Community Forensic Nurse

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust; Northampton; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare foundation trust in Northampton is seeking a Community Forensic Nurse to join their innovative team in managing complex forensic patients within the community. The successful candidate will provide a range of interventions, including crisis prevention and emotional support, in collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams. Applicants should have current nursing registration and relevant experience in both forensic and community mental health settings. This role requires flexibility and effective communication skills, with a 12-month fixed contract offered.

Qualifications

• Current registration with NMC.
• Experience working at Band 6 or extensive Band 5 experience.
• Experience in forensic mental health and community mental health settings.

Responsibilities

• Support service users through various interventions.
• Manage active and community caseloads.
• Act as Social Supervisor for patients under s41 MHA.
• Coordinate recalls and manage risks as needed.

Skills

Excellent communication

Problem solving

Analytical skills

Reflective skills

Education

Nursing qualification with current registration

Job description

Community Forensic Nurse

The closing date is 10 February 2026

The Community Forensic Team have an exciting opportunity to offer a 12 month fixed contract or secondment for a Band 6 nurse to join their innovative team in managing complex forensic patients within a community setting.

The position will be based at Newland House, Northampton and the applicant will be expected to work across Northamptonshire in the countywide service providing specialist forensic follow up to a protected caseload within patients' homes, inpatient settings, community services and supported accommodations.

The Community Forensic Team offers case care coordination and/or social supervision for service users who present a high risk to others due to an enduring mental illness that directly links to their offending. Many are serious offenders who have had contact with the criminal justice system.

The service is a multi‑disciplinary team including Social Workers, Community Psychiatric Nurses, Support Workers, Forensic Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologist and an Employment Specialist.

The Community Forensic Team offers service users a range of interventions both practically and psychosocially to establish treatment needs and long‑term recovery. The team carries out ongoing clinical intervention and risk management and balances this with person‑centred care and compassion.

Main duties of the job

Service users are supported through:

• Symptom management and development of coping strategies
• Practical support with accommodation, finances, employment, training and social care
• Crisis prevention and management
• Emotional support for service users and carers
• Dynamic risk assessment to enable intervention in the least restrictive environment and reduce risk to the public

The team also manages an active tracking caseload alongside the community caseload, monitoring Northamptonshire patients in inpatient settings ranging from low secure to open and locked rehabilitation units. Responsibilities include:

• Attending annual CPA reviews
• Maintaining close links with inpatient teams and local services to support safe discharge planning
• Attending Tribunals and Managers' Hearings and providing social circumstance reports
• Attending Ward Rounds and assessing discharge readinessProviding in‑reach support and building therapeutic relationships prior to discharge
• Acting as Care Co‑ordinator/Social Supervisor in the community following discharge

Ministry of Justice responsibilities:

• Acting as Social Supervisor for patients subject to s41 MHA
• Completing quarterly MOJ reports, signed off by the team manager
• Liaising with the MOJ regarding progress, risk and potential recall
• Working with the Responsible Clinician to coordinate recalls and bed management when required

About us

NHFT is an NHS Community and Mental Health Foundation Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in hospital settings and in the community. We provide over 200 services across the county – as well as some specialist services in bordering and nearby counties. We work together with our partners to ensure that everyone who comes through our doors receives compassionate, person‑centred care, regardless of their background or circumstances.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning, to improve the care and safety of our patients and colleagues. We have achieved our 'outstanding' rating by encouraging opportunity, innovation, development and growth across our workforce.

The applicant will be expected to travel across the county and to attend assessments / reviews in hospitals across the country and will need to have access to their own transport to facilitate this.

Job responsibilities

The successful candidate will work within an MDT in order to provide a high quality care to the designated group of patients which promotes a balance between the needs and rights of service users and the protection of the public. Co‑production and working in partnership with patients, carers, the MDT and external agencies will be a key part of the role.

As the successful candidate, you will be an excellent communicator, both orally and in writing with clarity and precision. You will have proven problem solving, analytical and reflective skills, have the ability to function effectively in the face of highly emotional and distressing problems and a strong value base which drives your practice.

Please see Job description and person specification

Person Specification

Experience

• Nursing qualification with current registration with NMC
• Experience of working at Band 6 or extensive band 5 experience
• Previous experience of working in a forensic mental health setting
• Previous experience of working in a community mental health setting

Knowledge

• Knowledge of severe mental health conditions and their treatment
• Knowledge of Forensic Mental health care and complex risk factors

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.