Job Vacancies
New Hire Bonus - The permanent posts are eligible for a £3,000 New Hire Bonus. An initial payment of £1,000 will be paid in the first 1 month and a final payment of £2,000 will be paid 1 year after your start date. Please see attached New Hire Bonus Terms & Conditions.
Band 5 Mental Health Staff Nurse *New Hire Bonus*
If you are looking to join a supportive inpatient system with real opportunity to perfect and flex your nursing skills, and a commitment to supporting access to further development opportunities to enable continued progression in your career we would strongly encourage you to apply for this role.
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Site: Mulberry Wards, Fulbourn, Cambridge
Salary £28,407 - £34,581 per annum, pro rata
Find out more and apply HERE
Band 6 Deputy Ward Manager *New Hire Bonus*
Our Recovery Ward is part of our innovative and ambitious model of care, known as the 3-3-3 model. Our three wards work collaboratively to enable patients to access the right care at the right time. We have our Acute Assessment Unit (Mulberry 1), where patients stay up to 3 days, our Treatment ward (Mulberry 2), where patients stay up to 3 weeks and our Recovery Unit (Mulberry 3), where patients stay up to 3 months.
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week (9-5 Monday-Friday)
Site: Mulberry Wards, Fulbourn, Cambridge
Salary: £35,392 - £42,618 per annum pro rata
Find out more and apply HERE
Adult Inpatient Wards
Who we are
At CPFT we operate an innovative 3-3-3 model across our acute adult inpatient wards. Our time-limited inpatient pathways for assessment (3 days), treatment (3 weeks), and recovery (3 months) replace traditional acute wards with medium to long lengths of stay. By making beds available, 3-3-3 improves access, deliver early treatment and reduce hospital stays. We focus on providing care, which is structured, planned and beneficial in an environment which allows patients to be supported by a range of staff whose main goal is to empower and involve patients and their loved ones.
Our Adult Inpatient Wards are based in Cambridge, on our Fulbourn site, and Peterborough, at the Cavell Centre. On each site we have 3 wards: Acute Assessment Unit, Treatment, and Recovery. This is an ambitious model which requires strong teamwork and communication.
A closer look at the Wards
Mulberry One
Acute Assessment Ward
Mulberry 1 is our 11-bed Acute Assessment Unit based on the Fulbourn site, Cambridge.
Oak 3, is our 13-bed Acute Assessment Unit (AAU), located at the Cavell Centre, a purpose-build unit, based on the Edith Cavell Healthcare Campus, Peterborough.
About the service:
These are acute assessment beds to support patients experiencing an acute episode of mental illness. On our Assessment wards we provide up to 3 days of rapid assessment and support. Admission to AAU would usually follow an agreement to come into hospital for a brief assessment period and we would expect patients to stay here for up to 3 days. After which, patients are then either supported back into the community to continue their recovery with our community teams or they are transferred to the Treatment wards with a clear recovery and treatment plan.
The Assessment unit provides a safe environment for patients for whom a one off CRHTT assessment might not be adequate. AAU will facilitate a thorough assessment of mental and physical health, risk, social circumstances, and treatment needs in a focused and robust way. Following the assessment which will be up to 3 days the team will discuss safe discharge back into the care of CRHTT, Locality teams or General Practitioners, or transfer to a Treatment ward for a period of further assessment and treatment.
Mulberry Two
Treatment Ward
Mulberry 2 is our 16-bed assessment and treatment ward based on the Fulbourn Site, Cambridge.
Oak 1 is our 16-bed assessment and treatment ward, located in the Cavell Centre, a purpose-built unit, based on the Edith Cavell Healthcare Campus, Peterborough.
About the Service:
Admission to our Treatment wards would usually follow a short stay for assessment on our Acute Assessment Unit, where the team feel a longer period is needed in hospital for assessment and treatment. Admissions under the Mental Health Act can be admitted directly to the Treatment ward from the community. We would expect our patients on our Treatment Wards to stay for up to 3 weeks.
Staff on the Treatment wards will focus with the patient on their needs and strengths, developing collaborative care and crisis/safety plans to decide what their immediate needs are and discuss appropriate and effective care. Treatment options will include social integration, education, group and individual talking therapies, spiritual needs as well as pharmacological interventions. Depending on progress, complexity and risk factors, patients will be discharged home to the care of CRHTT, Locality teams or General Practitioners. If patients remain too unwell to be discharged after a period of up to 3 weeks, then staff will discuss with them a transfer to the Recovery ward for a period of recovery.
Mulberry Three
Recovery Ward
Mulberry 3, is our 16-bed treatment and acute recovery ward based on our Fulbourn site, Cambridge.
Oak 4, is our 18-bed treatment and acute recovery ward, located at the Cavell Centre, a purpose-build unit, based on the Edith Cavell Healthcare Campus, Peterborough.
About our Service:
Admission to our Recovery wards would usually follow a period of assessment and treatment on a Treatment ward, where the team feel a longer period in hospital is required before returning to the community. We would anticipate that patients stay on our Recovery wards for up to 3 months.
