About this role
Job summary
We are seeking a compassionate and motivated Registered Mental Nurse to join the multidisciplinary team at River House MSU. This is an excellent opportunity to work in a specialist forensic inpatient setting, providing high quality, recovery focused care to individuals with complex mental health needs, often alongside offending histories and significant risks.
As a Band 5 RMN, you will assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care, promote recovery, manage risk, maintain patient safety, and contribute to a therapeutic and secure environment. Working closely with patients, carers, psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, and other professionals, you will deliver person centred care that promotes dignity, empowerment, and positive outcomes.
The role offers experience in risk assessment, therapeutic engagement, physical health monitoring and safeguarding, while supporting the development of clinical and leadership skills. Applications are welcome from Newly Qualified Nurses, who will benefit from a structured preceptorship programme, and experienced Band 5 nurses looking to develop their career in forensic mental health services.
Important Sponsorship Information: We are unable to offer a Certificate of Sponsorship for this post.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking enthusiastic and motivated Registered Mental Health Nurses to join our forensic inpatient team. You will provide high-quality nursing care and support the assessment, treatment, and recovery of patients with complex mental health needs, forensic histories, and significant risk factors.
Key responsibilities include conducting mental and physical health assessments, developing and reviewing person-centred care plans, delivering recovery-focused interventions, managing risk, administering medication, and maintaining a safe therapeutic environment. You will work closely with the multidisciplinary team, including psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, and social workers, to support recovery, social inclusion, discharge planning, and transitions to less restrictive settings.
You will also contribute to safeguarding, incident management, service development, quality improvement, clinical supervision, and reflective practice.
This rewarding role offers the opportunity to work with individuals with complex mental health needs, personality disorders, neurodevelopmental conditions, and forensic histories, while developing your skills and making a meaningful contribution to patient recovery within a supportive team.
About us
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.
At SLaM, we value our staff and are committed to supporting a healthy work-life balance. We offer a comprehensive benefits package for you and your family, ensuring you feel valued as part of our team.
Our values of being caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listening, and doing what we say are at the heart of everything we do.
Key benefits include:
Generous pay, pension, and annual leave entitlements. Flexible working options to support work-life balance. Career development opportunities through mentoring, coaching, leadership, and talent programmes. Competitive car lease schemes. NHS staff discounts with savings at a wide range of major retailers.
Job description Job responsibilities
Assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for patients, including those with complex mental health needs, forensic histories and offending behaviours.
Work independently within professional competence and seek support when required.
Maintain a safe and therapeutic environment, including managing risks and enhanced observations.
Monitor patient care, treatment and risk, ensuring high standards of quality and safety.
Record incidents on Datix promptly and escalate concerns in line with Trust policies.
Prioritise care, recognise deterioration and respond appropriately to risks and changing needs.
Maintain accurate, timely and professional clinical records.
Communicate effectively with patients, carers, colleagues and the multidisciplinary team.
Adhere to Trust policies, procedures and professional standards, promoting best practice.
Build positive working relationships with the MDT, external agencies and visitors.
Support health promotion, recovery and patient education.
Administer and manage medicines safely in accordance with Trust and NMC requirements.
Participate in audits, quality improvement initiatives and ward development projects.
Support the learning and development of students, newly qualified staff and colleagues.
Attend mandatory and role-specific training, including risk management, safeguarding and violence reduction.
Contribute to risk assessments, care planning and the management of patients with forensic and offending backgrounds.
Person Specification
Education and Qualification Essential
Registered Adult Nurse and/or Registered Mental Health Nurse and/or Registered Learning Disabilities Nurse
Desirable
Preceptorship training Practice Supervisor training
Experience and Knowledge Essential
Experience of research-based/reflective practice, e.g. understanding and ability to use supervision to reflect on skills, attitude and knowledge and develop these by using evidence based practice.
Desirable
Experience of shift co-ordination Experience of supervising and mentoring junior staff and students
Skills & Abilities Essential
Ability to provide quality care that is responsive to service user's needs, without close supervision. Resilient: able to cope with difficult interpersonal situations
Desirable
Skilled in supervision of others, and in providing critical and constructive feedback
Other Requirements Essential
Empathy for Service Users including individuals who have experienced mental health problems. Loyal and able to advocate for and show pride in the work area and organization and demonstrates values of trust and NHS
Desirable
Post-Registration / 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).
Employer details Employer name South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address Brook Ward
Bethlem Royal Hospital
Monks Orchard Road
BR3 3BX
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)