Site Woodlands Town Ipswich Salary £28,392 - £31,157 gross per annum (pro rata) Salary period Yearly Closing 25/10/2026 23:59
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust provides child and adult mental health services, learning disability, wellbeing, older people's and eating disorder services across Norfolk and Suffolk.
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and want to reflect the diversity of our local communities within our teams. We welcome applications from all talented individuals with the relevant qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience.
Please note due to the nature of our roles and patient demographic, you will be required to undertake physical intervention training and remain trained, as required by your role.
Job overview
We have an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join our friendly and compassionate Mental Health Law Team, based in our Suffolk office at Woodlands, Ipswich.
The Mental Health Law Team provide an administrative service to the Trust in the administration and application of the Mental Capacity Act and Mental Health Act for people who are subject to treatment of mental disorder.
The successful candidate/s will have excellent time management and interpersonal skills, have a positive approach and be able to remain calm under pressure. The successful candidate/s will work as part of a team, whilst also working independently on their own initiative.
The post requires a good knowledge of Microsoft Office software packages, such as word and excel, and a knowledge of issues around confidentiality and data protection. You don't need any previous experience of Mental Health law as you will be given full on-the-job training.
If you are an enthusiastic, self-motivated team player with excellent organisational skills and feel that this is the role for you we would love to hear from you.
The post is based in our office at Woodlands, Ipswich. Travel to our other Suffolk site at Wedgwood Unit, Bury St Edmunds will be required and occassionally to our Norfolk offices at Hellesdon Hospital and The Julian Hospital.
Main duties of the job
To complete necessary administrative tasks.
Maintain a thorough understanding and in depth knowledge of the 1983 Mental Health Act (MHA) and the Mental Capacity Act to be able to convert this knowledge into detailed administration of the Acts.
To provide information to patients and their relatives in accordance with the mental health legislation.
To liaise with internal and external partners in relation to processes required by both Acts
To provide timely and effective administrative support to the wards regarding Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards requests/authorisations in relation to the Trust’s duties in the role of Managing Authority.
To process and maintain records for those patients detained under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in line with Trust processes and procedures.
To provide, in conjunction with others, holiday and sickness cover with the Mental Health Law Team at all sites.
To participate in on-going audits and service development within the team.
To undertake any other appropriate tasks as requested by the Mental Health Law Team Leader/Mental Health Law Manager to meet the needs of the service.
Working for our organisation
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.
Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established nursing networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.
Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you’ll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We’re an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.
Some of the benefits you can expect:
- 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)
- NHS discounts and many more
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please note that this role does not meet the UKVI eligibility requirements for a skilled worker visa. The Trust will not be able to issue a Certificate of Sponsorship, so any successfully appointed candidate will need to maintain their own independent right to work for the duration of their role. If you require sponsorship and apply for this role, regrettably, your application will be withdrawn.
Person specification
Qualifications
- Educated to GCSE level or equivalent
- PG Certificate in Mental Health Law
Experience
- Relevant experience in administration including a range of organisational non routine procedures, policies and practice
- Investigation of a variety of complex issues and proposing solutions
- Dealing with complex enquiries
- Previous experience in the investigation of complex legal issues
Knowledge
- A comprehensive understanding of what the Mental Health Act 1983 is there for and how it should be administered
- An understand of the legal framework for people detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983
Skills
- Ability to prioritise conflicting requirements
- Ability to communicate orally and in writing with a wide range of people
Other
- Ability to work as part of a team.
- Able to work proactively on own initiative with minimal supervision.
- Ability to work to strict deadlines and able to prioritise own and others work load.
We can provide all our job application materials in alternative formats so that these are accessible to everyone. Should you require any documents within this job pack in an alternative format, please do not hesitate to contact us at recruitment@nsft.nhs.uk.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES Apart from its legal duties in relation to equality and diversity, the Trust recognises and actively promotes the benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of race, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief.
As a part of the Disability Confident Employer Guaranteed Interview Scheme we interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job vacancy (outlined in the Person Specification).. We encourage you to indicate your eligibility through TRAC jobs when applying.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post may be 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.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Name Chris Branicki Job title Mental Health Law Team Manager (Suffolk) Email address chris.branicki@nsft.nhs.uk Telephone number 07810657833
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Mental Health Act Compliance Officer in Ipswich employer: Nsft.
Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work environment for Electricians in Norwich. With a strong commitment to employee wellbeing, we provide generous benefits such as a competitive salary, extensive annual leave, and access to professional development opportunities, ensuring that our team members can thrive both personally and professionally while contributing to vital mental health services in the community.
