Job overview

We are excited to be recruiting an experienced RGN  to join our acute and crisis nursing team to improve the physical health care offer for people with serious mental illness within acute inpatient mental  health wards.

We are keen to receive applications from Registered General Nurses  or Dual Trained Nurses (general nursing and mental health nursing)  with an interest and experience working with people with mental illness. This is an exciting new opportunity for someone who may wish to develop further as they would be working closely alongside the Head of Nursing, Physical Health Lead and Practice Development Nurses to deliver the physical health strategy within acute and crisis directorate.

The successful candidate will be confident, organised, self motivated and be able to work across different ward settings and sites  as well as able to use computerised systems and to audit data and report back in verbal or written form. In exchange for this expertise, we offer opportunities for flexible working, a comprehensive induction process, ongoing support and development initiatives and a range of physical, mental, and wellbeing benefits.

The post-holder  will  work across inpatient units based on demands of the service across the three boroughs (Bexley, Bromley & Greenwich)

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as a Physical Health Care Nurse within the acute & crisis mental health  services

 The post holder will assist with the trusts view to improve the physical healthcare of all patients. The role supports inpatient mental health staff across acute & crisis directorate in developing their competencies and skills in physical healthcare.

The postholder role will monitor patients mental and physical health, coordinating clinics and liaise closely with patients, carers, inpatient units, GPs, Consultant Psychiatrists and others to ensure the wellbeing of patients and to promote the general understanding of medication and monitoring issues.

The post holder will work under the supervision of the Practice Development Nurse, providing direct delivery of high-quality individualised care. The post holder will provide Nurse Practitioner skills, advice in the assessment, treatment and management of physical health problems, both long term and acute.

The postholder will provide support and development to the Nurse Associate/Assistant Practitioners

Working for our organisation

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