St George’s, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group

We are seeking an exceptional, values driven nursing leader to become the next Group Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for one of the largest and most diverse NHS provider groups in the country. Serving a population of more than 2.5 million people across South West London, this role offers the chance to influence care at scale and shape the future of a rapidly developing health group.

About the Group

Our Group was formed to strengthen the quality, sustainability and resilience of acute hospital and community services for a population of more than 2.5 million people. By bringing together the capabilities, talent and clinical excellence of St George’s and Epsom and St Helier, we are shaping a model that supports better patient outcomes, improved staff experience and long term financial sustainability. This next phase of development requires confident, collaborative and values driven leadership - leadership grounded not only in technical expertise, but also in compassion, curiosity, and a commitment to equitable care.

About the Role

The Group Chief Nursing Officer provides professional leadership for nursing, midwifery and allied health professions across all hospitals and community services. The postholder is responsible for ensuring the delivery of safe, compassionate and consistently high quality care, and for maintaining a strong focus on patient experience and patient voice in everything we do. As a voting member of both Trust Boards and the Group Executive, the CNO will shape strategy, champion quality and safety, and influence long term transformation across the organisation.

This is a role that demands an inspiring and visible leader who can foster a culture of psychological safety, continuous improvement and inclusivity. The successful candidate will work closely with clinical, operational and system partners to strengthen integrated pathways, reduce health inequalities and support a positive, high performing workforce. They will play a critical part in upholding professional standards, supporting governance, improving outcomes and ensuring equity across all services and sites.

Who We’re Looking For

We are looking for a highly credible senior nurse with substantial leadership experience at Board or near Board level within a complex healthcare environment. The ideal candidate will bring a track record of leading large clinical workforces, improving quality and safety, shaping culture, and driving organisational change. They will be able to navigate complexity with compassion and clarity, build trust across diverse teams, and demonstrate an unwavering commitment to inclusion, professionalism and patient centred care.

Join Us

This is an outstanding opportunity to make a system wide impact, contributing to the future of one of the country’s most significant health groups. If you share our values and are excited by the scale and purpose of this role, we would be delighted to hear from you.

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive leadership culture that reflects our communities.

Key Dates

Closing date: 9 am, Monday 27th April

Preliminary Interviews: w/c 4th March

Final Panel: w/c 11th May

Laura Cubillo-Aparicio, Researcher

E:  Laura.Cubillo-Aparicio@gatenbysanderson.com 

T: +44 (0) 75867 06878 

Jim Canning, Consultant

E: jim.canning@gatenbysanderson.com 

T: +44 (0) 7384 113 158

Melanie Shearer, Partner

E: melanie.shearer@gatenbysanderson.com

T: +44 (0) 7785 616 548