Custodial Head of Nursing
Location: Surrey Prisons & HMP Chelmsford (Hybrid: remote with regular on-site presence)
Salary: £50,952 per annum
Vacancy Type: Permanent, Full Time
Closing Date: 20th October 2025
Forward Trust is a leading provider of substance misuse treatment services across custodial and community settings. We support individuals to make lasting changes, offering evidence-based clinical and psychosocial interventions to reduce harm and promote recovery.
We are now seeking a highly skilled and motivated Head of Nursing (Custodial Services) to provide clinical and operational leadership across our services in Surrey Prisons and HMP Chelmsford.
As Head of Nursing, you will have direct clinical and management responsibility for the effective delivery of substance misuse services in custodial settings. You will:
* Provide high standards of nursing care in line with clinical needs, evidence-based practice, and Forward Trust protocols.
* Clinically supervise Band 7 Nurses and Non-Medical Prescribers (NMPs) within a custodial framework.
* Act as the clinical lead, overseeing specialist substance misuse services and advising colleagues across multiple disciplines.
* Support and participate in audit processes, ensuring services comply with professional, regulatory and legal requirements.
* Provide specialist advice and training to nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals.
* Lead and co-ordinate teams delivering psychosocial and clinical interventions, including titration, safe dispensing of medication (including controlled drugs), and clinical risk management in high-risk environments.
* Educate, mentor and develop nursing teams and students, supporting skills growth and best practice.
* Act as a role model, demonstrating exemplary leadership, professionalism, and commitment to continuous improvement.
This is a leadership role requiring flexibility, resilience, and a commitment to supporting service excellence across multiple sites.
About You
Qualifications (Essential)
* RMN or RGN with current UK registration.
* Advanced Nursing Qualification at Masters level.
* Non-Medical Prescribing qualification with current NMC registration (or willingness to work towards).
* Management qualification (or willingness to work towards).
* Evidence of ongoing CPD in medicines management, substance misuse treatment, and clinical practice.
Skills & Competencies
* Strong leadership and team development abilities.
* Excellent clinical supervision and decision-making skills.
* Ability to engage effectively in multidisciplinary teams and across agencies.
* Expertise in clinical risk assessment and management within recovery-focused models.
* Excellent organisational, negotiation, and influencing skills.
* Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with empathy and cultural sensitivity.
* Flexibility to adapt to evolving service needs.
Knowledge & Experience
* Minimum 7 years post-registration experience, including at least 2 years in substance misuse at Band 7 or above.
* Senior management experience (minimum 2 years).
* Competence in non-medical prescribing and administration of medications.
* In-depth knowledge of pharmacology, psychosocial interventions, and community provision.
* Strong understanding of prison-based drug and alcohol services, addiction treatment programmes, and CQC compliance.
* Experience in service development, audit, and quality improvement.
* Awareness of equality, diversity, and inclusion in healthcare delivery.
About Us
We are The Forward Trust, the social enterprise with charitable status that empowers people to break the often-interlinked cycles of crime and addiction to move forward with their lives. For more than 25 years we have been working with people to build positive and productive lives, whatever their past. We believe that anyone is capable of lasting change. Our services have supported thousands of people to make positive changes and build productive lives with a job, family, friends and a sense of community.
We are committed to our cause and the work we carry out as a charity. Equally the wellbeing and the employees who work for us are also important. Joining us an employee, we will offer you the following benefits:
* Flexible working
* Training and development opportunities
* Simply Health Cashback Scheme (optional)
* Season Ticket Loan Scheme
* Cycle to work scheme
* Crisis Loan Scheme
* Electric Car Scheme
* 3 x Wellbeing Days (pro rata'd for part time employees)
* Access to Blue Light Card
* 25 days (rising to 30 with length of service) Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays
* Contributory Pension Scheme Employer matched contributions of up to 6% in the first two years service and up to 9% thereafter
* Death in Service Payment (2x annual salary)
* Critical Illness Insurance (subject to qualifying criteria)
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for the Forward Trust, please click apply to be redirected to their website to complete your application.
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