Job summary
- Main area
- Forensic Services
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 4
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 16.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 294-FASP-7874499-JB-A
- Employer
- South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Springfield University Hospital
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £33,094 - £36,195 pro rata per annum inclusive of inner London HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 11/06/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Clinical Exercise Therapist
NHS AfC: Band 4
South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We provide a full range of local mental health services to the Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth London boroughs, as well as specialist forensic mental health services, including specialised services such as national deaf adults and CAMHS inpatients and OCD.
We are committed to providing high quality integrated health and social care for local people with mental health problems in South West London and more specialist mental health services for people throughout the UK. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ however we aim to be ‘outstanding’.
Our Values
We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values; being consistent, compassionate, collaborative, respectful and open is at the heart of everything we do. Our mission is "making life better together".
When you join us, you’ll be part of something special – an innovative and rapidly growing organisation that is helping to redefine the Mental Health, education and social care landscape in the UK.
As a Trust, we are happy to talk flexible working.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 4 Clinical Exercise Therapist within our Forensic Inpatient Service at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust. The post sits within a large, supportive therapies team that includes Occupational Therapists, Clinical Exercise Therapists, Activity Support Workers, and Technical Instructors.
The Forensic Inpatient Service comprises both medium and low secure wards, providing care under the Mental Health Act for men and women with mental health difficulties who present a significant risk of harm to themselves or others. The service also supports individuals with co‑existing learning disabilities and autism.
Our primary aim is to provide a safe, secure, and therapeutic environment that enables patients to develop the skills needed for their recovery and successful transition back into the community.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will be a key member of the Forensic Therapies Team, supporting the Lead Clinical Exercise Therapist in delivering exercise interventions and sports activities across all medium and low secure wards. Our service includes a small team of Clinical Exercise Therapists working within the wider therapies department.
In this role, the postholder will work with the team to provide a range of sports and exercise‑based interventions tailored to the needs of forensic inpatients. They will also contribute to developing initiatives that educate, encourage, and motivate patients to adopt and maintain healthier lifestyles.
Working for our organisation
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as ‘good’ - we aspire to be ‘outstanding’.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
Unless expressly stated in the job advert the role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• To assess service users suitability for exercise, adhering to American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines where appropriate.
• To discuss concerns around any identified medical contraindications to exercise with the wards medical staff.
• To tailor a service users sport/exercise therapy programme to their individual needs, taking personal interests and any possible limitations into account.
• To be aware of service users history/background/culture and take this into account when designing exercise programmes and contribute to a clinical team risk assessment as appropriate.
• To promote and support individual choice and maximum independence, respecting service users beliefs and ensuring privacy & dignity.
• To be familiar with medication and the possible side effects when planning /designing exercise therapy sessions.
• To plan and deliver a range of clinical exercise and sports interventions, taking into account the differing abilities of service users on the ward and in community settings.
• To lead gym sessions, exercise sessions and coaching / sports sessions with individuals and groups.
• To maintain and audit fitness equipment to a satisfactory level, ensuring regular maintenance where required, in line with Trust health & safety standards.
• To continually review and evaluate service users progress, treatment plans and risk assessments as the service users condition changes, making suitable alterations to their exercise programmes.
• To assess risk and manage it effectively within clinical settings, ensuring a safe environment in which to exercise.
• To be able to manage challenging behaviour and set clear boundaries within a sport/exercise setting.
• To educate service users on Healthy Lifestyle – regular exercise, healthy eating, weight management, smoking cessation.
• To be able to successfully organise & manage a caseload.
Person specification
Training & Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Level 2 Gym Instructor qualification e.g. YMCA
- L1 Sports Coaching Award or coaching experience and a willingness to work towards this qualification
- Level 3 GP Exercise Referral certificate
- Level 3/4 CIMSPA registration number Must be provided
Desirable criteria
- ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist
- ACSM/NCHPAD Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer
- Degree in Sports Science or equivalent sports related degree
- Level 4 Certificates in Exercise & Mental Health
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working as a gym instructor, with groups and individuals, screening, assessing and designing exercise programmes
- Experience of coaching/leading sports activities with service users of differing abilities
Desirable criteria
- Experience of assessing and advising on healthy lifestyle issues
- Ability to teach a variety of sports (swimming, football, badminton, volleyball, basketball etc)
- Experience of working with service users with physical and mental health conditions
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to work under pressure
- Group work skills
- Effective team worker
- Ability to lead healthy lifestyle groups
- An understanding of working with people with mental health needs
Desirable criteria
- An understanding of commonly encountered mental health conditions
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
- Deborah Murphy
- Job title
- Deputy Head of Therapies
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 02035134364
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