The State Hospital Board for Scotland
Registered Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Nurse
AfC Band 5 (pro rata) plus a High Secure Environmental Allowance of £1,750.47 per annum (pro rata) and a High Secure Clinical Responsibility Allowance of £4,201.29 per annum (pro rata)
Hours- Full Time and Part time*
Contract Duration Permanent
Please note that successful candidates must be available to attend a two-week mandatory induction and training course commencing on 17 November 2025.
Post Details An exciting opportunity has arisen for Qualified Registered Nurses (Mental Health or Learning Disability) to join our innovative and dynamic nursing team here at the State Hospital.
As the start date will be November 2025, all applicants must hold a current NMC Pin. We are looking for conscientious individuals who are committed to delivering high quality nursing care to come and join our service. Registered nurses who specialise in Mental Health or Learning Disability are invited to apply for this position. You will be an integral member of the multidisciplinary team and you will play a key role in ensuring that our patients receive the highest standards of person-centred care in an environment that balances care provision with managing risk.
As a forensic healthcare practitioner, you must be able to work under pressure and demonstrate the ability to remain calm in challenging situations. Team working is essential balanced with the ability to work autonomously and manage your own workload.
You should have excellent communication skills and show an ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team relaying clinical decisions and exercising clinical judgement.
Whilst previous experience of forensic healthcare would be helpful this is not essential. The hospital offers excellent learning opportunities to support ongoing professional development.
As a Registered Nurse within NHS Scotland, you will be part of a workforce that shares a unified commitment to our core values: care and compassion, dignity and respect, openness, honesty and responsibility, quality, and teamwork. These values are not only central to our service delivery, they define the way we care for patients, support families, and collaborate with colleagues.
We are seeking nurses who are committed, enthusiastic, and reflective in their practice, with a strong ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team. If you are passionate about delivering safe, person-centred care and continuously striving for excellence, this is an ideal opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a supportive and values-driven environment.
Successful candidates will work 4 days on and 2 days off shift pattern, with rotas being generated up to 12 weeks in advance. Applicants will also be rostered to work Night Duty, and work on average a 75-hour fortnight when on Night Duty.
Please note that this vacancy is for all ward locations within the State Hospital
At the State Hospital, we know diversity enhances our work and workplace culture. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are underrepresented in our nursing workforce. These include candidates from minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender identities and men.
For an informal discussion please contact Senior Charge Nurse, Hazel Crawford on 01555 842166 or Senior Charge Nurse, Kelly Hill on 01555 842106.
Closing DateThe closing date for applications is 11.59pm on 11 September 2025.
Interview Date Please note interviews will be in person at the State Hospital and take place week commencing 22 September 2025.
If you have any queries or require assistance regarding the application form or recruitment process, please contact the HR Team on @ to discuss your requirements.
We anticipate a high level of interest in this position therefore we may close the vacancy prior to the closing date once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Please ensure you complete and submit your online application at an early stage to avoid disappointment.
Other Important information - NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society. It should be noted that the State Hospital is a high secure hospital and the current organisational position based on a risk assessment is that we welcome applications from people under the age of 18 for non clinical roles however to be eligible for a clinical role applicants should be 18 years and older. Should you have any questions in relation to this please contact
Right to Work To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service. As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check this entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa, and settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, and if you can demonstrate such cover, please refer to the websitehere. For specific types of post, it might be possible to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or going rate. Further information on these criteria can be foundhere. Please note that the State Hospital is NOT licensed to issue certificates of sponsorship under current UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regulations. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship to work with us. It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you have an appropriate right to work in the UK BEFORE applying.
Reduced Working Week* - Starting from 1 April 2024, the working week for NHS Agenda for Change workers in Scotland will be reduced. Full-time hours will be reduced from 37.5 to 37 hours, and part-time staff will get a pro-rata reduction in their working hours without losing any earnings. Although the State Hospital will implement this change, it may not be possible to transition fully from 1 April. Therefore, there may be some areas in the organisation where implementation may take longer. If the department cannot safely accommodate the reduced hours from 1st April, you may be required to work 37.5 hours per week (pro rata for part-time staff) until the department can meet the requirements without impacting patient safety. Of course, you will be remunerated accordingly. The State Hospital is committed to fully implementing the 37-hour working week across all areas as soon as it is safe to do so.
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