Head of Mental Health Nursing in Croydon

ABOUT THE ROLE

Unicare is a nurse-led provider supporting adults with autism, learning disabilities, mental health needs and behaviours that challenge, across nine supported living services and community outreach in Surrey, Sussex, Berkshire and South London.

We are appointing a Head of Mental Health Nursing to hold professional and clinical accountability for mental health nursing practice across the group.

This is the senior clinical voice for mental health in the organisation, and it reports directly to the Chief Executive — deliberately, so that a clinical objection is heard at the level where decisions are actually made.

It is not an operational management post.

Services are run by Registered Managers reporting through the Head of Care.

Your authority is professional: you set the standard, you audit against it, and you are expected to say so plainly when it is not being met.

• WHAT YOU WILL OWN
• The mental health clinical governance framework — standards, audit programme, clinical incident review and learning from serious incidents.
• Clinical supervision and the nursing competency framework, including sign-off decisions for delegated mental health related tasks.
• Reduction of restrictive practice across all services, and the quality of Positive Behaviour Support planning.
• Clinical input to referrals, admissions and hospital step-down, including advising when we should decline a placement.
• The professional line for our RMNs and Advanced Practitioner RMNs, and clinical direction of mental health training.
• Clinical assurance evidence for CQC, commissioners and safeguarding partners.
• WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
• NMC registration as an RMN, current, unrestricted and free of conditions.
• At least eight years post-registration, including three years at senior or lead clinical level — NHS Band 8a or a genuine independent sector equivalent.
• Clinical governance leadership you can evidence: a supervision structure, audit cycle or competency framework you built or ran, and what changed as a result.
• Real experience of complex mental health alongside autism or learning disability, behaviours that challenge, self-harm and dual diagnosis.
• Community, outreach or step-down experience. A ward-only career will not suit this role.
• Evidence of reducing restrictive practice and of implementing or overseeing PBS.
• Working command of the Mental Health Act, the Mental Capacity Act, deprivation of liberty and section 117 aftercare.
• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle. Our services span four counties.

Non-medical prescribing (V300), a clinical supervision qualification, and experience of Transforming Care or long-stay hospital discharge pathways are all strongly welcomed and will be reflected in the offer.

WHY THIS POST

Most senior clinical roles of this kind sit three or four layers from the decision-maker.

This one does not.

You will have direct access to the Chief Executive, a genuine remit to set standards rather than administer someone else’s, and an organisation that has deliberately created the post because it wants the challenge that comes with it.

HOW TO APPLY

Please send your CV, together with a short covering note setting out why this role interests you, Applications are reviewed as they arrive and we may close the advert early once we have a strong field.

Unicare Complex Care Specialist Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the adults and children we support.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check, verification of NMC registration, satisfactory references covering your full employment history and proof of your right to work in the UK.

We are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and will make reasonable adjustments at every stage of the process.