On our Recovery wards we build on the treatment and recovery plans developed on our AAU and Treatment wards. We support people with more complex issues, focusing on a recovery-based approach to meet patient needs. Patients on our Recovery wards will look at longer term recovery goals with staff and be given intensive support to achieve these goals. Our goal is to facilitate patients to move back into the community by supporting them in increased periods of leave away from the ward. We work closely with Social Care to provide increased assessment and support around accessing housing and support packages that are conducive to recovery and long-term stability.
Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
PICU is our six-bed male psychiatric intensive care unity for adults suffering from mental health conditions who have been detained under the Mental Health Act. We anticipate that our patients will stay on the ward for a period lasting up to six weeks.
We work as a multidisciplinary team to provide the best support for our patients and enable them to return home as soon as possible. We provide a range of services on the ward to support our patients to engage in their own recovery:
- One-to-one time with nurses
- Psychoeducation
- Medication
- Occupational therapy
- Brief psychological interventions
- Advice and support for housing and finances
Why work on an inpatient mental health ward?
Working on acute inpatient wards can be demanding and stressful. Working shifts can be challenging, you might be starting early and/or finishing late in the day. You will need stamina to be on your feet for most of the day and you will need emotional resilience to manage … BUT supporting people from an acute phase of their illness toward their recovery can be one of the most rewarding jobs in mental health care. You will see the difference you are making to an individual. Every shift will be different. If you enjoy working closely with a team in a fast-paced environment this is the job for you.
Why choose inpatient nursing?
If you want to make a positive difference in someone’s life, enjoy a fast-paced environment, feel supported and have a diverse team around you, you should consider inpatient nursing.
We are focused on providing patient centred, service-user led care. We provide a range of pharmacological interventions, therapies, activities, and education, to enable a safe discharge.
As a nurse at CPFT you can access a wide variety of learning and development opportunities to support you to enhance your clinical and leadership skills. Teamwork is key to successful nursing; it allows for honest conversations and collaboration.
A nurse’s role on the ward changes daily, from administering medication, to having 1-to-1 with patients, or completing a crisis plan. Some of our duties vary depending on what our service-users’ needs are and what support they require each day. When someone is in distress, we need to respond appropriately to reassure and support the patient using positive coping methods established by the patient and MDT. Other tasks may include monitoring physical health, ensuring our patients dignity and being part of an MDT discussion around best interest decisions.
Working together with service-users aged between 18 to 65 who come with their own unique complexities, backgrounds, and cultures, enables each day to have new challenges and no two days are alike. Our goal is always to ensure our patients needs are put first.
Name: Natasha
Role: Nursing Associate
Where I work: Mulberry Two
What does your typical day look like?
The morning starts with a welcome from the previous shift and usually some of the service users too. The incoming team are given a thorough handover on each patient, including any tasks to be completed. After handover, the Nurse in Charge plans the shift and allocates tasks to each member of the team. We prepare breakfast for the service users in the dining room and the morning medication round is done.
A community meeting is held every weekday, involving staff and service users to discuss any issues and plan activities. Tasks include hourly and enhanced checks on service users and ensuring the ward is safe and clean. We spend time with service users throughout the day, supporting them to complete activities of daily living and engage in their treatment plan. We also monitor for any changes in physical health and help to promote a healthy lifestyle.
The team work closely with other teams and services and ensure care plans and risk assessments are up to date, accurate and being followed by everyone. Any changes and interventions are documented, and notes are written for each service user at the end of the shift. There is also the opportunity to join training and reflective practice sessions during the day.
How you became a Nursing Associate?
I have worked in this setting since 2016, started my career as a Health Care Assistance and in 2018 there was an opportunity for me to complete the Nursing Associate training. I qualified as a registered nurse in December 2022. I now have an opportunity to qualify as a fully registered nurse following a 9-month preceptorship.
Any advice you would give someone considering a career in Nursing?
You need to be motivated, enthusiastic and passionate in providing good quality care to patient with mental health illnesses.
Name: Lucy
Role: Healthcare Assistant
Where I work: Mulberry Two
What is your role / job? or What does your typical day look like?
Every day working on Mulberry 2 is different. There are so many learning opportunities to be undertaken and new experiences to gain. As an HCA, my key responsibilities are to prepare and serve the meals, maintain the wards cleanliness and tidiness, help to keep patient notes and paperwork up to date and, most importantly, interact with patients. The staff team on Mulberry 2 are kind and supportive which creates an environment which feels safe and comfortable to work in. The job comes with some challenges, however when approached with confidence and teamwork, any difficult task can be overcome and learnt from. Within this job role I have been able to work on my skill set, improve my strengths and recognise my weaknesses. The support system within the staff team is second to none and enables individual employees to thrive in the job role as part of the wider team.
How you became a Health Care Assistance?
I am new to this team on my 5th month with no previous health care experience.
As a patient, relative or carer using our services, sometimes you may need to turn to someone for help, advice, and support.