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Job summary

Main area
Mental Health
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
354-FH-20646
Employer
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
The Chichester Centre
Town
Chichester
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
30/08/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust logo

Clinical Nurse Specialist

NHS AfC: Band 7

Come and join us

We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.

At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.

We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.

We recognise that tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn’t based on your real experience.

Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we’ll explore your examples further at interview, so it’s important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page.

We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity to join us as a Clinical Nurse Specialist within our Forensic Inpatient Service, you will play a pivotal role in delivering expert, evidence-based care to individuals with complex mental health needs. Working alongside a highly skilled multidisciplinary team, you will provide advanced clinical leadership, support service development, and champion best practice to ensure safe, therapeutic, and recovery-focused care, working closely with the Clinical Matron.

 This is an exciting opportunity to influence patient outcomes, mentor and develop staff, lead quality improvement initiatives, and help shape a compassionate, least restrictive, and person-centred service. If you are passionate about clinical excellence, innovation, and making a meaningful difference within forensic mental health, we would love to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

 As a Clinical Nurse Specialist within our Forensic Inpatient Service, you will play a pivotal role in delivering expert, evidence-based care to individuals with complex mental health needs. Working alongside a highly skilled multidisciplinary team, you will provide advanced clinical leadership, support service development, and champion best practice to ensure safe, therapeutic, and recovery-focused care, working closely with the Clinical Matron. 

This post will be based at the Chichester Low secure inpatient male service. As part of the role you will be expected to work in the ward numbers on a long day once per week 

This is an exciting opportunity to influence patient outcomes, mentor and develop staff, lead quality improvement initiatives, and help shape a compassionate, least restrictive, and person-centred service. If you are passionate about clinical excellence, innovation, and making a meaningful difference within forensic mental health, we would love to hear from you.

Working for our organisation

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPNFT) was formed in April 2006 and provides mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services to the people of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, West Sussex and parts of Hampshire. The trust published its latest clinical strategy in 2017 (‘Our 2020 Vision’) that sets out its vision for services. https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/our-clinical-strategy  SPNFT was rated as ‘Good’ by the CQC in its most recent inspection report https://www.cqc.org.uk/provider/RX2

Sussex is a beautiful county with good access to National Parks, spectacular countryside, pristine beaches and vibrant cities.  London is easily accessible by train from most parts of Sussex.  

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To take a lead on clinical matters and policy development relating to nursing practice.
•To provide direct clinical nurse leadership.
•To be part of recruitment and selection process of staff.
•To be aware of Acute Mental Health Services, Rehabilitation Services and the Forensic Healthcare Service in accordance with Trust policies and protocols within nursing and nursing strategies.
•To develop and participate in the delivery of a supervision structure for team members.
•To monitor the caseload and practice of nursing staff and others in the team.
•To be part of a senior nursing group for ongoing support and development.
•To ensure nursing staff within service area are compliant with NMC regulations.

To ensure staff are undertaking mandatory training as indicated.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered Nurse with current registration appropriate to the job role
  • Degree/diploma level supplemented by specialist ü qualification, training, experience, courses to masters level equivalent relevant to the care group
  • Evidence of post registration training in relevant service area
  • Completion of Mentorship Course/ENB equivalent

Knowledge/Experience

Essential criteria
  • Extensive post qualifying experience in relevant service area
  • Experience of supervising staff and students
  • Able to manage a caseload of patients with complex mental health needs
  • Comprehensive knowledge of interventions specific to service area
  • Awareness of Trust policies and service specification

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyDisability confident leaderDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardStep into healthPride In Veterans

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Clair Evans
Job title
Clinical Matron
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01243 791925
Additional information

John Canning

Nurse Consultant 

[email protected] 

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