire others, challenge constructively and role-model the highest professional standards.

About us

There's never been a more exciting time to join TeamQEH. We're working on a once in a generation opportunity to build a new state-of-the-art hospital due to open in 2031/32 and we are also carrying out on one of the biggest pieces of digital transformation work we've ever undertaken.

Our new electronic patient record (EPR) will replace paper-based patient records from 2026 and will lead to better, safer, joined-up care at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and beyond.

At The QEH we provide a comprehensive range of specialist, acute, obstetrics and community-based services to around 331,000 people across west and north Norfolk, North Cambs and South Lincs.

We are an ambitious organisation that upholds our values of kindness, wellness and fairness. We strive for continuous quality improvement, recently demonstrated in our 2024 CQC maternity inspection rating our services as 'Good', and we are proud to be a place to learn and grow through recognised learning and apprenticeships.

We recognise and reward our 4,000 staff and volunteers, priding ourselves on a community atmosphere and positive team spirit. We have approx. 530 beds across 33 wards and have newly built education and training facilities, a range of modern award-winning centres alongside a talented team of people ready to give you a warm welcome. We love working here and think you will too.