Job summary
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) will be a senior practitioner working exclusively within the adult acute inpatient wards (Southgate and Northgate), providing expert clinical leadership, advanced nursing practice, and specialist interventions to individuals admitted in acute mental health crisis. The post holder will play a pivotal role in supporting ward teams to deliver safe, therapeutic, and recovery-focused inpatient care, ensuring high standards of clinical practice across the inpatient pathway.
Working as an integral member of the multidisciplinary inpatient team, the CNS will undertake comprehensive and complex mental state and risk assessments, provide advanced clinical formulation, and lead on clinical decision-making for patients with high acuity and complexity. The role will include supporting admission planning, ongoing inpatient care, and discharge processes, ensuring care is timely, person-centred, and least restrictive.
The CNS will provide specialist clinical advice and consultation to nursing and medical colleagues within the inpatient setting, supporting the management of risk, use of the Mental Health Act, positive behavioural support, and reduction of restrictive practices. The post holder will act as a key clinical resource on the wards, offering visible leadership, real-time clinical support, and escalation guidance in response to emerging risks and deterioration.
Main duties of the job
Clinical Practice
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Undertake comprehensive biopsychosocial, mental state, and risk assessments for adults admitted to acute inpatient wards, including individuals with high levels of complexity, risk, and comorbidity.
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Provide advanced clinical formulation and specialist nursing interventions to support stabilisation, recovery, and risk management within the inpatient setting.
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Lead and contribute to clinical decision-making around admission, ongoing inpatient care, use of the Mental Health Act, and discharge planning, ensuring care is person-centred and least restrictive.
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Provide visible clinical leadership during daily ward MDT reviews, safety huddles, handovers, ward rounds, and SBAR planning, supporting timely escalation and risk mitigation.
Leadership, Education & Supervision
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Provide high-quality clinical supervision, reflective practice, and professional support to nursing staff, with a particular focus on junior nurses, newly qualified staff, and preceptors within the inpatient wards
Partnership Working
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Work collaboratively with inpatient MDT colleagues, including medical staff, psychology, occupational therapy, and social care, to ensure coordinated and effective inpatient care.
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Liaise with community mental health teams, AMHP services, bed management, and external agencies to support safe admissions, continuity of care, and effective discharge planning.
About us
Here at NSFT we pride ourselves on being a welcoming, talented, friendly and supportive team who like nothing better than sharing experiences and learning from each other. In addition to ongoing training and development opportunities, we are committed to providing an environment in which you can thrive.
Why work for us? We have challenges as a Trust, but we have ambitious aspirations, are pushing ahead with exciting transformation work and we need dedicated individuals to support us on our journey. We have strong, established professional networks coupled with an exceptional leadership team who will ensure you are truly cared for and cared about.
Why Norfolk and Suffolk? The people here are warm and welcoming, you'll never be far from the beautiful coastline or Broads National Park. We're an hour and a half away from London and have an international airport in Norwich too. Our villages, towns and cities are packed full of history, independent cafes, shops and theatres. We have excellent shopping, eating out, top ranking schooling and affordable house prices too.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The role requires advanced clinical expertise, leadership capability, and the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced, highly variable crisis environment. The CNS will support the Team Leader and Matron in ensuring the team meets key operational standardsincluding handover quality, response targets, gatekeeping compliance, and safe caseload oversightwhile maintaining a focus on patient experience and staff wellbeing.
In addition, the CNS will take a leading role in inpatient service development and quality improvement, contributing to clinical governance, supervision, staff training, and the implementation of evidence-based frameworks relevant to acute wards. They will role-model compassionate, trauma-informed, and recovery-orientated care, fostering a culture of safety, reflection, and continuous improvement within the inpatient environment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The role requires advanced clinical expertise, leadership capability, and the ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced, highly variable crisis environment. The CNS will support the Team Leader and Matron in ensuring the team meets key operational standardsincluding handover quality, response targets, gatekeeping compliance, and safe caseload oversightwhile maintaining a focus on patient experience and staff wellbeing.
In addition, the CNS will take a leading role in inpatient service development and quality improvement, contributing to clinical governance, supervision, staff training, and the implementation of evidence-based frameworks relevant to acute wards. They will role-model compassionate, trauma-informed, and recovery-orientated care, fostering a culture of safety, reflection, and continuous improvement within the inpatient environment.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience at which has required supervision and mentorship of others.
- Extensive experience of practice within clinical area with proven track record in delivering high quality care.
Qualifications
Essential
- RMN or RNLD professional qualification
- Non-Medical Independent Prescriber
Knowledge
Essential
- Able to demonstrate sound clinical expertise and knowledge of mental health disorders and their treatments
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel to all Trust locations if required.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate widely in a clear manner
- Ability to self-manage time and meet agreed deadlines.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience at which has required supervision and mentorship of others.
- Extensive experience of practice within clinical area with proven track record in delivering high quality care.
Qualifications
Essential
- RMN or RNLD professional qualification
- Non-Medical Independent Prescriber
Knowledge
Essential
- Able to demonstrate sound clinical expertise and knowledge of mental health disorders and their treatments
Other
Essential
- Ability to travel to all Trust locations if required.
Skills
Essential
- Ability to communicate widely in a clear manner
- Ability to self-manage time and meet agreed deadlines.
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.
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 (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
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 (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
