Job summary
- Main area
- Administration
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 354-CO-22032-1
- Employer
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Portland House
- Town
- Worthing
- Salary
- £49,387 - £56,515 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/11/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Restraint Reduction and Search Lead
NHS AfC: Band 7
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
Are you passionate about reducing restrictive practices, improving patient safety and promoting therapeutic trauma-informed care?
We are looking for an experienced and motivated individual to join our Clinical Governance Team as the Restraint Reduction and Search Lead. This is an exciting opportunity to support the Trust's commitment to reducing restrictive interventions, preventing violence and aggression, and ensuring safe and effective search and contraband management across our services.
Working closely with the Reducing Restrictive Practice Lead and senior clinical leaders, you will provide specialist expertise, leadership and operational oversight across a range of priority programmes. You will lead the Restraint Reduction Team, support clinical services following incidents involving violence or restrictive practice, and contribute to policy development, governance, audit and quality improvement initiatives.
The successful candidate will have substantial experience within mental health, learning disability or a related setting, with a strong understanding of violence reduction, restrictive practice and trauma-informed care. You will be a confident leader with excellent communication skills, capable of building effective relationships and influencing positive change across multidisciplinary teams.
If you are committed to promoting safer, compassionate care and want to help shape the future of restraint reduction across the organisation, we would welcome your application.
Main duties of the job
Lead and coordinate the Trust's work relating to restraint reduction, violence reduction, PMVA, searching and contraband management.
Provide operational and professional leadership to the Restraint Reduction Team, ensuring delivery of an effective, responsive and high-quality service.
Deliver specialist advice and support to clinical services following incidents involving violence, aggression, restraint or restrictive practices, identifying learning and recommending improvements.
Lead on the development, implementation and review of policies, procedures and standards relating to restrictive practice reduction, searching and contraband management.
Monitor, analyse and report on data and incidents to identify trends, drive learning and support continuous improvement in patient safety and quality of care.
Support the delivery, quality assurance and ongoing development of PMVA and violence reduction training programmes across the Trust.
Work collaboratively with clinical teams, service users and partner organisations to promote evidence-based practice and safer, more therapeutic care environments.
Contribute to governance, audit, quality improvement and service development initiatives that support the Trust's patient safety agenda.
Working for our organisation
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health, learning disability and neurodevelopmental services across Sussex. We are committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care and creating environments where people can thrive.
As part of the Clinical Governance Team, you will have the opportunity to work collaboratively with clinical and operational colleagues across the Trust to improve patient safety, reduce restrictive practices and support the delivery of safe, effective and therapeutic care. You will join a supportive team committed to continuous improvement, learning and innovation, with opportunities for professional and personal development.
This role offers the chance to make a meaningful impact on Trust-wide quality and safety priorities while helping to shape and influence practice across a diverse range of services.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification for more details on the main duties of the role.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Professional qualification Mental Health Nursing, Social Work or Allied health Profession or equivalent experience.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of supporting staff and services following incidents involving violence, aggression, restraint or restrictive interventions.
- Experience of developing and delivering training and education programmes aimed at reducing the use of restrictive interventions.
- Experience of managing a team.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of PMVA methodologies, restrictive practice reduction, de-escalation techniques and trauma-informed care.
- Detailed knowledge of reducing restrictive practice.
- Current knowledge of relevant NHS policy initiatives within subject speciality.
- Extensive knowledge of specialist areas within Mental Health.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.
- Skills for direct line management and job management.
Desirable criteria
- Ability to influence senior clinicians and managers on matters relating to violence reduction, restrictive practice and PMVA governance.
Approach/Values/Personal attributes
Essential criteria
- Commitment to continuing professional development.
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Liz Chamberlain
- Job title
- Business Manager, Clinical Governance
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01903 382620
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