South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Ward Manager

The closing date is 24 October 2025

Job summary

Waddon Ward is a Forensic Intensive Psychological Treatment Service (FIPTS) based at River House, Bethlem Royal Hospital. We are a 15 bedded male medium secure unit offering assessment, treatment and care for offenders with severe and enduring personality disorder. It is one of only two specialist units in the country and sits within the Offender Personality Disorder (OPD) Pathway. We accept referrals from prisons and high secure hospitals across England and Wales of adult men with a history of violent offending and who have struggled to progress through OPD services.

We are looking for highly skilled, enthusiastic Ward Manager with a desire for self-development. The post holder will be an experienced Nurse who has a keen interest in working with service users with personality disorder and recognises the impact this kind of work may have on the team. You will act as a role model within the service and foster a culture of professional development, team support and excellent standards of care.

Please note vacancy can be closed early once maximum applications received.

Main duties of the job

You will be expected to lead a team, organise others in their actions and set priorities, objectives and goals within their sphere of responsibility.

You will also be expected to performance manage both the activity & members of the team and be part of a caring and compassionate team that is committed to supporting patients throughout their recovery journey.

It is important for you to be committed to working within a multi professional team, as well as possessing excellent communication, risk assessment and care planning skills. An excellent communicator, you'll be able to build good relationships with patients their families as well be passionate about mental health and supporting forensic patients.

You will be expected to carry out both clinical and managerial supervision and ensure that best practice is embedded in clinical environment as promoting.

We support our staff through a well-structured Trust Induction, Mandatory Training, weekly Reflective Practice, staff meetings, psychosocial meetings and team events such and CPDs.

About us

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark.

By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM delivered more than 14,000 training experiences in 2014; providing an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels.

Details

Date posted

10 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£53,751 to £60,651 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-NUR-7504864-LF

Job locations

River House, Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road

West Wickham

BR3 3BX


Job description

Job responsibilities

1) Responsibility for Patient Care: To assess needs. To plan, implement and monitor care in collaboration with the service user, carers, and other members of the multidisciplinary team. To implement care that meets the mental, physical, spiritual, psychological and social needs of the service user, and that is sensitive to age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexuality and disability. To administer medication and psychological treatments with knowledge of contraindications and side effects, and relating accurate information to service users in a format they are able to understand. To demonstrate an understanding of the distress caused by, and social and personal consequences of mental illness for service users and their carers. To actively encourage service users to work towards self-determination and freedom of choice within legal, ethical and professional constraints. To work within policy, professional and legal frameworks at all times. This requires advanced knowledge of NMC Code of Professional Conduct, risk assessment and child protection protocols, Mental Health Act and CPA, and Trust clinical policies.

2) Responsibilities for Clinical Leadership of Patient Care: To oversee care delivery to a group of service users, working collaboratively with named nurses and MDT members. To oversee named nurses' practice using managerial and clinical supervision, ensuring appropriate standard of practice and competencies. To oversee patient care and to ensure there is no act or omission of practice. To identify good practice, and encourage the dissemination of this across locally. To recognise practice that needs improvement, ensuring appropriate actions are taken to address this in collaboration with the Team Leader. To provide leadership and mentorship for HCAs, support workers, students, and associate primary nurses. To analyse, respond to and lead staff through complex and challenging clinical situations. To demonstrate an ability to investigate incidents and complaints, and to compile reports as required by the Trust.

3) Responsibilities for Communication and Relationships at Work: To understand the importance of relationships to the social and psychological wellbeing of service users. To develop therapeutic relationships which facilitate collaborative working. To actively promote relationships with colleagues that support open communication and collaborative working, taking personal responsibility for one's contribution to the process of MDT working. To maintain a high standard of written communication, recording appropriate events and observations in accordance with Trust policies and the NMC Code of Professional Conduct. To maintain confidentiality of information in accordance with Trust policies and the NMC Code of Professional Conduct.

