South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Clinical Nurse Specialist - Physical Health
The closing date is 19 November 2026

Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical Nurse Specialist - Physical Health (Band 7) within our Community Mental Health for Ageing Services (CMHA).

The post is for all the 5 CMHTs so the successful candidate will be expected to work across the teams. Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton, Wandsworth)

This is a newly developed fixed-term role designed to strengthen physical healthcare provision for older adults with dementia, severe mental illness and complex physical health needs across South West London. The post holder will work across our Community Mental Health for Ageing teams, providing specialist physical health expertise, frailty assessment, admission avoidance support and clinical leadership to multidisciplinary teams.

This role offers a unique opportunity to drive integration between mental health, primary care, community services and acute healthcare providers, helping to reduce avoidable hospital admissions, improve physical health outcomes and tackle health inequalities experienced by older adults with mental health needs.

The post requires an experienced, autonomous and innovative clinician who is passionate about improving physical healthcare within mental health services. You will be a visible clinical leader, supporting clinicians to manage complexity, navigate health systems effectively and deliver high-quality person-centred care.

Main duties of the job
The Clinical Nurse Specialist - Physical Health will act as the senior physical health resource across Community Mental Health for Ageing Services, providing specialist consultation, advanced assessment and clinical leadership.

The post holder will:

• Provide expert consultation to clinicians managing patients with complex physical health, frailty and multimorbidity.
• Undertake comprehensive physical health and frailty assessments, including joint visits and assessments alongside CMHA clinicians.
• Support multidisciplinary teams in developing biopsychosocial care plans and proactive management strategies for older adults with complex mental and physical health needs.
• Act as a key liaison between CMHA teams and external providers including General Practice, Primary Care Networks, Community Geriatricians, Hospital at Home, Virtual Wards, Community Nursing Teams, Acute Trusts and Adult Social Care.
• Support admission avoidance initiatives and facilitate access to community alternatives to hospital admission whenever clinically appropriate.
• Assist teams in developing anticipatory care plans, deterioration management plans and crisis planning.
• Identify and manage risks associated with physical deterioration, falls, malnutrition, dehydration, polypharmacy and long-term conditions.
• Deliver education, training, coaching and reflective practice sessions to multidisciplinary colleagues.

About us
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

Unless expressly stated in the job advert the role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.

Details
Date posted: 06 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £58,133 to £65,261 a year per annum inclusive of inner London of HCAS
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 4 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 294-MHCA-8403661-EB
Job locations: Springfield University Hospital, 15 Springfield Drive, London, SW17 0YF, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder will:

• Act as the senior specialist physical health resource across Community Mental Health for Ageing Services.
• Provide specialist consultation and second opinions regarding physical health concerns, deterioration and escalation requirements.
• Undertake advanced physical health and frailty assessments for patients with complex mental and physical healthcare needs.
• Support clinicians to recognise physical health factors contributing to deterioration in mental state, behaviour, functioning and quality of life.
• Participate in multidisciplinary reviews, case discussions and care planning across Community Mental Health for Ageing teams.
• Support management of patients experiencing frequent hospital attendance, repeated healthcare utilisation or complex long-term conditions.
• Assist clinicians in interpreting investigations, hospital correspondence and specialist recommendations.
• Promote integrated care pathways by developing strong partnerships with primary care, community and acute healthcare providers.
• Support alternatives to hospital admission through effective use of Hospital at Home services, Virtual Wards and community-based healthcare resources.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in job applications
If you have used AI to support the preparation of your application, please briefly indicate how it was used within your supporting statement or application form.

Please remember, your application is your opportunity to tell us about your skills, experience and motivation for the role. We encourage applicants to complete their application and supporting statement in their own words wherever possible. We recognise that AI tools can be helpful in supporting accessibility, and for improving spelling, grammar and structure.

Applications that rely heavily on AI-generated content can become generic and fail to accurately reflect an applicant's individual experience. Applications that clearly demonstrate your own voice, reflections and experiences are often the most effective and help us better understand your suitability for the role.

Please be aware that information provided in your application and supporting statement may be explored further during the selection process. It is important that all applications accurately represent your own knowledge, skills and experience.

Person Specification
Training & Qualification
Essential

• Registered Nurse (Adult or Mental Health) with current NMC registration.
• Degree level qualification or equivalent professional experience.
• Venepuncture trained
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Significant post-registration experience at Band 6 or above

Desirable

• Experience within a general medical/surgical setting or GP practice.
• Knowledge of CGA principles
• Knowledge of proactive and anticipatory care models

Experience
Essential

• Experience and knowledge in the management of long-term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of assessing and managing physical health crisis with those with a severe mental illness or enduring physical health issues.

Desirable

• Delivery of patient care to reflect and refer to Evidence Based Practice
• Experience of contributing to policy and procedure development and implementation

Knowledge & Skills
Essential

• An awareness and knowledge base of service provided by the Primary Care Mental Health Service for severe, enduring mental illness
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to assess clinical situations quickly and use initiative
• Good time management skills and ability to prioritise
• Effective team worker

Desirable

• Delivery of CQUIN
• Group facilitation skills
• Research and audit skills

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).

Employer details
Employer name: South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust
Address: Springfield University Hospital, 15 Springfield Drive, London, SW17 0YF, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.swlstg.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Katarzyna Wisniewska, katarzyna.wisniewska@swlstg.nhs.uk

Supporting documents
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