Inpatient Staff Nurse (Wotton Lawn)

Bidvane; Gloucester; Remote; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an inpatient Staff Nurse for its wards at Wotton Lawn Hospital. The role covers care planning, weekly mental state examinations, risk assessment, and medication administration, including depot injections. NMC registration is required and newly qualified nurses are welcome.

The post involves night and weekend duties across four main wards, the psychiatric intensive care unit and low secure unit, with hospital‑wide responsibilities.

Qualifications

• NMC registration as RMN is required.
• Experience in inpatient mental health settings is essential.
• Experience with crisis resolution/home treatment is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Act as named nurse or key worker, assessing care under the NMC Code.
• Develop, implement and evaluate care plans with service users and carers.
• Carry out weekly mental state examinations with risk assessment.
• Administer medication including depot injections and monitor side effects.
• Assist with personal care as outlined in the care plan.
• Liaise with other agencies and attend multi‑agency meetings.

Skills

NMC registration

Inpatient care

Mental health nursing

Medication administration

Care planning

Risk assessment

De-escalation techniques

Education

NMC registration as RMN

Job description

This inpatient staff nurse post sits on the wards at Wotton Lawn Hospital, the acute mental health hospital run by Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust. The named nurse role covers care planning, weekly mental state examinations, risk assessment and medication administration. It spans four main-building wards plus the psychiatric intensive care unit and low secure unit on site, with hospital-wide duties on nights and weekends. NMC registration is required, and newly qualified nurses are welcome to apply.

What the job involves

• Act as named nurse or key worker, assessing care and health education needs under the NMC Code
• Develop, implement and evaluate care plans with service users, carers and other professionals
• Carry out mental and behavioural state examinations, repeated at least weekly, with clinical risk assessment and management plans
• Administer medication including depot injections, monitor side effects and support medicines management within a concordance framework
• Assist with personal care such as bathing and washing, as set out in the care plan, which may be delegated
• Liaise with other agencies and professions, attend multi-agency meetings and advise on NSF guidelines
• Contribute to reports, including for Mental Health Act Tribunals and managers' review meetings
• Maintain accurate written records and entries on Trust databases
• Work with the multidisciplinary team, using clinical judgement including in the absence of medical staff
• Offer psychological intervention per NICE guidance and de-escalate aggression using verbal and physical breakaway skills
• Take charge of the ward in the absence of senior staff, including shift coordination and Mental Health Act compliance
• Provide mentorship, preceptorship, supervision and appraisal to junior staff and other team members

Registration & licences

• NMC registration as a Registered Mental Health Nurse

Experience

• Experience of working in an inpatient or residential setting
• Experience of crisis resolution home treatment

Skills & knowledge

• Working knowledge of early intervention, primary care, recovery, crisis resolution home treatment and social inclusion
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act and legal aspects of mental health care
• Demonstrable skills in risk assessment and management

Other

• Evidence of continued professional development

Nice to have

• Evidence of formal post-registration learning
• Knowledge of child care and protection issues
• Up-to-date clinical knowledge including risk assessment, dual diagnosis and health and social care needs