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Job summary

Main area
Mental Health
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
354-FH-20659-1
Employer
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
The Chichester centre
Town
Chichester
Salary
£57,528 - £64,750 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
29/10/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust logo

Matron

NHS AfC: Band 8a

Come and join us

We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.

At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.

We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.

We recognise that tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn’t based on your real experience.

Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we’ll explore your examples further at interview, so it’s important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page.

We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.

Job overview

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.

Working for our organisation

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 report https://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.

Detailed job description and main 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 criteria
  • 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 criteria
  • 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.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyDisability confident leaderDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - BronzeCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardStep into healthPride In Veterans

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

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
John Canning
Job title
Nurse Consultnt
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07887632172
Additional information

If you are an inspiring and dedicated nursing leader looking for your next challenge, we would love to hear from you.

 

Additional contact for enquiries:

Debbie Barrington-Smith.   [email protected]

Tel: 0300 304 2062 

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