Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust

Deputy Ward Manager

The closing date is 29 January 2026

Job summary

We are looking for a registered mental health or learning disabilities nurse to join our supportive team. You will have a passion for supporting adults during admissions to inpatient services - supporting them and their families in their recovery.

If you have a keen interest in developing your leadership skills then we have the support for you to develop them: We offer access to NHS leadership academy courses, our own in-house leadership courses, coaching and mentoring as well as regular team days, reflective practice and management and clinical supervision!

In order to be shortlisted you will need:

  • Post-qualification experience working as a nurse
  • Strong leadership skills
  • Care and passion for the people that we serve

Main duties of the job

We commit to you that we will act with care, kindness, compassion and inclusivity.

  • We will work beside you and collaboratively with you.
  • We will listen to you.
  • Your voice will be centre to your care.
  • We strive to continually improve ourselves and our service.

If you feel your values align with our teams then we would love to hear from you. We are an 18 bedded acute female mental health ward caring for people during a mental health crisis. The work can be challenging and very rewarding.

You will be working with people to support them with their mental and physical health, learning new skills to cope with distress and keeping people safe.

A key part of our role is working with family and loved ones, as well as part of our wide multidisciplinary team (Doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, psychologists and more).

About us

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.

Check out our Canterbury site

Details

Date posted

15 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

380-AC0764-A

Job locations

St Martins Hospital

Littlebourne Road

Canterbury

CT1 1TD


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • You must have post-registration experience and have completed mentorship training to be able to mentor students.
  • You must also be able to support the needs of people with acute mental illness, their relatives and carers.
  • This requires excellent communication and liaison skills.
  • You will need to have a good knowledge of MHA and safeguarding.
  • You will also have excellent interpersonal skills to manage and supervise staff effectively.
  • You will be working with a wide range of experienced and friendly professionals providing high quality care with compassion.
  • We offer regular clinical supervision and management supervision.

Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • You must have post-registration experience and have completed mentorship training to be able to mentor students.
  • You must also be able to support the needs of people with acute mental illness, their relatives and carers.
  • This requires excellent communication and liaison skills.
  • You will need to have a good knowledge of MHA and safeguarding.
  • You will also have excellent interpersonal skills to manage and supervise staff effectively.
  • You will be working with a wide range of experienced and friendly professionals providing high quality care with compassion.
  • We offer regular clinical supervision and management supervision.

Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification

Person Specification

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Good working knowledge of and ability to apply relevant legislative frameworks and policies relating to care e.g. Mental Capacity Act, Safeguarding, Consent to Treatment.
  • Good organisational and time management skills
  • Excellent verbal, interpersonal and written communication skills
  • Computer skills
  • Ability to provide, undertake and use supervision effectively

Desirable

  • Ability to support and develop an environment which ensures effective clinical care and innovation.

Qualification

Essential

  • RMN completion of Preceptorship programme

Desirable

  • Evidence of continuing professional development

Experience

Essential

  • Leadership Experience
  • Experience of working in an inpatient setting
  • Up to date knowledge and clinical leadership on all aspects of mental health and learning disability nursing

Desirable

  • Training in leadership
  • Previous experience as a Band 6
Person Specification

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Good working knowledge of and ability to apply relevant legislative frameworks and policies relating to care e.g. Mental Capacity Act, Safeguarding, Consent to Treatment.
  • Good organisational and time management skills
  • Excellent verbal, interpersonal and written communication skills
  • Computer skills
  • Ability to provide, undertake and use supervision effectively

Desirable

  • Ability to support and develop an environment which ensures effective clinical care and innovation.

Qualification

Essential

  • RMN completion of Preceptorship programme

Desirable

  • Evidence of continuing professional development

Experience

Essential

  • Leadership Experience
  • Experience of working in an inpatient setting
  • Up to date knowledge and clinical leadership on all aspects of mental health and learning disability nursing

Desirable

  • Training in leadership
  • Previous experience as a Band 6

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.

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.

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

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust

Address

St Martins Hospital

Littlebourne Road

Canterbury

CT1 1TD


Employer's website

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


Employer details

Employer name

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust

Address

St Martins Hospital

Littlebourne Road

Canterbury

CT1 1TD


Employer's website

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


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Ward Manager

Joanne Stephenson

joannestephenson@nhs.net

01227812119

Details

Date posted

15 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

380-AC0764-A

Job locations

St Martins Hospital

Littlebourne Road

Canterbury

CT1 1TD


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)