Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust is inviting applications for the role of Chief Nurse, offering an outstanding opportunity for a compassionate and inclusive leader to join a high-performing NHS organisation at a pivotal moment in its development.



As an integrated provider of acute and community services, the Trust serves a population of over half a million people and employs more than 7,000 colleagues, delivering care across hospital sites, community settings and patients' homes.



This is an organisation with a strong sense of purpose and momentum. Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has achieved significant improvements in performance in recent years, including reducing long waiting times and being recognised nationally for emergency care and frailty services. At the same time, it has maintained a deep commitment to staff wellbeing, ranking highly in national staff survey results and demonstrating a culture where people are supported to thrive. The Trust leads the Buckinghamshire Neighbourhood Programme, as well a forward-thinking approach to embedding digital and AI in its services, whilst construction has begun on the new Wycombe Hospital building.



The Trust is looking for a Chief Nurse who shares their ambitions and who is passionate about improving quality, reducing inequalities, championing professional excellence and ensuring patients' voices are at the heart of everything we do.



You will bring a strong track record of delivering improvements in quality and safety, leading large-scale cultural change, developing high-performing teams and working effectively across organisational boundaries. Just as importantly, you will be values-driven, politically astute and resilient, with the confidence to provide constructive challenge and make difficult decisions in the best interests of patients, colleagues, and communities.



This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of care across Buckinghamshire and make a lasting impact on the health and wellbeing of local communities.



For further information please visit https://www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe134536 , or contact our recruitment partners at GatenbySanderson.



Julia St Clare, Senior Consultant



E: julia.stclare@gatenbysanderson.com



T: +44 (0) 7807 631 564



Laura Cubillo-Aparicio, Senior Researcher



E: Laura.Cubillo-Aparicio@gatenbysanderson.com



T: +44 (0) 7586 706 878



To view the job description and person specification, please scroll to the bottom of the page, tick to agree to the privacy policy, then click 'Continue to full details'.




Documents

Fit and Proper Person Declaration - New.docx

Recruitment Timetable



Closing date

9am Monday 5th October 2026



Preliminary interviews

w/c 19th October 2026



Final panel

Friday 20th November 2026




How to Apply

• Please submit an up to date copy of your CV, along with a Supporting Statement that addresses the criteria set out in the person specification, using examples to demonstrate how you meet the essential requirements.


• A completed fit and proper person form - the template can be downloaded from the same place as the job description.


• Detail any employment or education gaps.


• You should provide the names, positions, organisations, and contact details for your referees, which must be your line managers and include your current and most recent employer. The referees should cover at least two roles as the minimum. Please note, should you be appointed, you will be required to provide references covering your last 6 years of employment as per the new NHS Fit and Proper Person regulations. Where there have been gaps in employment, this six year period will be extended accordingly. Referees will only be contacted for those proceeding to the final stage - we will always gain your permission before we contact referees.

• Let us know any difficulty you may have with the indicative timetable.


• Check that your contact details are correct before you submit.

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email to confirm that you have applied. If you do not receive this email, please make contact with GatenbySanderson.




Acceptable use of AI



Candidates may use AI tools to support proofreading, editing and presentation. However, all application materials should represent the candidate's own experience, perspectives and leadership thinking. We are seeking original and authentic responses, and applicants should ensure that any submission reflects their own analysis, judgement and vision for the role.