Community Mental Health Nurse

Job summary

The post holder will deliver, or advise on the delivery of, high-quality, safe nursing care, ensuring consistently high standards of practice and clinical excellence in accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code of Professional Conduct.

As a Community Mental Health Nurse, the post holder will promote and develop clinical leadership and evidence-based practice, acting as a positive role model for junior team members. They will support staff development through clinical supervision, appraisal, and education, helping to foster a positive learning environment.

As a senior nurse, the post holder will also encourage collaborative working across teams and organisations to ensure high-quality, recovery-focused care for service users.

Main duties of the job

• Deliver high-quality, safe, recovery-focused mental health nursing care within the community.
• Manage a caseload, undertaking assessments, care planning, intervention and evaluation.
• Complete risk assessments and implement risk management plans to promote safety and wellbeing.
• Administer, monitor and review medication, escalating concerns where appropriate.
• Develop and maintain person-centred care plans in partnership with service users, carers and multidisciplinary teams.
• Provide clinical leadership and support junior staff, students and support workers.
• Supervise, mentor and develop staff through appraisal, clinical supervision and training.
• Work collaboratively with internal and external partners to coordinate effective care delivery.
• Deputise for the Team Manager and support the day-to-day operation of the service when required.
• Participate in multidisciplinary meetings, contributing nursing expertise and clinical judgement.
• Maintain accurate, timely and legally compliant clinical records.
• Contribute to audit, clinical governance, quality improvement and service development initiatives.
• Promote physical health, wellbeing, independence and recovery through therapeutic interventions.
• Ensure compliance with professional standards, Trust policies, safeguarding requirements and relevant legislation.

About us

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children's centres, schools and people's homes.We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We're Kind
• We're Fair
• We Listen
• We Care

Job responsibilities

• Undertake comprehensive mental health assessments and develop, implement and review person-centred care plans.
• Manage a defined caseload of service users with complex mental health needs, ensuring effective care coordination and timely interventions.
• Conduct risk assessments and formulate risk management plans to safeguard service users, carers, staff and the wider public.
• Deliver evidence-based nursing interventions that support recovery, independence and social inclusion.
• Monitor, administer and review prescribed medication, including identifying and escalating concerns relating to side effects, effectiveness or non-compliance.
• Work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams, primary care, social care, voluntary sector organisations and other partner agencies to ensure integrated care delivery.
• Provide specialist advice and support to service users, carers and colleagues regarding mental health care and treatment options.
• Participate in Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act processes as required within the scope of the role.
• Maintain accurate, contemporaneous and legally compliant clinical records and documentation.
• Support the investigation and management of incidents, complaints and safeguarding concerns in accordance with Trust policies.
• Supervise, mentor and support junior staff, students and support workers, contributing to their ongoing professional development.
• Contribute to service development, clinical governance, audit and quality improvement activities to enhance patient outcomes and service performance.
• Participate in team meetings, multidisciplinary reviews and case discussions, contributing professional expertise and clinical judgement.
• Promote physical health, wellbeing and health education initiatives as part of a holistic approach to care.
• Ensure all practice is delivered in accordance with professional standards, Trust policies and relevant legislation.