Job summary
- Main area
- Fitness Instructor
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Potential opportunity to work evenings and weekends as part of weekly sessions)
- Job ref
- 333-J-KC-0881
- Employer
- Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- St Charles Mental Health Unit
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £35,964 - £43,780 pa inc HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 23/07/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 01/08/2025
Employer heading
Fitness Instructor
NHS AfC: Band 5
Job overview
We are looking for a motivated individual with excellent communication skills who has a passion and experience for working in mental health and the ability to work flexibly and creatively in an ever-changing environment.
You will provide a sports and exercise programme for inpatients and will offer support for individuals to plan to continue this after they are discharged. You will work closely with a welcoming and friendly multi-disciplinary team and will offer individual and group sessions across four treatment wards and two psychiatric intensive care wards. Each ward has their own gym plus a space for group exercise sessions.
We are looking for someone who has previous experience working with mental health clients as this essential for this band 5 post. A part of the interview selection process will involve a visit to the unit to meet staff and patients.
There is a trustwide Gym/fitness professional group which offers professional support, development and opportunities to consider Quality Improvement projects and research.
The postholder will also provide an established exercise support training session to staff working in the unit and there will be opportunity to get involved in service improvement projects across the unit.
Applicants should have a Sports Science/Sports Exercise degree or equivalent, require CIMPSPA level 3 Exercise Referral (or be working towards it) and level 4 mental health, Diabetes and Obesity. Applicants must be a member of BASES.
Main duties of the job
The work will include:
- Liaising closely with the multi disciplinary teams
- Establishing a programme of fitness sessions across all wards.
- Providing gym inductions for inpatients.
- Providing individual programmes.
- Facilitating gym sessions.
- Facilitating group exercise sessions.
- Supporting referrals on to community exercise resources
- Supporting individuals with their health and wellbeing via sessions, conversations and advice.
- Providing staff advice and training
- Responsibility for regular equipment checks and reporting any repairs
- Maintaining safe gym environments on the inpatient wards
- Keeping records of attendance and writing in patient records.
Working for our organisation
Unit Information:
St Charles Mental Health Centre in Kensington & Chelsea has four adult inpatient wards plus two psychiatric intensive care wards that provide a safe and therapeutic environment for people with acute mental health problems.
The unit is a short walk from Ladbroke Grove station with good transport links to other stations.
There are opportunities for flexible working, access to CNWL staff health and wellbeing resources and an on-site staff wellbeing room.
We are passionate about delivering first-class patient-centred, safe and effective care, whether it is in a hospital setting, in a community clinic or in the patients own home. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Providing top quality care depends on our ability to employ the best people.
We're always looking to recruit outstanding people who will go the extra mile to support our patients, colleagues, teams and the Trust. With every new employee were hoping to find our future leaders and well support our staff by providing opportunities to develop your career.
With a diverse culture and equally diverse range of opportunities across mental health, community services, addictions, eating disorders, learning disabilities and more whatever stage of your career you're at, there's always a place for you at CNWL.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- To support service users to engage in health and wellbeing activities.
- To plan, implement and review a range of exercise activities using individual and group work approaches, under the supervision and direction of qualified occupational therapists.
- To support service users to engage in care plans which have been developed in partnership with the individual and that reflect ‘recovery goals’.
- To develop, plan and implement health and wellbeing-based activities including sports/ exercise at St Charles Mental Health Centre.
- To provide health and wellbeing activities that are sensitive to racial, social and cultural needs and expectations, under the guidance of a qualified Occupational Therapist.
- To apply current knowledge from the field of health, exercise and social sciences to Mental Health settings.
- To provide training to staff to be able to safely supervise service users’ use of gym equipment.
- To keep abreast new policies and initiatives that relate to health and wellbeing and to keep up to date with current knowledge and practice within sports exercise.
Person specification
Education and qualifications
Essential criteria
- Recognised sports coaching or fitness instructor qualification, level 3 or above (HND, ACDM, YMCA, exercise instructor’s certification or other industry recognised qualification)
- Registered with Register of Exercise Professionals (REPs) or Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMPSA)
- GCSE Maths and English or equivalent
Desirable criteria
- Other relevant qualifications relating to health, exercise and sports science
- First aid course
Previous experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working with clients with mental health difficulties
- Experience of working as a qualified fitness professional
- Experience in instructing groups and individuals in sports, exercise and physical activity.
- Experience of taking responsibility for monitoring gym equipment safety.
- Evidence of autonomous working
Desirable criteria
- Experience of managing and supervising staff and services.
- Experience of audit or evaluation of services
- Teaching experience
- Experience of working in an inpatient mental health unit
Skills & knowledge
Essential criteria
- Has knowledge of a range of sporting and fitness activities.
- Able to demonstrate an understanding of the needs of people with mental health issues.
Desirable criteria
- Ability to facilitate a range of different physical activity classes
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Jessica Hodnett
- Job title
- Lead Occupational Therapist
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07522620584
- Additional information
Available between 9am -5pm and Monday to Friday
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