Job summary
- Main area
- Administration
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job ref
- 354-CS-21900
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- New CAMHS inpatient site (previously Chalkhill)
- Town
- Haywards Heath,
- Salary
- £25,760 - £27,476 Per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 14/06/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Ward Administrator
NHS AfC: Band 3
Come and join us
We’re looking for people who share our values of compassion, accountability and optimism to help us provide high quality care for the patients, carers, families and communities we serve. We specialise in NHS mental health and learning disability services and we’re proud to make a difference every day.
At SPFT we put people first. We’ll do everything possible to help you feel respected, valued and included. You’ll have opportunities to learn, grow and gain new experiences to support your career, with access to lifelong learning and professional development.
We actively promote flexible working and understand how important work life balance is, especially in healthcare. Whether it’s part time hours, hybrid working or flexible start and finish times, we’ll explore what works for you and the role.
We recognise that tools like AI are becoming part of everyday life and you may choose to use them when preparing your application. We welcome this, as long as what you submit reflects your own experience, skills and voice. AI can be helpful for structuring or refining your answers, but it should not replace your own examples or create content that isn’t based on your real experience.
Our recruitment process is designed to get to know you, and we’ll explore your examples further at interview, so it’s important your application genuinely represents what you bring. You can read more about using AI in applications and interviews on our recruitment process page.
We’re shaping a workplace where ideas are encouraged, technology supports you and everyone has a voice in how we improve. If that sounds like the kind of organisation you want to be part of, we’d love to hear from you.
Job overview
Join Us as We Reopen Our New CAMHS Inpatient Unit
We are pleased to invite applications for Band 3 ward administrator s to join our newly redesigned Children and Young People’s Mental Health Inpatient Unit, reopening in Autumn 2026.
Following extensive co-design with young people, families and staff, and significant investment in our workforce and therapeutic approach, this is an exciting opportunity to work in a modern, recovery-focused inpatient service delivering high-quality, purposeful care to young people with acute mental health needs.
Listen to our EBE podcast here:
Spotify - Stepping Forward | Podcast on Spotify
YouTube - Stepping Forward Podcast - Series 1 - YouTube
About the unit
Our refreshed CAMHS inpatient service is built around:
- Purposeful admissions with early review points
- Structured, therapeutic care programmes delivered across 7 days
- Strong links with crisis and community services, including COAST (Crisis Outreach Acute Support Team),
- Trauma-informed and autism-aware practice
- A focus on least restrictive practice and improving experience and outcomes
- Supportive MDT working, safe staffing and strong clinical leadership
You will work as part of a skilled and supportive multidisciplinary team, delivering therapeutic care to young people and working closely with families and carers from admission through to discharge.
Main duties of the job
As a Ward Administrator, you will provide a comprehensive range of administrative and reception services to support the ward team.
You will work closely with nursing, medical and therapy staff, liaising with families, carers and external agencies, and ensuring that ward systems, records and communication processes run efficiently and confidentially.
This role requires excellent organisation, professionalism and the ability to work calmly and sensitively in a busy inpatient environment.
Main Duties of the Job
- Provide comprehensive administrative support to the inpatient ward team
- Act as a first point of contact for visitors, telephone enquiries and external agencies
- Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date clinical records in line with Trust policy
- Manage admission and discharge paperwork within required timescales
- Create, maintain, retrieve and archive patient files, including Mental Health Act documentation
- Maintain ward information systems and databases
- Support ward meetings, including diary management, preparation of papers and minute taking
- Manage ward diaries and coordinate appointments
- Process correspondence, reports and documentation to a high standard
- Organise transport, interpreters and other practical arrangements for patients
- Ensure the ward office environment is organised, secure and confidential
- Support induction of new staff and provide administrative cover as required
Working for our organisation
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust delivers specialist mental health, learning disability and neurodevelopmental services across Sussex.
This post sits within our Specialist CAMHS Services, providing opportunities to gain experience across acute, crisis and community pathways as part of your career development.
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to creating a compassionate and supportive working environment where staff feel valued, developed and able to thrive.
What we can offer you
- The opportunity to be part of a newly reopened CAMHS inpatient unit
- Comprehensive induction programme prior to opening where all new staff train together and contribute to the team’s therapeutic approach
- A welcoming and supportive team culture with strong clinical leadership
- Access to CAMHS-specific training and ongoing CPD
- Clear development and progression pathways
- NHS Pension Scheme and Agenda for Change benefits
If you are looking to start or develop your career in CAMHS inpatient nursing and want to make a meaningful difference to young people and their families, we would love to hear from you.
Location
The unit is based in Haywards Heath, West Sussex, with on-site parking and good transport links to London and across Sussex, and close proximity to Gatwick Airport.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You will have experience in administrative or office‑based roles and be confident working with sensitive information in a busy environment.
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Essential criteria
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification or relevant administrative experience
- Good standard of secondary education (GCSE level or equivalent)
- Proven experience of providing administrative support in a busy office or ward environment
- Ability to produce accurate, well‑presented documents and correspondence
- Experience of managing and maintaining office and record‑keeping systems
- Good IT skills, including use of Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook
- Ability to communicate clearly and sensitively with staff, service users and carers, both face‑to‑face and by telephone
- Understanding of confidentiality, data protection and professional boundaries
- Ability to prioritise workload, manage competing demands and meet deadlines
- Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
- Ability to deal with emotionally sensitive and sometimes challenging situations
- Commitment to Trust values, equality, diversity, dignity and respect
- Willingness to work flexibly to meet ward and service needs
If you are looking for a role where your organisational skills make a real difference to young people, families and clinical teams, we would love to hear from you
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification or relevant administrative experience
- Good standard of secondary education (GCSE level or equivalent)
Desirable criteria
- RSA 3 or equivalent experience and evidence of further practical experience or equivalent
Experience
Essential criteria
- Proven experience of a range of administrative procedures
- Experience of producing documents to a high standard of presentation with good accuracy
- Experience of developing, managing and maintaining office information systems
- Experience of working as part of a team
Desirable criteria
- Audio typing
- Experience of generating own correspondence
Communication
Essential criteria
- Ability to deal sensitively with staff and clients in person and on the telephone.
- Ability to communicate effectively.
- Ability to liaise on behalf of the team both within and outside the organisation
Analytical
Essential criteria
- Awareness of the importance of confidentiality – ability to work within appropriate boundaries.
- Ability to use good judgement skills when dealing with enquiries and problems
Planning
Essential criteria
- Ability to be able to plan workload, manage diaries, organise appointments, planning workload associated with key meeting dates
- Planning, organising and facilitating meetings and minute taking
- Ability to work on own initiative and prioritise own workload
- Ability to work to tight deadlines and deal with conflicting demands
IT
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook
Effort
Essential criteria
- Ability to be able to deal with conflicting demands Ability to deal with multiple deadlines
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Nicola Chainey
- Job title
- Head of Service
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07391 415265
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