Welcome from our Chief Executive - Samantha Allen

Our organisation is expanding and we're looking for people with the right values, skills and/or potential to join us. We need people with energy, expertise, enthusiasm to help us provide the very best possible specialist NHS mental health and learning disability care. This involves helping us achieve our strategy to improve the quality of life for the communities we serve through People, Prevention and Partnerships.

So what can we offer you in return?

We're an organisation which puts people first. We'll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. We'll help you learn, acquire new skills and gain further experience to support your career development. And we'll provide the opportunity for you to bring your fresh ideas to work about how we can do things differently and continue improving.

You will also be joining a health and care system committed to working together to do the best we can for the communities we serve. Above all, at Sussex Partnership you'll have the chance to make a difference to the lives of the patients, carers and families across our communities.

If you like the sound of that, then come and join our team.

Samantha Allen

Chief Executive

Job overview

As a Staff Nurse on Ash Ward you will be an integral part of our multi-disciplinary team. This is a challenging but incredibly rewarding role, providing the opportunity to work on a busy and dynamic ward and to gain a variety of skills and experiences.

Ash ward is a specialist 15-bedded male Secure and Forensic ward. We have to consider a complex picture for our service users, who are often victims of significant trauma and abuse, but also perpetrators of violence.

The Hellingly Centre is a Secure Hospital, comprising of three Medium Secure Wards and one Low Secure Ward. Situated in rural East Sussex, close to Hailsham, Eastbourne and Lewes, we enjoy the benefits of both beautiful countryside and the convenience and amusements larger town links provide.

As a Band 5 or 6 Nurse at Hellingly, you will receive:

• £2k Golden Hello Payment or relocation support
• Additional 5% Salary Premium
• First year pin paid for newly qualified nurses
• Additional £4 per hour for bank shifts

Main duties of the job

As a Staff Nurse on Ash Ward, your main responsibilities are to:

• Uphold the core values of the ward promoting openness, transparency and learning
• Supervise and be an enthusiastic mentor of new and junior staff
• Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation
• Manage shifts as a nurse in charge
• Work a mixture of shifts including Long Days (07:00 - 19:30) and Nights (19:00 - 07:30)
• Conduct thorough assessments of risks and risk management plans to support incidents on the ward

You will be working with service users who have committed criminal offences, but have often also been victims themselves. Service users regularly experience stigma for both mental health and offending history, so our role is to develop trusting and safe relationships which balance being collaborative and supportive with sound risk management skills.

No two days are the same; while we have structure and set boundaries, there is always a need to be able to adapt to what is a dynamic ward environment.

Working for our organisation

Working in the Forensic Healthcare Services:

Forensic mental health is a unique and fascinating field which provides both challenge and opportunity in abundance.

Being curious, creative, self-aware and assertive are important skills that you will build on, as you are often required to think 'outside the box'.

We play a crucial part in supporting and advocating service users towards recovery, while maintaining the legal requirements within the MHA and of public protection.

Our Trust:

We provide mental health and learning disability care for all ages across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire.

We'd love you to join our organisation, rated 'good' overall and 'outstanding' for caring by the CQC. Our staff agree, with 82% recognising patient care as our top priority in our staff survey.

Other key survey results include:

• 79% reporting feeling able to make suggestions to improve the work within their team
• 77% identifying the opportunities to show initiative in their roles

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Requirements:

To be a successful Staff Nurse on Ash Ward you will be:

• A qualified nurse, registered on the NMC (We encourage student nurses who are due to qualify to apply and interview with us)
• Passionate about improving the lives of individuals who are being held within the criminal justice system
• Understanding that this is a challenging but hugely rewarding work setting

It would also be advantageous if you:

• Have experience working within a mental health setting

Development and Training

We are committed to investing in staff and offer regular quality supervision, reflective practice, in-depth training and development opportunities.

The Forensic Healthcare Service supports nurses to undertake both academic and professional development opportunities including nurse prescribing, advanced clinical practice and multi-professional responsible clinicians. We are keen to offer staff the support to progress through a clinical career pathway and have nurses undertaking MSc programs and degree modules.

Hellingly Centre is a member of Quality Network for Forensic Mental Health Services. QNFMHS benchmarks via peer reviews, creating opportunities for qualified staff to become certified peer reviewers for nationwide forensic services.

Newly Qualified Nurses

Newly qualified nurses/preceptees and experienced nurses are all welcome to apply.

If you are a newly qualified nurse, you will have access to both the Sussex partnership NHS Foundation Trust preceptorship scheme, but also our specific forensic CDS preceptorship scheme. This allows for peer support and learning and promotes additional learning, reflective practice, self-reflection and a dynamic space to explore specific areas you highlight as learning needs.

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Additional Incentives T&C's

Please apply using the link in this advert, or for more information explore the attachments or contact:

Person specification

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Registered Nurse with current registration (mental health / LD/ Adult) appropriate to the job role

Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria

• Knowledge of MHA (1983/2007)
• Knowledge of Mental Capacity Act (2005), to include practical knowledge of FACE documentation, DOLS and Best Interest decisions
• Child and Adult safe guarding procedures
• Change management, organising and prioritising workloads
• Demonstrate ability to enhance care through evidence based knowledge
• Demonstrate professional development relevant to the care group
• Demonstrates ability to assess and manage clinical risk

Sussex Partnership NHS FT is committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. Our workforce is currently under-represented from Black and Minority, Ethnic and disabled communities and we would welcome applications from these communities.

We regret that we are unable to advise candidates if they have not been shortlisted. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date please assume that you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

In the event of an excessive number of applicants the Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy earlier than indicated.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust takes its responsibilities for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously and expects this of all its employees and bank workers. The Trust works with adult and children's social care to ensure that the integrated service has systems in place to equip staff and bank workers with the knowledge and skills to recognize abuse, and take action to safeguard and protect vulnerable adults and children and young people. It is expected that all staff and bank workers familiarise themselves with the appropriate structures and policies and with the Sussex child protection and safeguarding procedures and the Sussex multi-agency policy and procedures for safeguarding vulnerable adults and undertake the relevant essential training and further training appropriate to their role.

Successful candidates are normally offered salaries at the bottom of the relevant salary range. However, where previous or equivalent NHS experience in a similar role can be demonstrated and evidenced, this may be taken into consideration when setting the starting salary.