4) Responsibilities for Clinical Environment and Service Development: To understand the responsibilities of shift co-ordination, and to take responsibility for care delivery in a specific area for spans of duty, including maintaining a safe clinical environment. To contribute to the provision of a safe clinical environment which promotes the dignity of service users. To handle service users' property and money in accordance with Trust policies. To participate in service evaluations, benchmarking, research and audit activities, and to contribute to implementation of service modernisation and improvement projects. To contributes to meeting the strategic targets and the needs of the Directorate and Trust, which include financial, workforce development, demand and capacity and outcome monitoring issues.

5) Responsibilities for Self Awareness and Professional Development: To develop an understanding of and demonstrate skill in the supervision process through one's own supervision, and in the provision of supervision to junior staff and students. To provide mentorship and professional supervision to junior staff, and assessment of student nurses. To support mentors in developing their mentorship skills. To actively participate in teaching and learning activities within the service. To account for one's own professional practice in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, and to maintain requirements for regular re-registration. To demonstrate an ability to identify areas for personal development to improve and enhance knowledge and skills. To participate in the Preceptorship process. To be physically capable of fulfilling the role, and able to work throughout a 24-hour shift system. To demonstrate an awareness of the effects of and one's own limitations in fulfilling some aspects of the role on the mental wellbeing of oneself, and demonstrate ability to seek assistance and guidance from colleagues. To show self-awareness and an ability to reflect and discuss emotions and thoughts in relation to care of service users.

6) Responsibilities for Management Role: To be an effective clinical leader and role model with good delegation and supervisory abilities. To identify clinical need, prioritising and deploying resources within budgetary parameters. To co-ordinate staff deployment in off duty and monitoring annual leave, sickness and study days within the parameters of Improved Working Lives. To fulfil the role of unit coordinator in River House medium secure unit on a rota basis To jointly undertake the recruitment and retention of staff within the relevant trust HR policies. To support the Ward Team Leader in ensuring that Personal Development Reviews and Appraisals take place for all staff and that identified training needs are met. Demonstrating an understanding of and contributing to disciplinary and other Human Resource processes.

Job description

Job responsibilities

1) Responsibility for Patient Care: To assess needs. To plan, implement and monitor care in collaboration with the service user, carers, and other members of the multidisciplinary team. To implement care that meets the mental, physical, spiritual, psychological and social needs of the service user, and that is sensitive to age, culture, race, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexuality and disability. To administer medication and psychological treatments with knowledge of contraindications and side effects, and relating accurate information to service users in a format they are able to understand. To demonstrate an understanding of the distress caused by, and social and personal consequences of mental illness for service users and their carers. To actively encourage service users to work towards self-determination and freedom of choice within legal, ethical and professional constraints. To work within policy, professional and legal frameworks at all times. This requires advanced knowledge of NMC Code of Professional Conduct, risk assessment and child protection protocols, Mental Health Act and CPA, and Trust clinical policies.

2) Responsibilities for Clinical Leadership of Patient Care: To oversee care delivery to a group of service users, working collaboratively with named nurses and MDT members. To oversee named nurses' practice using managerial and clinical supervision, ensuring appropriate standard of practice and competencies. To oversee patient care and to ensure there is no act or omission of practice. To identify good practice, and encourage the dissemination of this across locally. To recognise practice that needs improvement, ensuring appropriate actions are taken to address this in collaboration with the Team Leader. To provide leadership and mentorship for HCAs, support workers, students, and associate primary nurses. To analyse, respond to and lead staff through complex and challenging clinical situations. To demonstrate an ability to investigate incidents and complaints, and to compile reports as required by the Trust.

3) Responsibilities for Communication and Relationships at Work: To understand the importance of relationships to the social and psychological wellbeing of service users. To develop therapeutic relationships which facilitate collaborative working. To actively promote relationships with colleagues that support open communication and collaborative working, taking personal responsibility for one's contribution to the process of MDT working. To maintain a high standard of written communication, recording appropriate events and observations in accordance with Trust policies and the NMC Code of Professional Conduct. To maintain confidentiality of information in accordance with Trust policies and the NMC Code of Professional Conduct.

