Clinical Exercise Lead

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity for a Clinical Exercise Lead at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. This role involves implementing sports activities to support the recovery of service users with mental health conditions, working as part of a dedicated occupational therapy team, and engaging with the community to broaden access to physical activities.

Qualifications

• Experience of working as a gym instructor or sports coach.
• Experience of working with groups and individuals, designing exercise programmes.

Responsibilities

• Implement a range of sports and related activities across wards.
• Support service users to engage in physical activity for recovery.
• Promote physical wellbeing via sports and exercise.

Skills

Effective verbal and written communication skills

Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team

Education

Level 3 gym instructor qualification

Sports science or other industry recognised equivalent

Job description

Go back South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Exercise Lead

The closing date is 14 July 2025

An exciting opportunity is available for an enthusiastic and motivated physical activity instructor to join the occupational therapy/physio team at Lambeth hospital. You will be joining an established team that is passionate about improving the physical wellbeing of our service users across the wards, as well as broadening their access to sports and activities in the community.

If you have an interest in supporting the recovery of people with mental health conditions through physical activity then this could be the role for you.

The successful applicant will need to be resilient, resourceful and confident and have a good sense of humour. In return you will be well supported by the occupational therapists and physios and warmly welcomed by the ward staff and service users.

Please be aware that we will be unable to provide sponsorship for this role.

For further details / informal visits contact: Name Deborah Milburn Job title Lead Occupational Therapist Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 07849734095

Job summary

An exciting opportunity is available for an enthusiastic and motivated physical activity instructor to join the occupational therapy/physio team at Lambeth hospital. You will be joining an established team that is passionate about improving the physical wellbeing of our service users across the wards, as well as broadening their access to sports and activities in the community.

If you have an interest in supporting the recovery of people with mental health conditions through physical activity then this could be the role for you.

The successful applicant will need to be resilient, resourceful and confident and have a good sense of humour. In return you will be well supported by the occupational therapists and physios and warmly welcomed by the ward staff and service users.

Please be aware that we will be unable to provide sponsorship for this role.

For further details / informal visits contact: Name Deborah Milburn Job title Lead Occupational Therapist Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 07849734095

Main duties of the job

oTo implement a range of sports and related activities either 1-1 or group across wards at Lambeth Hospital as part of the therapeutic timetable.

oTo support service users to engage in sports and exercise as part of the recovery process and to promote physical wellbeing via sports and exercise to service users and staff.

oTo develop and maintain up to date knowledge of resources providing sports and activities in the community, and to support service users to access these.

oTo ensure that interventions offered are evidence based and consistent with best practice.

oTo work in partnership with the OT team and undertake 1-1 sessions as requested by ward occupational therapists.

About us

About South London and Maudsley:

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.

The occupational therapy team at Lambeth hospital works to promote mental and physical wellbeing across the acute wards as part of the recovery journey. You will be part of a supportive and creative team and will get the opportunity to work in the hospital setting as well as providing a bridge into the community alongside the occupational therapists.

The team has regular meetings and team members are encouraged to take time for CPD activities to enhance their practice.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To promote sports and exercise across the inpatient setting and provide access to a range of activities in this area.

To discuss concerns around any identified medical contraindications to exercise with the wards medical staff via completion of PAR-Q

To be aware of service users history/background/culture and take this into account when considering group and individual sessions.

To promote and support individual choice and maximum independence, respecting service users beliefs and ensuring privacy & dignity.

To have an awareness of the symptoms of a range of mental health conditions, medication and the possible side effects when planning /designing exercise therapy sessions.

Person Specification

TRAINING & QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

• Level 3 gym instructor qualification, Sports science or other industry recognised equivalent
• Experience of working as a gym instructor/sports coach

Desirable

• Register of Exercise Professionals or Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity

KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS

Essential

• Effective verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team

Desirable

• Experience of working with people with mental health or physical health conditions
• Basic understanding of mental health conditions including psychosis

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as a gym instructor/sports tech with groups and individuals, screening, assessing and designing exercise programmes
• Experience of coaching/leading sports activities with service users of differing abilities

Desirable

• Experience of assessing and advising on healthy lifestyle issues
• Ability to teach a variety of sports
• Experience of working with service users with mental health conditions

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please seeNHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Lambeth Hospital, Reay House

108 Landor Road,

Brixton

SW9 9NU

Employer's website

https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

£31,944 to £34,937 a yearper annum inclusive of HCAs