Ward Manager - Lark Ward

NHS; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS trust is seeking a dedicated Ward Manager for Lark Ward, a Male Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit. This role involves strong leadership, compliance with mental health regulations, and active participation in quality improvement projects. Ideal candidates should have a background in mental health nursing and proven experience in team management, with the opportunity to make a significant impact on patient care.

Benefits

NHS pension

Comprehensive in-house & external training programs

Career progression

Annual leave starting at 27 days

Staff physio service

NHS discounts

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience at a senior clinical level including staff management.
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act and its application.
• Willingness to be trained in PMVA.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership ensuring high-quality care for patients.
• Support multidisciplinary teams and ensure compliance with regulations.
• Conduct risk assessments and manage complex cases.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Decision-making

Clinical treatment

Education

Registered Mental Health Nurse

Job description

Job summary

Lark Ward is a10-bed Male Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) with an attached 136 Suite, providing care for individuals requiring a high level of mental health support.

As the ward team manager you will:

• Provide strong and effective leadership to ensure high-quality care for patients.
• Support and develop the multidisciplinary team, fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.
• Ensure compliance with the Mental Health Act and other relevant policies and procedures.
• Conduct risk assessments and implement strategies to manage complex cases.
• Drive Quality Improvement (QI) projects, ensuring Lark Ward continues to evolve and enhance patient outcomes.
• Act as a role model, demonstrating empathy, professionalism, and approachability to both patients and staff.
• Have proven leadership skills with experience in a mental health setting.
• Strong communication and decision-making abilities.
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act, risk assessment, and safeguarding practices.

At Lark Ward, we pride ourselves on fostering a supportive and innovative environment. You will have the opportunity to contribute to meaningful quality improvement projects and work within a dedicated team that is passionate about making a difference.

Main duties of the job

Lark Ward is seeking a dedicated and compassionate Ward Manager to take on an active leadership role and model excellence in patient care. The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong knowledge of the Mental Health Act and its application in practice.
• Excellent record-keeping skills, including care documentation and audit compliance.
• Effective communication within the multi-disciplinary team and with external professionals, such as social care.
• Leadership in patient advocacy, ensuring patient needs are met while providing staff with the necessary support.
• Commitment to staying updated with NICE guidelines and local procedures, ensuring the team is informed of any changes.
• Lead responsibilities in a specific ward area, such as infection control or safeguarding.
• Gatekeeping responsibilities, facilitating the safe, timely, and effective transfer of patients in and out of the PICU ward.
• Provision of supervision to allocated staff members.
• Participation in Quality Improvement projects to enhance patient care and service delivery.
• Training in, or willingness to be trained in, Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression (PMVA).

If you are passionate about providing high-quality mental health care and leading a team towards excellence, we would love to hear from you!

About us

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.

Benefits included with this role are:-

• NHS pension
• a comprehensive in house & external training programmes
• career progression
• starting annual leave of 27 days per annum increasing to 33 days pa based on length of service (plus paid bank holidays)
• staff physio service
• NHS discounts and many more.

Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing their experiences and learning from each other.

NSFT is committed to lifelong learning and continuous professional development (CPD) for its entire staff. There are a variety of definitions of CPD across the professions but it is usually taken to mean learning activities which update existing skills.CPD is determined through appraisal with a personal development plan agreed between an individual and their manager, with the commitment of the necessary time and resources.

Details Date posted

09 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£47,810 to £54,710 a year gross per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

246-ESU7033654-B

Job locations

Lark ward, Woodlands Unit

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Job description Job responsibilities

Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!

Interview dates are provisional; you will be contacted via email and invited to book a time. These emails may go to your SPAM, so please keep checking all your emails if applying.

Please visit our Facebook and Twitter page @NSFTjobs

* Previous applicants need not apply *

Job description Job responsibilities

Please find attached our Job Description and Person Specification for more detail on your Key Accountabilities, then if you feel you have what it takes to make a difference in your local communities, click APPLY!

Interview dates are provisional; you will be contacted via email and invited to book a time. These emails may go to your SPAM, so please keep checking all your emails if applying.

Please visit our Facebook and Twitter page @NSFTjobs

* Previous applicants need not apply *

Person Specification Experience Essential

• Able to demonstrate experience at a senior clinical level including staff management/supervision experience.
• Experience of working within a multi disciplinary team

Desirable

• Evidence of leading a team through change
• Qualified as a nurse in excess of 2 years

Qualifications Essential

• Registered Mental Health Nurse
• Ongoing Professional Development

Desirable

• Higher degree or post graduate certificate in area of clinical / therapeutic practice.

Skills Essential

• Competent and effective treatment skills.

Person Specification Experience Essential

• Able to demonstrate experience at a senior clinical level including staff management/supervision experience.
• Experience of working within a multi disciplinary team

Desirable

• Evidence of leading a team through change
• Qualified as a nurse in excess of 2 years

Qualifications Essential

• Registered Mental Health Nurse
• Ongoing Professional Development

Desirable

• Higher degree or post graduate certificate in area of clinical / therapeutic practice.

Skills Essential

• Competent and effective treatment skills.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust

Address

Lark ward, Woodlands Unit

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Employer's website

https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Pages/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust

Address

Lark ward, Woodlands Unit

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Employer's website

https://www.nsft.nhs.uk/Pages/Home.aspx (Opens in a new tab)