Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust logo

Staff Nurse - Inpatients


Location
Dartford, England
Salary
£34,073 - £40,043 PER ANNUM **RECRUITMENT & RETENTION INCENTIVE INCLUDED**
Profession
Nurse (adult and children)
Grade
Band 5
Deadline
14 Jul 2026
Contract Type
Permanent
Posted Date
30 Jun 2026
Medical Protection — the side of locally employed doctors from £83

Job overview

We are currently looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable and motivated Band 5 Registered Mental Health Nurse to join our friendly Inpatient Unit Team at HMP Swaleside.

Our healthcare team have a real impact on promoting health and well-being to those in prison and we pride ourselves on using skills and strategies that instil hope for patients future resettlement back into the community. We directly deliver Mental Health, Physical Health, Pharmacy and Clinical Substance Misuse in an integrated healthcare delivery model to provide effective and responsive care to improve wellbeing and support better outcomes in the future.

As part of our Inpatient Team, you will enjoy all the benefits of NHS AfC employment (inc pension) with the opportunity to work within a forward-thinking service, who encourage career and personal development to all staff to increase their clinical and interpersonal skills.

Important Sponsorship Information for this post:  we are currently unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

Main duties of the job

  • To work under the direction of senior staff to deliver and constantly strive to improve the offender healthcare services within the inpatient unit.
  • To provide mental health and physical health care based on the principles of timely, comprehensive assessment and evidence based practice.
  • To reduce or mitigate the effects of unhealthy or high risk behaviours (ACCT).
  • To promote effective links with health and related services in the community to ensure continuity of care as appropriate (Care program Approach, CPA)

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ:

All applicants must be willing to undertake National Security Vetting in order to work in a Prison Setting. This will be completed as part of the pre-employment checks through Oxleas and the prison vetting team.

You will need to provide:

Proof of right to work documentation

Proof of ID, needs to include 1 photographic ID

Proof of address documentation

Non-UK passport holders will need to have correct documentation (right to work in the UK) and a Home office Share code.

Address History:

5 years address history will be needed.

Applicants that are not UK Passport holders who provide less than 5 years UK address history will need to provide a Police Certificate which must be in English from where they resided previously.

Applicants who are UK Passport holders who have lived abroad for a period of more than six months during the last three years will need to provide a certificate of good conduct or an overseas police check in English from the countries resided in or visited.

In order to assist you in obtaining a Police Certificate, guidance can be sought from:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

If the country you have resided in is not listed here, you can obtain the necessary information by contacting the relevant Embassy or High Commission for that Country. Their contact details can be found on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website (http://www.fco.gov.uk/en).

The post holder will work as part of a 24 hour multi-disciplinary in-patient team.

The post holder will be part of skilled multidisciplinary teams comprising all healthcare staff, including strategic partners, and prison managing a single referral pathway.

The post holder will be required to undertake training to maximise uptake of screening, health promotion and prevention activity, including vaccinations.

The post holder will ensure a named care co-ordinator is allocated for every patient with complex needs who will ensure a proactive, evidence-based approach to clinical interventions, health promotion/prevention activity, and management of acute and long-term conditions using our stepped care approach.

The post holder will ensure that a single, integrated, care plans developed, and the individualised care is regularly reviewed.

The post holder will ensure that a comprehensive risk assessments and care plans are regularly reviewed in a needs-led review cycle.

The post holder will ensure a care coordination criteria and MDT meetings for patients with complex needs will be tailored to the needs of the establishment.

The post holder will ensure that they undertake all training in evidence-based CBT approaches, to enhance consistency and quality of care delivery

The post holder will support patients to manage their health at every stage, from oral health to long term conditions.   The post holder will ensure that health promotion embedded into every aspect of the service.

Person specification

Skills

Essential

  • • Ability to communicate effectively (written, verbal and non-verbal communication) with patients/relatives and carers and all members of the multi-disciplinary team.
  • • Ability to present ideas with clarity in a persuasive and influential style.
  • • Ability to work effectively and autonomously
  • • Ability to lead and empower people to make decisions and plan ahead.

Experience

Essential

  • • Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
  • • Experience of providing and receiving complex, sensitive information
  • • Working knowledge of current issues/agendas facing healthcare in chosen area of specialism
  • • Experience of setting, monitoring and evaluating standards of care.
  • • Experience of research-based/reflective practice.

Qualification

Essential

  • • Professional NMC Qualification (Registered Mental Health Nurse)
  • • Professional, clinical knowledge acquired through training to degree level or equivalent.

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Applying for this NHS job

This advert is for Staff Nurse - Inpatients with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in Dartford, London, England. It is listed as a Band 5 Nurse (adult and children) role. The advertised salary is £34,073 - £40,043 PER ANNUM **RECRUITMENT & RETENTION INCENTIVE INCLUDED**. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 14 Jul 2026.

Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (30 Jun 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.

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