Job summary
Dune Ward is a specialist dementia assessment and treatment ward providing high-quality, person-centred care for older adults living with dementia and complex mental health needs. Our multidisciplinary team is passionate about delivering compassionate, therapeutic, and recovery-focused care in a safe and supportive environment.

As part of our team, you will have the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of patients and their families by supporting assessment, treatment, care planning, and the delivery of meaningful therapeutic interventions.

We are looking for individuals who:

• Are compassionate, caring, and committed to improving patient outcomes.
• Have excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• Are passionate about dementia care and older adult mental health.
• Can demonstrate professionalism, resilience, and a positive attitude.
• Share our commitment to providing outstanding patient care.

Join Dune Ward and become part of a dedicated team making a meaningful difference every day. Together, we strive to provide exceptional dementia care while supporting patients and their families through their journey.

Main duties of the job

• Assess, plan, implement, and evaluate care for patients with dementia and complex mental health needs.
• Promote person-centred, recovery-focused, and least restrictive care at all times.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive care plans and risk assessments.
• Administer medications safely and in accordance with Trust policies and NMC standards.
• Monitor both physical and mental health, escalating concerns appropriately.
• Support patients experiencing distress, agitation, behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD), and other mental health presentations.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and legally compliant clinical records.
• Lead and coordinate shifts when required, ensuring safe and effective ward functioning.
• Participate in multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, ward rounds, discharge planning, and reviews.

About us
We are the lead provider of healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism across Bath and North East Somerset (BaNES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

We aim to provide High Quality, Compassionate Care everywhere, every day. This means our services will be safe, clinically effective and provide a positive all round experience for our patients, families and carers. And we believe passionately in treating everyone with kindness, respect and empathy.

Key to this is providing a supportive and safe environment for our 4,000 staff where we all feel welcome and able to do the best we can for those we support. Our staff and teams work incredibly hard delivering services across more than 90 locations, covering 2,200 miles, to more than 1.8 million people.

At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.

Details
Closing date: 15 November 2026
Date posted: 30 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 5
Salary: £31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 342-NS048-1026

Job responsibilities
Typical shift patterns are: Early Shift (7:00 15:00), Late Shift (13:30 21:30) and Night Shift (21:00 07:30). Each shift includes a 30 minute break.

To carry out clinical practice within designated clinical areas, ensuring that high quality evidence-based nursing assessment, care planning, interventions and evaluations for patients is provided. This will include:

• Undertaking a comprehensive, person-centred, nursing assessment and prepare care plans in consultation with the service users to provide the best nursing care.
• Implementation of care and rehabilitation programme.
• Evaluation of effectiveness of care provided in partnership with service users.
• Ability to implement research-based practice.
• Ability to administer medicine within relevant Trust and legislative guidance e.g. NMC Standards for Medicines Management 2010 and the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
• Ability to undertake risk assessment and develop risk management strategies for individual clients; ICPA/SAP to people who present with mental health problems.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the key elements of relevant Mental Health Legislation.
• Ensure the ordering, storage, administration and disposal of medication complies with relevant trust and legislative guidance e.g. NMC Standards for Medicines Management 2010, Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and MHA (1983).

Person Specification
Essential

• Mental Health Nursing Degree
• NMC pin
• Ability to maintain accurate, appropriate records
• Knowledge of medication rounds and safe administration and disposal of drugs
• De-escalation and listening skills
• Able to communicate effectively and efficiently

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details
Employer name: Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Address: Dune Ward, Long Fox Unit, Grange Road, Weston Super mare, BS23 4TS, United Kingdom
Employer's website: Apply through our website

For questions about the job, contact:
Ward Manager Hannah Jesseeh, hannah.jesseeh@nhs.net, 01934836500