Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust

Deputy Ward Manager

The closing date is 07 April 2026

Job summary

As a Deputy Ward Manager, you will provide senior clinical leadership and support the Ward Manager and across site in the 24-hour management of the acute inpatient environment.

You will act as a role model for the nursing team, ensuring that patients in the most acute phase of their mental illness receive safe, compassionate, and evidence-based care.

When the Ward Manager is away, you are the clinical lead on the ground, making pivotal decisions to ensure ward safety and flow.

Main duties of the job

Clinical Leadership: Lead the nursing teams in delivering high-quality care, overseeing complex admissions and discharges, and ensuring Care Programme Approach (CPA) standards are met, this may be across site.
Operational Management: Assist in the management of rosters, recruitment, InPhase and safeguarding reviews, and the supervision of Band 5 Nurses and Healthcare Assistants.
Risk & Safety: Lead on risk assessments and safety plans. You will be a key figure in managing incidents, conducting debriefs, and ensuring the ward remains a therapeutic environment.
Quality Improvement: Participate in audits (i.e. IPC audits, Risk Assessment and Care Plan Audits, MRSA audits etc. ) and drive clinical excellence through the implementation of "Safety Culture Bundle".
Mentorship: Act as a Practice Supervisor/Assessor for student nurses and a preceptor for newly qualified staff, fostering a culture of continuous learning.

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.

Date posted

24 March 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-AC0790

Job locations

Priority House

Hermitage Lane

Maidstone

ME16 9PH

Job description

Job responsibilities

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

We are serious about diversity and inclusion, and we are working hard to build this into our DNA. We warmly welcome applications for any of our roles from people from diverse backgrounds, and we are proactively encouraging applications from under-represented communities for our more senior roles, like this one.

Job description

Job responsibilities

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/IT skills
Ability to provide, undertake and use supervision effectively

Qualifications

Essential

RMN completion of Preceptorship programme
Leadership Experience
Experience working in an inpatient environment

Desirable

Training/Courses in Leadership
Evidence of continuing professional development

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/IT skills
Ability to provide, undertake and use supervision effectively

Qualifications

Essential

RMN completion of Preceptorship programme
Leadership Experience
Experience working in an inpatient environment

Desirable

Training/Courses in Leadership
Evidence of continuing professional development

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

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

Priority House

Hermitage Lane

Maidstone

ME16 9PH

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

Priority House

Hermitage Lane

Maidstone

ME16 9PH

Employer's website

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