Job summary
Through strong clinical leadership the Specialist Nurse will support and oversee the delivery of care to patients with mental health co-morbidities who are admitted to wards on the Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital sites, outpatient departments and ambulatory care settings. They will support Departmental Sisters/Charge Nurses to promote excellence in nursing care, to maintain and improve clinical standards in relation to mental health. The post holder will ensure that all patients are treated with compassion, dignity and respect placing value on the diversity of the local community and beyond. They will serve as an role model for colleagues in the engagement and care of patients with complex mental health difficulties. Please see the detailed job description and main responsibilities as there are three posts advertised with some variations.
Closing Date: Midnight 8th February 2026
Interview Date: 23rd February 2026
Main duties of the job
They will support the assessment, care and review of patients with mental health conditions and acute cognitive impairment. They will support colleagues, including the well-being practitioners to implement therapeutic care and will work collaboratively with nursing and medical teams to offer professional advice, guidance and oversight. They will ensure optimised skill mix and monitor the use of bank and agency staff. They will support the development and standardisation of enhanced care processes to ensure safe, consistent and compassionate care delivery.
The post holder will assist with the development and delivery targeted education, supporting the improvement of enhanced care as part of the mental health strategy implementation plans. Ensuring a positive patient experience is key to this role and this his will be achieved through high visibility, accessibility and surveillance. The post holder will be expected to work clinically for at least 75% of their role. The post holder will provide supervision to the band 4 well-being practitioners and will be supporting healthcare support workers as part of their role.
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
Two band 7 roles are being advertised for the Cancer & Surgery Clinical Group. These roles will support the Mental Health Matron and two band 4 Well-Being Practitioners , ensuring that patients with mental health co-morbidities or cognitive impairment receive high quality care. These roles are based on the Guy's Hospital site and the St. Thomas's hospital site. A priority for these roles is the reduction of bank and agency spend to support the enhanced care of patients with mental health concerns. This will be achieved as part of quality improvement work to improve the knowledge and skills of the staff on the wards in relation to risk assessment and therapeutic engagement.
One band 7 role is being advertised for the Heart, Lung and Critical care clinical group. This role will support three band 4 well-being practitioners to ensure that patients with mental health co-morbidities or cognitive impairment receive high quality care. This role is primarily based at St Thomass Hospital with requirements to work across the Royal Brompton and Harefield sites-please note the ability to commute to Royal Brompton is required and an inter hospital shuttle bus can transport to the Harefield site. A priority for these roles is the reduction of bank and agency spend to support the enhanced care of patients with mental health concerns. This will be achieved as part of a quality improvement project to improve the knowledge and skills of the staff on the wards in relation to risk assessment and therapeutic engagement. This role will be supported by the lead nurse for mental health for the heart, lung and critical care clinical group.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Two band 7 roles are being advertised for the Cancer & Surgery Clinical Group. These roles will support the Mental Health Matron and two band 4 Well-Being Practitioners , ensuring that patients with mental health co-morbidities or cognitive impairment receive high quality care. These roles are based on the Guy's Hospital site and the St. Thomas's hospital site. A priority for these roles is the reduction of bank and agency spend to support the enhanced care of patients with mental health concerns. This will be achieved as part of quality improvement work to improve the knowledge and skills of the staff on the wards in relation to risk assessment and therapeutic engagement.
One band 7 role is being advertised for the Heart, Lung and Critical care clinical group. This role will support three band 4 well-being practitioners to ensure that patients with mental health co-morbidities or cognitive impairment receive high quality care. This role is primarily based at St Thomass Hospital with requirements to work across the Royal Brompton and Harefield sites-please note the ability to commute to Royal Brompton is required and an inter hospital shuttle bus can transport to the Harefield site. A priority for these roles is the reduction of bank and agency spend to support the enhanced care of patients with mental health concerns. This will be achieved as part of a quality improvement project to improve the knowledge and skills of the staff on the wards in relation to risk assessment and therapeutic engagement. This role will be supported by the lead nurse for mental health for the heart, lung and critical care clinical group.
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
Essential
- First level Registered Mental Health Nurse or dual registered RMN / RN
- Post registration qualification in mental health or equivalent post qualification experience.
Desirable
- To have or working towards a masters degree
Previous Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience of working autonomously at an advanced level within mental health nursing delivering effective patient focused care.
- Proven evidence of management / leadership skills and autonomous practice
- Previous experience of student supervision and clinical education at undergraduate level
- Experience of delivering change management both personally and as a facilitator
Desirable
- Experience of delivering mental health care in an acute care setting
Knowledge Skills and Ability
Essential
- Ability to clinically lead & influence staff
- Ability to collaborate constructively to create the conditions for successful partnership working.
- Detailed knowledge and understanding of mental health risk assessment and current approaches to mental health risk management.
- Proven listening / counselling skills with the ability to manage complex situation and appropriately deliver sensitive and difficult outcomes.
- Expertise in trauma informed care and restrictive practice
- Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal & communication skills
Desirable
- Ability to interpret and analyse complex data and findings
- Undertaken clinical & nursing research
Person Specification
Education and Qualification
Essential
- First level Registered Mental Health Nurse or dual registered RMN / RN
- Post registration qualification in mental health or equivalent post qualification experience.
Desirable
- To have or working towards a masters degree
Previous Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience of working autonomously at an advanced level within mental health nursing delivering effective patient focused care.
- Proven evidence of management / leadership skills and autonomous practice
- Previous experience of student supervision and clinical education at undergraduate level
- Experience of delivering change management both personally and as a facilitator
Desirable
- Experience of delivering mental health care in an acute care setting
Knowledge Skills and Ability
Essential
- Ability to clinically lead & influence staff
- Ability to collaborate constructively to create the conditions for successful partnership working.
- Detailed knowledge and understanding of mental health risk assessment and current approaches to mental health risk management.
- Proven listening / counselling skills with the ability to manage complex situation and appropriately deliver sensitive and difficult outcomes.
- Expertise in trauma informed care and restrictive practice
- Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal & communication skills
Desirable
- Ability to interpret and analyse complex data and findings
- Undertaken clinical & nursing research
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).
