Learning Disability Nurse (Development Role)

Oxleas; West of England; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting a Learning Disability Nurse for a Band 5 development role across HMP Ashfield and HMP Leyhill. You will work in a multidisciplinary team delivering person-centred care to adults with learning disabilities in a custodial setting.

This development pathway moves you from Band 5 toward Band 6, with supervision and training to build clinical leadership and autonomy, subject to completion of the agreed plan and interview outcomes.

Qualifications

• Registered Learning Disability Nurse preferred.
• Experience in custodial/secure settings advantageous.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, deliver and evaluate care for adults with learning disabilities in a prison setting.
• Manage a caseload with supervision appropriate to Band 5 level.
• Support medicines management, risk assessment and care planning.
• Contribute to health promotion, education and service improvement.

Job description

Learning Disability Nurse (Development Role)

Band 5

Main area Prison Nursing Grade Band 5 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (4 days per week - 3 days at Ashfield, 1 day at Leyhill) Job ref 277-8338943-ASH

Site HMP Ashfield Town Bristol Salary £32,073 - £48,117 Development role - start at Band 5 Salary period Yearly Closing 26/10/2026 23:59

Job overview

Are you a newly qualified Learning Disability Nurse, or an experienced nurse looking to develop your skills in a supportive and specialist environment?

We are offering an exciting Band 5 to Band 6 development opportunity at HMP Ashfield. You will join a multidisciplinary healthcare team providing high-quality, person-centred care to people with learning disabilities and complex health needs within a custodial setting.

You will initially be appointed at Band 5 and supported through a structured development plan designed to build the knowledge, skills and competencies required for a Band 6 role. You will receive supervision, learning opportunities and practical experience to help you develop your confidence, clinical decision-making and leadership skills.

Please note that progression to Band 6 is not automatic or guaranteed. Progression will depend on successfully completing the agreed development plan, demonstrating the required Band 6 competencies and being successful at interview for a Band 6 position.

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

Main duties of the job

Working as part of the multidisciplinary team, you will assess, plan, deliver and evaluate care for people with learning disabilities, helping to reduce health inequalities and improve access to appropriate healthcare.

You will manage an allocated caseload with support and supervision appropriate to your level of experience. The role will include completing specialist and holistic assessments, developing care plans, supporting safe medicines management, assessing clinical risk and promoting physical, emotional and social wellbeing.

You will work closely with prison colleagues, healthcare professionals and external services to ensure care is coordinated, accessible and appropriately adjusted to meet individual needs. You will also contribute to health promotion, staff education, service development, clinical audit and quality improvement.

As you progress through the development pathway, you will be supported to take on greater clinical autonomy, contribute to leadership within the team and support the learning and development of students and junior colleagues.

This post is based across both HMP Ashfield and HMP Leyhill. You will be required to work 3 shifts per week at HMP Ashfield (7.30am-5.30pm) and 1 shift per week at HMP Leyhill (7.30am - 5pm).A full driving licence and the ability to travel between sites are essential.

Working for our organisation

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes.

We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We Listen
• We Care

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The successful candidate will be a Registered Learning Disability Nurse who is committed to delivering compassionate, evidence-based care in a prison environment. Applications are welcomed from newly qualified nurses, including those completing preceptorship, and nurses with limited post-registration experience who are motivated to develop professionally.

At Band 5, you will work under appropriate supervision while developing your ability to manage a caseload, complete comprehensive assessments, identify clinical risks and plan effective interventions. You will support people with learning disabilities to understand and participate in decisions about their care, using accessible communication and making reasonable adjustments where required.

You will maintain accurate clinical records, contribute to multidisciplinary discussions and make appropriate referrals to other healthcare professionals and services. You will work in accordance with the NMC Code, relevant legislation and Trust policies, including requirements relating to safeguarding, confidentiality, medicines management and risk management.

Your development plan will be agreed with your manager and will identify the experience, training and competencies required to demonstrate readiness for a Band 6 role. This may include developing greater clinical autonomy, leadership skills, complex case management, supervision, teaching, audit and service improvement experience.

Progression to Band 6 will only be considered once the agreed competencies have been achieved and a suitable Band 6 opportunity is available. Successful completion of the development plan does not guarantee promotion, and you will be required to undertake a formal interview and appointment process for progression to Band 6.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ :

All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.

You will need to provide:

Proof of right to work documentation

Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographic ID

Proof of address documentation

Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.

Address History:

5 years address history will be needed.

Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously.

Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited.

In order to assist you in obtaining a Police Certificate, guidance can be soughtfrom:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website ( http://www.fco.gov.uk/en ).

Person specification

Education & Qualifications

Experience

• Previous experience working in a learning disability team or with patients with learning disabilities
• Experience or interest of Prison/Secure environments

Skills

• Experience and knowledge at providing assessment, formulating plan and delivering intervention

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. Remember, if you meet the minimum criteria for this role and you have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme - Please ensure you select this on your application form. We would encourage you to be open about your needs so we can work with you to design a comfortable and accessible interview experience. Any information you provide regarding a disability or a need for adjustments will be treated in confidence and will only be shared with colleagues who are supporting this request.

If you require any adjustments to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know by adding the relevant details when scheduling your preferred interview date and time. Please feel free to contact the appointing manager to discuss your needs.

We encourage applicants to contact the hiring manager before their interview, if they have any questions about the role or the process. This is a great way to get clarity and prepare effectively for the interview.

If you have declared you are part of the armed forces community, you may be asked to provide evidence during the recruitment process. If you misrepresent this information, your offer may be withdrawn. For Armed Forces specific support, see our webpage: https://oxleas.nhs.uk/armed-forces-community/

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information. AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.