Job summary
- Main area
- Addiction
- Grade
- Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (long days and nights 7-7:30.)
- Job ref
- 380-FR0612
- Employer
- Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Bridge House at Fant Oast, Maidstone
- Town
- Maidstone
- Salary
- £31,049 - £37,796 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 04/12/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Staff Nurse
Band 5
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We offer a range of ongoing benefits to our valued workforce. From an active health and wellbeing programme to regular recognition events, we work hard to provide varied benefits that make a difference to your work-life balance.
Would you like to work flexibly? In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you.
Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.
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Job overview
Please note, at this stage, the role is open only to internal staff (including NHSP and Agency staff currently on placement within our organisation) and staff substantively employed within Kent and Medway NHS Trusts and the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB). Any individual who is at risk of redundancy will be given priority, provided they meet the essential criteria.
We are looking for a Band 5 Staff Nurse to join our busy team at Bridge House, based in Maidstone.
You will be required to be the Nurse In Charge of a stand-alone 9 bedded Inpatient Detoxification Unit, coordinating the running of the unit, admissions and discharges, working alongside support workers. You will be responsible for the safety of highly complex patients undergoing alcohol, opiate and other substance withdrawals.
The client group has an extensive history of trauma and require psychosocial interventions such as group therapy, which you will be expected to facilitate.
This position requires a passionate and enthusiastic registered nurse with a minimum of 18months post-registered experience and a passion for working in addiction services. Please be advised that this position is not open to those registered nurses who have recently qualified and require a period of preceptorship
Main duties of the job
- Giving medication, assessing and treating acute withdrawal symptoms
- Assessing and treating physical health needs
- Using recognised assessment tools to inform care
- Facilitating recovery focussed group sessions
- Coordinating support workers and delegation of tasks
- Completing admission and discharge processes
- Have an understanding of relapse prevention strategies and signposting
- Providing supervision for support workers
- PA/PS for students
Working for our organisation
We are the Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway. Our teams support adults with a wide range of mental health needs. Because we cover the whole county and both hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the 1.8 million people of Kent and Medway. Rated ‘Good’ by the CQC, we care for over 2,000 people in our hospitals and 54,000 in the community each year.
Our vision is simple: We are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It’s why we’re passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. And everything we do is guided by our values caring, inclusive, curious and confident.
Join us - if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's doing well together.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The Staff Nurse at Bridge House inpatient detoxification unit plays a vital role in delivering safe, compassionate care to individuals undergoing substance and alcohol withdrawal.
The role includes clinical assessment, medication administration, risk management, and therapeutic engagement, all aligned with NICE guidelines.
Working closely with a multidisciplinary team, the nurse supports recovery through structured interventions and emotional support. Their contribution enhances service quality, promotes patient safety, and strengthens team cohesion—ensuring a responsive, person-centred environment that empowers clients and upholds the organisation’s commitment to excellence in addiction care.
Please see the attached job description for full details of the main duties and responsibilities of the role.
Person specification
Training, Qualifications and Registration
Essential criteria
- RMN or RN
- Qualified Practice Assessor (or working towards becoming a Practice Assessor if still in the first year of registration)
- Evidence of training/further study/or prepared to within the addiction speciality
- minimum of 18months post registered experience
Desirable criteria
- Group work training completed
- Motivational interviewing
- Counselling/counselling skills
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working in Mental Health and detox settings
- Experience of working with people in active addiction
- Clinical assessment of alcohol, opiate and other substance withdrawals
- Recognising and managing deteriorating physical health
- Experience in managing withdrawal seizures
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working collaboratively with external agencies
- Experience with wound care
- Previous experience of working within the NHS
- Experience of psychotherapies, counselling, group facilitation or motivational interviewing
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of assessment tools used to assess withdrawals from alcohol and substances and how to apply these to patient care.
- To pass medication and physical health competencies
- A comprehensive understanding and ability to apply principles of risk assessment and risk management.
Desirable criteria
- Participate in quality improvement, audits, research, etc
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Jake Hutchfield
- Job title
- Ward Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01622 726896
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