Senior Clinical Exercise Instructor

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to providing high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for the care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.

As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

The South London and Maudsley NHS Trust is looking for a full-time band 5 advanced clinical exercise instructor based at the Maudsley Hospital.

You will be part of a team of physiotherapists and clinical exercise instructors that support service users with physical and mental health needs. We are ideally looking for an exercise instructor with experience in working in mental health to promote and deliver exercise classes both in groups and one-on-one as well as managing our gym facilities. You will need to be flexible, enthusiastic, and keen to promote the importance and value of exercise to our patients and staff. Exercise professionals with degree qualifications or related equivalence in experience are welcome to apply.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide comprehensive physical activity and clinical exercise programmes to working age adult acute inpatient wards. This service is to be provided both in the central gymnasium at the NDBH and on the Maudsley wards. There will be occasions for the post holder to organise and establish a borough-wide community Clinical Exercise group.

The post holder will coordinate a first-class service that includes assessment and monitoring of physical health, maintaining service users' rights, supervising junior staff and students, working collaboratively with the Multi-Disciplinary Team, and maintaining a safe and therapeutic working environment and accurate record-keeping. You will be expected to provide an equitable clinical exercise service and help create appropriate exercise regimes to match all environments across wards.

The post holder will be working in collaboration with other Clinical Exercise professionals as well as physiotherapists and occupational therapists to produce and coordinate the dissemination of physical health programs and raise awareness of the benefits of physical activity as a means to promoting healthier lifestyles.

Working for our organisation

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provides 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.

By coming to work at SLaM, you will gain experience of being part of an organisation with a rich history and international reputation in mental health care. You will have access to professional development and learning opportunities, and have the chance to work alongside people who are world leaders in their field. SLaM provides an extensive range of learning opportunities for staff at all levels. In addition, our working relationship with King's Health Partners allows those working at the Trust to get involved in academic research.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Responsibility for planning and providing a comprehensive need-led programme of exercise and physical activity to clients on adult acute inpatient wards. This will include developing and maintaining a comprehensive clinical exercise and rehabilitation programme guided by both evidence-based practice and service user preferences.

To be aware of new developments in mental health and sports medicine. To use health promotional strategies to inform staff and patients and to ensure the service develops in line with current trends within mental health and in physical activity and exercise.

To use a variety of techniques to apply the principles of clinical exercise as part of the range of therapeutic interventions provided by the wards' multi-disciplinary teams, and to involve service users and their carers where appropriate.

In accordance with The Health and Safety Act, ensure the gym is assessed continually, ensuring that it is a safe environment for all relevant sporting activities to take place there, including provision and maintenance of gymnasium equipment.

To ensure that relevant National and Local charters, standards and NHS Trust policies and procedures are followed.

To provide clinical feedback to MDT which includes contributing to patient treatment plans and use of the Electronic Patient Journey System.

To be responsible for the physical screening of patients to ensure their safety whilst participating in exercise sessions. To record and monitor the physical health of patients whilst they're undergoing a physical programme.

To support on service development projects delegated by the Clinical Exercise Lead. To supervise junior exercise instructors and students and act as a role model in promoting effective and professional team working as the lead for physical activities in the clinical exercise day programme.

To liaise with outside agencies (e.g., local leisure facility providers/voluntary organisations) as required, with the aim of facilitating clients to exercise independently after discharge from the wards/Trust.

Person specification

Education/Qualification

Essential criteria

• ACSM Exercise Instructor or Equivalent i.e., NVQ 2/3
• Level 3 Personal Trainer Qualification or other equivalent qualification to level 3

Desirable criteria

• Degree in Sports Science or other related field.
• Other Coaching Qualifications
• Member of any relevant professional interest group/organisation (e.g., BACPR, CIMSPA, CEP UK)

Experience /Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Experience as an exercise instructor.
• Experience with organising and teaching a variety of sporting, exercise or movement related activities.
• Experience of integrated MDT working.
• Experience of working collaboratively with service users with complex physical and/or mental health needs.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working with clients from a variety of cultural backgrounds and understanding of the related issues.
• Experience of working as exercise instructor with groups and individuals; screening, assessing and designing individual exercise programmes.
• Experience of supervising junior staff and students.

Skills/Abilities

Essential criteria

• Able to demonstrate advanced exercise prescription skills in a mental health inpatient setting.
• The ability to design exercise interventions based on individual needs and ability to understand the physical and psychological impact of these interventions.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and to work with the needs of minority groups.
• An understanding of NHS policy and priorities in relation to mental health services.

Desirable criteria

• An understanding of issues relating to clinical exercise and physical activity within health services.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of lifestyle medicine and its evidence base for the treatment of both physical and emotional health.
• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own workload.

Other

Essential criteria

• Willingness to develop and advance own learning

Desirable criteria

• Lived experience of mental health problems/challenges
• Membership of relevant professional specialist interest group

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity

Please note:

• That all applications for this post will need to be made online
• That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria
• That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should a sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible
• That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs
• That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not been successful
• That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees
• That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process
• That we are a smoke-free Trust

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion, Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe.