About this role
Job summary
Are you a visionary nursing leader passionate about quality, safety and improving forensic mental health care?
Join Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust as Clinical Matron at The Chichester Centre, our low secure forensic unit.
This pivotal clinical leadership role focuses on care quality, patient safety and service-user experience. We seek a dynamic, inspiring leader who empowers staff and champions high standards.
Why This Role is Different
Our structure protects your time to focus on what matters most:
Clinical Leadership, Not Operational Overload: Day-to-day operations sit with the Service Manager, enabling you to concentrate on clinical and professional leadership.
Supportive Professional Structure: Receive professional supervision and mentoring from the Head of Nursing, plus clinical supervision from Nurse Consultant John Canning.
Develop the Next Generation: Line manage a Clinical Nurse Specialist and help develop future nursing leaders.
Main duties of the job
As Clinical Matron, you will be a visible, accessible and trusted nursing leader, modelling compassionate, person-centred care and advocating for patients and staff. Your key responsibilities will include:
Championing Quality & Safety: Lead clinical governance, including infection control and safeguarding, using data and patient feedback to improve safe, evidence-based care.
Leading and Empowering our Nursing Team: Provide expert leadership to nurses, nursing associates and healthcare support workers, developing skills and fostering a supportive learning culture.
Transforming the Patient Experience: Put patients' and carers' voices at the heart of care through co-production and constructive responses to feedback, improving privacy, dignity and experience.
Driving Clinical Excellence: Promote evidence-based practice, lead clinical audits, support research and encourage innovation and continuous quality improvement.
Supporting a Therapeutic Environment: Respond effectively to clinical incidents and crises. Complete PMVA training to help teams maintain a safe, therapeutic and least restrictive environment.
About us
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPNFT) was formed in April 2006 and provides mental health, learning disability and substance misuse services to the people of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, West Sussex and parts of Hampshire. The trust published its latest clinical strategy in 2017 ('Our 2020 Vision') that sets out its vision for services.https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/our-clinical-strategy SPNFT was rated as 'Good' by the CQC in its most recent inspection reporthttps://www.cqc.org.uk/provider/RX2
Sussex is a beautiful county with good access to National Parks, spectacular countryside, pristine beaches and vibrant cities. London is easily accessible by train from most parts of Sussex.
Why Join Sussex Partnership?
In return for your expertise and commitment, we will offer you a supportive and collaborative working environment, a strong emphasis on your own professional development, and the opportunity to work in a beautiful part of the country. You will be joining a Trust that is committed to delivering outstanding care and creating a great place to work.
Job description Job responsibilities
The post provides strategic, professional and clinical nursing leadership across services or geographical areas determined by Chief Nursing Office and the division. The post holder will provide expert nursing intervention within their area, whilst influencing more broadly in the development of the wider workforce. The post holder will ensure the delivery of safe, effective, evidence-based, person-centred care whilst supporting clinical innovation and quality improvement in line with the Trust strategy and national guidance for the relevant area of practice (e.g. NICE, LeDeR, STOMP, Transforming Care, NHS Long Term Plan) with the aim of reducing health inequalities. The post leads on the development and delivery of specialist training, education and development for nursing staff and others in their specialist area. The postholder must adhere to NMC code of conduct and ensure that all nurses under their leadership comply with code requirements.This post will act as professional lead for all nurses, nurse associates and HCSW within their area and has lead accountability for the delivery of objectives outlined below and included within the area of patient experience.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Registered Mental Health or Learning Disability Nurse. Educated to degree level (or equivalent) Post qualification study to Master's level (or equivalent) Completion of Mentorship Course/ENB equivalent Meet NMC requirement for maintenance of registration
Knowledge/Experience Essential
Extensive experience as Ward Manager or equivalent in the community Extensive previous experience in relevant setting Demonstration of personal development Experience working with people with serious mental health problems or learning disability (LD) as appropriate to area Demonstrable working knowledge of Health and Social Care governance Experience of staff management and supervision Experience of performance management Experience of Risk Assessment and management Demonstration of collaborative working with Multi-Disciplinary Team / other services. Working knowledge of the 2025 (Amended) Mental Health Act, Mental Health Act 2007, Mental capacity Act 2005, Care Programme Approach, Safeguarding adults and children and other relevant legislation / government developments.
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 Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address The Chichester centre
Graylingwell Drive
Chichester
PO19 6GS
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)