4) Responsibilities for Clinical Environment and Service Development: To understand the responsibilities of shift co-ordination, and to take responsibility for care delivery in a specific area for spans of duty, including maintaining a safe clinical environment. To contribute to the provision of a safe clinical environment which promotes the dignity of service users. To handle service users' property and money in accordance with Trust policies. To participate in service evaluations, benchmarking, research and audit activities, and to contribute to implementation of service modernisation and improvement projects. To contributes to meeting the strategic targets and the needs of the Directorate and Trust, which include financial, workforce development, demand and capacity and outcome monitoring issues.

5) Responsibilities for Self Awareness and Professional Development: To develop an understanding of and demonstrate skill in the supervision process through one's own supervision, and in the provision of supervision to junior staff and students. To provide mentorship and professional supervision to junior staff, and assessment of student nurses. To support mentors in developing their mentorship skills. To actively participate in teaching and learning activities within the service. To account for one's own professional practice in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, and to maintain requirements for regular re-registration. To demonstrate an ability to identify areas for personal development to improve and enhance knowledge and skills. To participate in the Preceptorship process. To be physically capable of fulfilling the role, and able to work throughout a 24-hour shift system. To demonstrate an awareness of the effects of and one's own limitations in fulfilling some aspects of the role on the mental wellbeing of oneself, and demonstrate ability to seek assistance and guidance from colleagues. To show self-awareness and an ability to reflect and discuss emotions and thoughts in relation to care of service users.

6) Responsibilities for Management Role: To be an effective clinical leader and role model with good delegation and supervisory abilities. To identify clinical need, prioritising and deploying resources within budgetary parameters. To co-ordinate staff deployment in off duty and monitoring annual leave, sickness and study days within the parameters of Improved Working Lives. To fulfil the role of unit coordinator in River House medium secure unit on a rota basis To jointly undertake the recruitment and retention of staff within the relevant trust HR policies. To support the Ward Team Leader in ensuring that Personal Development Reviews and Appraisals take place for all staff and that identified training needs are met. Demonstrating an understanding of and contributing to disciplinary and other Human Resource processes.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Mental Health Nurse / Learning Disability Nurse
  • Mentorship qualification

Desirable

  • Degree level qualification in a relevant field
  • Leadership qualification

Experience

Essential

  • A minimum of 2 years experience at band 6
  • Experience of supervising junior staff
  • Experience of working with service users with personality disorder

Desirable

  • Experience of recruitment and selection
  • Experience of delivering psychological / psychosocial interventions

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent clinical skills in the management of service users with personality disorder
  • Excellent report writing skills
  • Ability to delegate appropriately

Desirable

  • Ability to provide training
  • Ability to facilitate groups and chair meetings

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge and understanding of the OPD Pathway
  • Knowledge of relevant legislation
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Mental Health Nurse / Learning Disability Nurse
  • Mentorship qualification

Desirable

  • Degree level qualification in a relevant field
  • Leadership qualification

Experience

Essential

  • A minimum of 2 years experience at band 6
  • Experience of supervising junior staff
  • Experience of working with service users with personality disorder

Desirable

  • Experience of recruitment and selection
  • Experience of delivering psychological / psychosocial interventions

Skills

Essential

  • Excellent clinical skills in the management of service users with personality disorder
  • Excellent report writing skills
  • Ability to delegate appropriately

Desirable

  • Ability to provide training
  • Ability to facilitate groups and chair meetings

Knowledge

Essential

  • Knowledge and understanding of the OPD Pathway
  • Knowledge of relevant legislation

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

River House, Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road

West Wickham

BR3 3BX


Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

River House, Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road

West Wickham

BR3 3BX


Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

General Manager

Fiona Brennan

Fiona.Brennan@slam.nhs.uk

07817951417

Details

Date posted

10 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£53,751 to £60,651 a year per annum inclusive of HCAS

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

334-NUR-7504864-LF

Job locations

River House, Bethlem Royal Hospital

Monks Orchard Road

West Wickham

BR3 3BX


Supporting documents

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