Job summary
We are seeking an experienced, motivated, and compassionate Mental Health Matron (MHM) to lead our Mental Health Enhanced Care Team (MHECT) across Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC) and Acute and General Medicine (AGM). This exciting new senior post has been created in response to rising demand, increasing acuity, and the growing complexity of mental health presentations in our Emergency Department and inpatient wards.
You will join a well-established, highly committed team, providing visible leadership, expert guidance, and professional oversight to deliver safe, person-centred, trauma-informed, and least-restrictive care. Working closely with senior nursing, medical, safeguarding, and liaison psychiatry teams, you will support high-quality assessment, therapeutic engagement, and integrated mental and physical healthcare.
As Matron, you will drive clinical standards, lead quality improvement initiatives, and develop innovative models of care. You will champion staff development, wellbeing, and a psychologically safe culture, empowering teams to manage complex mental health presentations confidently in fast-paced acute settings.
We are looking for dynamic, inclusive leaders who are passionate about improving patient experience, reducing harm, and shaping a skilled, resilient, and motivated workforce.
Closing date: 24/12/2025
Main duties of the job
We are seeking an experienced and compassionate Mental Health Matron (MHM) to lead our Mental Health Enhanced Care Team (MHECT) across Urgent and Emergency Care (UEC), including the Emergency Department, and Acute and General Medicine (AGM) inpatient wards. This exciting senior role has been created in response to rising demand, increasing acuity, and the growing complexity of mental health presentations.
You will provide visible, expert leadership and professional oversight, ensuring the delivery of safe, person-centred, trauma-informed, and least-restrictive care. Working clinically for a significant portion of your time, you will support complex decision-making, oversee enhanced care, lead risk assessment and management, and ensure integration of mental and physical health pathways.
As Matron, you will lead and develop the MHECT, supporting staff supervision, education, and wellbeing, while promoting a positive, psychologically safe culture. You will also support Departmental Sisters and Charge Nurses to maintain and enhance clinical standards, drive quality improvement, and contribute to strategic planning, performance monitoring, and service development to meet increasing demand.
We welcome applications from dynamic, inclusive leaders who are passionate about improving patient experience, reducing harm, and developing a skilled and resilient workforce.
About us
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation. See www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk.
We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark. See www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk
We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and - as part of King's Health Partners - we are one of England's eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world-class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National Institute for Health Research's biomedical research centres, established with King's College London in 2007, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities. See www.kingshealthpartners.org
We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the job description and personal specification that is attached for the detailed information about this role
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the job description and personal specification that is attached for the detailed information about this role
Person Specification
Qualifications/ Education
Essential
- Registered Mental Health Nurse or dual registered RN or LD/ RMN
- Educated to postgraduate diploma/degree level in subject related to mental health Evidence of equivalent knowledge and experience to Masters level.
Desirable
- Recognised teaching/ assessing qualification
- Management qualification or certificate
- Qualification in motivational interviewing
Experience
Essential
- A proven track record of operational service management at a senior level, including staff management, financial management and change management.
- Extensive experience of working in a substantive role in an acute, crisis or liaison mental health setting
- Demonstrable previous success in leading and delivering change
- Ability to think and plan strategically, tactically and creatively, and to prioritise work programs in the face of competing demands.
- Ability to collaborate constructively with internal and external partners to create the conditions for successful partnership working (particularly across the acute/ mental health interface(s)).
Knowledge
Essential
- Detailed knowledge and understanding of mental health risk assessment and current approaches to mental health risk management.
- Sound political judgement and astuteness in understanding and working with complex policy, and diverse interest groups, and common sense in knowing when to brief "up the line".
- current, working-knowledge of operational pressures common to UEC/ acute medicine / acute trust care settings.
Desirable
- Knowledge and skills in motivational interviewing
Skills/ Abilities
Essential
- In-depth knowledge and advanced skills in the engagement and care of patients with common mental disorders and complex psychological presentations
- Detailed knowledge and understanding of mental health risk assessment and current approaches to mental health risk management
- Expertise in trauma informed I Knowledge and skills in motivational interviewing I care and restrictive practice
- Well developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust's and your performance expectations
- Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships
- A commitment to improving patient services through an ability to sustain a clear performance focus on achieving demanding goals
Person Specification
Qualifications/ Education
Essential
- Registered Mental Health Nurse or dual registered RN or LD/ RMN
- Educated to postgraduate diploma/degree level in subject related to mental health Evidence of equivalent knowledge and experience to Masters level.
Desirable
- Recognised teaching/ assessing qualification
- Management qualification or certificate
- Qualification in motivational interviewing
Experience
Essential
- A proven track record of operational service management at a senior level, including staff management, financial management and change management.
- Extensive experience of working in a substantive role in an acute, crisis or liaison mental health setting
- Demonstrable previous success in leading and delivering change
- Ability to think and plan strategically, tactically and creatively, and to prioritise work programs in the face of competing demands.
- Ability to collaborate constructively with internal and external partners to create the conditions for successful partnership working (particularly across the acute/ mental health interface(s)).
Knowledge
Essential
- Detailed knowledge and understanding of mental health risk assessment and current approaches to mental health risk management.
- Sound political judgement and astuteness in understanding and working with complex policy, and diverse interest groups, and common sense in knowing when to brief "up the line".
- current, working-knowledge of operational pressures common to UEC/ acute medicine / acute trust care settings.
Desirable
- Knowledge and skills in motivational interviewing
Skills/ Abilities
Essential
- In-depth knowledge and advanced skills in the engagement and care of patients with common mental disorders and complex psychological presentations
- Detailed knowledge and understanding of mental health risk assessment and current approaches to mental health risk management
- Expertise in trauma informed I Knowledge and skills in motivational interviewing I care and restrictive practice
- Well developed leadership and influencing skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and have them understand the Trust's and your performance expectations
- Ability to be intellectually flexible and to look beyond existing structures, ways of working, boundaries and organisations to produce more effective and innovative service delivery and partnerships
- A commitment to improving patient services through an ability to sustain a clear performance focus on achieving demanding goals
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
