Clinical Charge Nurse (National Psychosis Unit) | South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; City Of London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in the UK seeks a skilled Clinical Charge Nurse to join their senior nursing team. You will lead nursing care for patients with complex mental illnesses, ensuring high standards of care and adherence to professional conduct. Successful candidates will be registered nurses with preceptorship experience and a passion for psychosis and service improvement. This role offers a chance to make a significant impact on patient care within a supportive team environment.

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse status with NMC.
• Interest in psychosis and physical health.
• Ability to deliver safe nursing care.

Responsibilities

• Lead the assessment and management of service user care needs.
• Coordinate collaborative patient-centred care with the MDT.
• Administer medication and monitor service user compliance.
• Complete reports on patient progress and treatment updates.

Skills

Psychosis knowledge

Clinical leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Patient care

Education

Registered Nurse

Completed preceptorship

NMC Practice Assessor

Job description

The National Psychosis Unit is looking for a highly skilled and motivated nurse to join our senior nursing team and wider MDT as a Clinical Charge Nurse (Band 6). We are looking for a nurse that is driven to provide and role model high standards of quality nursing care to patients suffering with complex mental illness, comorbid physical health and psychosocial difficulties. The post holder will need to be equipped with a strong foundation of core nursing skills, an interest in psychosis and physical health, be passionate about service improvement and be able to demonstrate a dynamic and creative approach to the role, team working and service delivery.

The Clinical Charge Nurse role is suitable for Registered Nurses who have successfully completed preceptorship and have registered as an approved NMC Practice Assessor.

The post holder will deliver and advise on the delivery of high quality safe nursing care, ensuring consistently high standards of practice and clinical excellence which comply with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) code of professional conduct.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead in the assessment, admission and management of service user care needs.
• Ensure that service user fundamentals of care needs are met—including nutrition, hydration, hygiene and comfort.
• Be aware of and ensure the care team supports the holistic needs of all service users (psychological, social, physical, recreational and spiritual).
• Coordinate and evaluate collaborative patient-centred care, obtain feedback and improve plans with the multi‑disciplinary team (MDT).
• Manage bed allocation and patient flow, monitoring waiting lists and liaising with health and social care teams.
• Support discharge processes; identify barriers, maintain regular communication with health and social care teams and involve MDT and external professionals in discharge planning.
• Complete monthly reports on patient progress and treatment updates to share with local Integrated Care Boards.
• Carry out nursing procedures that provide safe and effective care and observe physical and mental state, ensuring escalation of concerns where deterioration is observed.
• Administer and monitor side‑effects of medication; monitor service user compliance.
• Undertake and interpret physical health assessments, ongoing monitoring and reviews; record changes and act appropriately.
• Promote healthy lifestyles and provide health promotion advice and support.
• Provide accurate information about care in an accessible format to patients, relatives and carers.
• Liaise and work positively with members of the MDT and partner organisations.
• Work safely to ensure safe custody of medicines, sharps and clinical equipment, reporting all incidents following trust policy.
• Recognise and value service users as individuals, maintaining respect and dignity at all times and ensuring care respects equality and diversity.
• Encourage and empower service users to have an optimum level of responsibility for their individual programme of care; where appropriate, seek cooperation of friends, relatives and carers following ‘recovery’ principles.
• Maintain accurate patient written and electronic records, in line with Trust Policy, using care plans and pathway documents appropriately.
• Contribute towards ongoing service quality, identifying risk issues and responding appropriately if there are changes or incidents relevant to service users.
• Understand and ensure adherence to the Trust risk assessment policy, safeguarding procedures and investigation/referral protocols.
• Help maintain a clean, safe environment and assist service users in maintaining their rooms as necessary.
• Demonstrate awareness of and understanding of relevant up‑to‑date Mental Health Law and legislation (including MCA), ensuring adherence.
• Engage in practice reflection through utilisation of clinical supervision and reflective practice groups; contribute to delivery of supervision to junior staff where appropriate.
• Act as a point of contact for all enquiries, working in partnership with the team manager and MDt to coordinate unit activities.
• Deputise for the team manager in their absence; be accountable for nursing care and management of the unit, maintaining communication with senior staff.
• Assist the team manager in ensuring safe staffing, prioritising and deploying resources within budgetary parameters and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Oversee staffing numbers to ensure they meet safe staffing requirements, reviewing health rosters and addressing any issues.
• Support the team through difficult and challenging situations; investigate incidents and complaints and compile reports for senior management.
• Promote a high standard of written communication and record keeping in accordance with local and national policies.

Leadership and Management

• Encourage openness towards incident reporting and support individuals when incidents occur.
• Recognise nursing practice needing improvement and work with the team manager to take appropriate action.
• Promote a high standard of written communication and record keeping.

Communication

• Maintain confidentiality of information in accordance with Trust Policy.
• Contribute to effective communication with service users, carers, family, friends and staff colleagues.
• Communicate accurate information to and from other departments and service lines as required.
• Lead and participate in team meetings; contribute ideas and demonstrate respect and courtesy towards colleagues.
• Ensure complaints or compliments are dealt with according to Trust policy.
• Work across the team and organisation in a way that demonstrates kindness, respect and togetherness.
• Role model high standards of communication and support others when concerns arise.

Education and Training

• Work within the remit of the trust’s knowledge, skills and framework and national policy, professional and legal frameworks.
• Undertake competency assessments for Band 2‑5 nursing staff; identify and address learning needs through shadowing and informal teaching.
• Link with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) to ensure delivery of care aligns with current teaching standards for pre‑registration and post‑registration nursing.
• Support junior staff to undertake apprenticeships and engage with the SLMH CP programme.
• Facilitate induction of new staff and students; support preceptorship and revalidation processes.
• Oversee formal and informal supervision and appraisal of clinical work.
• Maintain status as a Practice Assessor and participate in training of student nurses.
• Attend and participate in regular personal development and maintain a work development portfolio in compliance with NMC revalidation.
• Deliver personal and development reviews for staff; act as supervisor for designated staff.

Research and Quality

• Measure and develop standards of care through benchmarking data, audits and ensuring compliance with CQC and KPIs.
• Contribute to clinical or governance reviews, monitoring performance in line with trust directives and audit programmes.
• Participate in research, disseminate knowledge and contribute to audit practice development.
• Support service development through awareness and engagement with trust policy and national standards.
• Contribute to quality improvement, benchmarking exercises and innovation.

Important dates: This advert closes on Wednesday 19 Nov 2025.