MHA Coordinator

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in London seeks a detail‑driven MHA Administration Officer to support compliance with the Mental Health Act 1983, advise clinical teams, and maintain accurate records across MH Law processes.

You will liaise with the Mental Health Tribunal, assist in hearings and deputise for the Senior MHA Coordinator when required, contributing to high‑quality administration across Trust sites.

Qualifications

• Experience of working within Mental Health Act administration services or legal related work.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
• GCSE English and Maths or equivalent.
• Experience using IT software, databases and spreadsheets.

Responsibilities

• Support MDTs to increase compliance with the MHA by reviewing data to identify areas where good practice measures are required.
• Support frontline clinical teams to help identify MHA issues and address potential errors, and attend clinical reviews and relevant meetings.
• Provide administrative support to the MHL Law Team/Tribunal Team and the Associate Hospital Managers Hearing Team.
• Deputise for the Senior MHA Coordinator when required in their absence.
• Organise and facilitate patient hearings.
• Meet and maintain Trust standards for the MH Law Team.

Skills

GCSE English & Maths

IT Software

Database & Spreadsheet

Office procedures

Secretarial/Admin

Job description

The successful candidates will play a key role in ensuring compliance with the Mental Health Act 1983, supporting the delivery of high-quality MHA administration services, and providing advice and guidance to clinical teams on statutory processes and requirements. Applicants should have experience of working within Mental Health Act administration services or legal related work, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.

• To support the MDTs to increase compliance with the MHA by reviewing data to identify areas where good practice measures are required.
• To support members of the frontline clinical teams to help identify MHA issues and address potential errors before they occur, and where necessary, attend clinical reviews and relevant meetings
• To provide administrative support to the MHL Law Team/Tribunal Team and the Associate Hospital Managers Hearing Team.
• To deputise for the Senior MHA Coordinator when required in their absence
• To organise and facilitate patient hearings
• To meet and maintain Trust standards for the MH Law Team

Main duties of the job

1. Provide administration support to the Senior MHA Coordinator and MHA Team Leader including additional support to the AHM hearing team when required.
2. The post holder will be providing MHA administration to individual wards through a newly created Mental Health Act In-Reaching Model.
3. To support the Senior MHA Coordinator to complete the weekly reminder table for all MHA actions and compliance.
4. To ensure the rights of patients are supported through close working relationships with the Mental Health Tribunal service and the Associate Hospital Managers hearing systems. The post holder will arrange and co‑ordinate all hearings/reviews.
5. To ensure records are maintained in an orderly manner including use of the MHA tab on the patient record system and any other clinical systems, registers/logs managed by the MH Law team.
6. To raise the profile of the MH Law department and maintain professionalism through liaison with patients, carers, staff including external stakeholders in relation to the operation of the Act as appropriate.
7. To be available to attend and support with Care Quality Commission visits at short notice.
8. To provide cover at all Trust Sites when required

Experience Essential

• oGCSE or equivalent English and Maths
• Experience of IT Software
• Ability to use a database and spreadsheet
• In depth working knowledge of office procedures
• Experience of working in a secretarial / administrative capacity

Desirable

• Experience in legal related work
• Experience of a Mental Health treatment setting
• Experience in the operation of the Mental Health Act, Good communication skills both written and oral
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to plan schedules and meet strict deadlines
• Ability to communicate at all levels
• Ability to work as a team member
• Ability to work under pressure
• Flexible approach to work
• Ability to use own initiative
• Ability to prioritise and case manage the workload

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.

SLaM employ around 5000 staff and serve a local population of 1.1 million people. We have more than 230 services including inpatient wards, outpatient and community services. Currently, provide inpatient care for approximately 5,300 people each year and treat more than 45,000 patients in the community in Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark; as well as substance misuse services for residents of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich.