Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity for a Ward Manager to join our busy team at Jasmine Ward in Dartford. The ward is linked to the wards at Little Brook Hospital who will provide your peer support network.

You will be leading the team on Jasmine Ward, which is an 16 bed, female adult acute inpatient mental health ward. Patients who are admitted to Jasmine ward tend to have a diagnosis of dementia and/or are aged above 65 years old with an acute mental illness.

We are looking for an experienced, motivated, patient and staff centred healthcare professional to maintain the high quality care delivery. Jasmine Ward already provides and supports innovation and development. It is essential that you have leadership experience.

Main duties of the job

• Oversee the management of patients in a ward setting with complex mental and physical health needs, using evidence based, person centred, recovery orientated principles and practice.
• Provide clinical and professional leadership for junior staff through supervision and training.
• Support the strategic objectives of Kent and Medway Mental Heath Trust through maintaining the adherence of staff and self to all internal policies and external audit requirements.
• Work on a supernumerary basis and as part of the overall team covering clinical input where required.
• Ensure that a "Duty of Candour" is maintained with service users/carers at all times.
• Ensure services are able to be delivered safely and in accordance with the requirements of the Health and Social Care Act, including monitoring the quality and safety at each site of responsibility, identifying breaches, escalating them and acting on them as soon as possible.
• Be responsible for ensuring a regular process of review is in place to detect incidents that indicate adverse quality of care, and triangulate.

About us
We are Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust. We care for the mental health and wellbeing of people across Kent and Medway and are rated 'Good' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our teams support children, young people and adults with a wide range of mental health needs. We also provide specialist services, including all-age eating disorder services and neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people, such as autism and ADHD.

Because we work across the whole county and across hospital and community settings, we can make care more joined up and easier to access for the people we serve.

Our vision is simple: we are here to help communities not just live with mental illness, but live well. It's why we're passionate about working with communities to make mental health care better for everyone. Everything we do is guided by our values: caring, inclusive, curious and confident.

Join us if you share our passion for better mental health care and want to be part of a team that's working well together.

Job responsibilities
Please refer to the attached job description for the full details on the responsibilities and person specification

The High-Cost Area (HCA) allowance, also referred to as London Weighting is a payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.

As this post is based in Dartford, Gravesham or Swanley, the successful applicant will receive an additional payment each month.

5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,346 per year and a maximum payment of £2,270 per year (the agreed annual amount will be divided into 12 equal amounts and paid monthly) (2026/27 figures)

Person Specification
Education and qualifications
Essential

• Registered Mental Health Nurse or Occupational Therapist
• Preparation of Mentors post-registration qualification
• Dip HE or Degree

Desirable

• Leadership training

Experience
Essential

• Experience as a Deputy Ward Manager within an inpatient setting - or equivalent experience
• Leadership Experience

Desirable

• Experience as a Ward Manager within an inpatient setting - or equivalent experience

Knowledge and Skills
Essential

• Good organisational and time management skills
• Ability to use supervision effectively.
• Ability to work both autonomously and as part of the multidisciplinary team, using initiative

Desirable

• Ability to manage, and work within the framework of, the eRoster, using reporting systems generated by this Roster to enhance quality and efficiency
• Managerial skills which demonstrate application of all Trust Policies, e.g. Capability (Performance Management), Absence Management, Disciplinary, Flexible Working,Infection Prevention and Control, Roster Management, Complaints etc.

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.

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

We are serious about diversity and inclusion, and we are working hard to build this into our DNA. We warmly welcome applications for any of our roles from people from diverse backgrounds, and we are proactively encouraging applications from under-represented communities for our more senior roles, like this one.