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Job summary

Main area
Adult Safeguarding
Grade
NHS AFC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 22.5 hours per week
Job ref
354-CO-21901-1
Employer
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Aldrington House
Town
Hove
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 pa pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
02/07/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust logo

Deputy Named Professional for Safeguarding Adults

NHS AFC: Band 7

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

We are seeking an experienced and passionate professional to join our Safeguarding Service as Deputy Named Professional for Safeguarding Adults. This is a key senior role within Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT), supporting staff across all adult services to deliver safe, effective and person‑centred safeguarding practice.
 
Working closely with the Named Professional for Safeguarding Adults, you will provide expert advice, deliver safeguarding training and support operational colleagues to ensure our safeguarding arrangements are robust, compliant and continually improving. You will play a vital role in protecting adults at risk of abuse or neglect and in promoting the principles of Making Safeguarding Personal across the Trust.
 
This is a non-patient facing role.
 
The successful applicant must be a qualified professional i.e. Social Worker, Nurse or Occupational Therapist.

Main duties of the job

As Deputy Named Professional for Safeguarding Adults, you will:
  • Provide expert adult safeguarding advice and guidance to staff across all SPFT services
  • Support the Trust in meeting its statutory safeguarding duties, including the monitoring of Section 42 safeguarding enquiries
  • Deliver and develop safeguarding adults training sessions online and in-person. 
  • Promote high‑quality, person‑centred safeguarding practice aligned with Making Safeguarding Personal
  • Work collaboratively with internal teams and external partner agencies across Sussex
  • Contribute to safeguarding incident management, learning and quality improvement activity
  • Support the monitoring, analysis and reporting of safeguarding data and trends
  • Deputise for the Named Professional for Safeguarding Adults as required

Working for our organisation

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health, learning disability and neurodevelopmental services for people across Sussex. Safeguarding is central to everything we do, and our Safeguarding Service plays a crucial role in supporting staff, improving practice and keeping people safe.
 
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and we actively promote dignity, respect and human rights in both service delivery and employment. We offer supportive leadership, opportunities for professional development and the chance to work at a strategic level with a wide range of partners, including local authorities, NHS organisations, safeguarding boards and the police.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder will work with all staff groups across the Trust who deliver adult services, providing operational support, expert safeguarding advice and leadership. Key responsibilities include:
  • Supporting safe, effective and lawful safeguarding adults practice across all services
  • Providing specialist input into complex safeguarding concerns and incidents
  • Monitoring safeguarding risks and escalating concerns appropriately
  • Sharing learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews and Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews
  • Delivering safeguarding adults training through a rolling programme
  • Contributing to internal Quality Reviews of SPFT wards and community teams to identify best practice and areas for development
  • Building and maintaining strong working relationships with internal teams and external partners
  • Representing the Trust at multi‑agency  safeguarding meetings including MARAC

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • A relevant Nursing, Social Work or Allied Health Professional qualification
  • Evidence of continued professional development

Knowledge/Experience

Essential criteria
  • Significant post-qualification experience of working in a statutory health or social care setting
  • Experience of achieving positive outcomes for service users and the community through multidisciplinary and partnership working
  • Experience in leading and managing complex situations and conveying complex and sensitive information to a large range of audiences
  • Experience of participation in Care Act Adult Safeguarding Section 42 enquiries
  • Experience of identifying and managing risk and planning appropriate interventions
  • Knowledge of the national safeguarding adults' agenda and practice and local policies and procedures
  • Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, and the Care Act 2014
  • Knowledge of the different stakeholder roles and relationships in safeguarding work

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.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Application numbers

Due to high numbers of applications this vacancy may close before the advertised closing date. We will not be able to accept late applications to this post.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Liam Sargent
Job title
Named Professional for Safeguarding Adults
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07738757409
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