Job overview

Are you a Registered Nurse with experience working in mental health or a similar environment?

Does working in a unique and fascinating field of nursing appeal to you?

We're looking for a Deputy Ward Manager to join our friendly team at Hellingly, where you will be a role model, leader and clinical lead. A Deputy Ward Manager is an exciting role where you will take leadership responsibilities and develop your clinical leadership, while maintaining your hands-on nursing skills. The emphasis of this role is about promoting clinical expertise and teaching, whilst being a key member of the ward leadership team.

The role is situated on Ash Ward, a 15-bedded Male medium secure forensic ward. Where we consider a complex picture for our service users of victims of significant trauma and abuse, but also perpetrators of violence.

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.

This post offers the Trust's £4,000 Incentive for band 5-7 Nurses & Practitioners, as well as a relocation package up to a maximum of £8,000 (subject to terms and conditions).

Main duties of the job

Ash Ward is a unique workplace and requires nurses to manage an ever-changing environment. 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.

As a Deputy Ward Manager, your responsibilities will be to:

• Uphold the values of the ward promoting openness, transparency and learning
• Be an enthusiastic mentor to and supervise new staff, newly qualified nurses and junior staff
• Oversee certain areas of clinical expertise such as medication management and physical health provision on the ward
• Support the Ward Manager with HR tasks such as return to works and sickness monitoring
• Accurately and timely maintain clinical documentation
• Manage shifts as a nurse in charge
• Conduct thorough assessments of risks and risk management plans to support incidents on the ward

We are looking for an individual who is resilient, driven and passionate to provide high quality nursing care to our patients, whist supporting the leadership on Ash Ward.

Working for our organisation

Sussex Partnership provides mental health and learning disability care for all age groups across Sussex and for children and young people in Hampshire.

We encourage flexible working. We know that a positive work/life balance brings about huge health-related benefits, which has a positive impact on the care we provide. Please speak to us about flexible working, for example, home-working, part time hours, flexible start/finish times or anything else. If it works for you and works for the role, we'll do our best to make it happen.

Our Partnership Perks:

• Access to a host of discount schemes including reductions on fuel, savings on high street and online stores, as well as Blue Light Card advantages!
• Generous holiday entitlement (starting at 27 days + 8 bank holidays)
• Excellent NHS Pension
• Discounted gym memberships
• Free parking on-site
• A position within a trust rated as 'Outstanding' for caring and 'Good' overall by the CQC, where 82% agree that care for patients is our top priority
• Access to full psychological support via our internal wellbeing team
• Excellent supervision programmes, with ongoing opportunities for training and development

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

REQUIREMENTS

In order to be a successful Deputy Ward Manager/Charge Nurse in our team, you will:

• Be a qualified nurse, registered on the NMC
• Have relevant post qualifying experience including supervising staff
• Be passionate about improving the lives of individuals who are being held within the criminal justice system
• Understand that this is a challenging but hugely rewarding work setting

It would be advantageous if you have:

• Have experience working within a mental health setting

For this role you will be required to work a mixture of shifts including Long Days (07:00 - 19:30) and Nights (19:00 - 07:30).

See attached Job Description and Person Specification for full details.

Please apply using the link in this advert, or for more information or to arrange an informal visit, please contact Sarah George (Ward Manager) at sarah.george@spft.nhs.uk / 01323 444193.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Professional qualification
• Diploma in Mental Health Nursing
• Registered Nurse with current registration (mental health / LD/ Adult) appropriate to the job role
• Completion of Mentorship Course/ENB equivalent
• Evidence of continuous professional development

Knowledge/Experience

Essential criteria

• Significant post qualifying experience relevant to the care group
• Experience of working alongside people with severe mental health problems particularly in their acute phase of illness
• Experience of supervising staff
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of conducting clinical assessments including risk assessments
• Experience of partnership working within and across various statutory and non statutory teams and agencies
• Experience of working within the CPA process
• Understanding of clinical governance

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.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.