1. Solent NHS Trust, Mental Health Inpatients, the future and you
Graeme Matthews, Modern Matron, Older Persons Services, Inpatient Rehabilitation Services

2. What's available? The Opportunity: The Challenge:
The Opportunity is for you to take up an existing career path in Mental Health within your chosen field or direction. There are opportunities in Adult Older Persons and Rehabilitation wards.
The Challenge:
Solent NHS Trust currently have a number of vacancies open to newly qualified and qualified staff.
The NHS Plan (DoH 2000) proposed that every hospital should have ‘modern matrons’ - senior sisters and charge nurses, accountable for a group of wards and easily identifiable to patients, in order to improve delivery of patient care and focus the responsibility for care

3. What's in it for you? Job security in a supportive organisation
On-going training and development. Rapid career progression from Band 5 to Band 6.
The chance to develop skills in leadership
Generous annual leave and other benefits
The opportunity to work in one of the most challenging environments with a huge sense of satisfaction and team support
Being a lifelong professional 1

4. Where are we based?
Inpatient services at St James Hospital, Portsmouth
4 wards: Acute, PICU, Older Persons and Adult Rehabilitation
Purpose built units in a tranquil setting
Easy transport links, great shopping & entertainment

5. Why do I work for Solent NHS Trust?
“Doing what we have always done, gets the same results we’ve always got”
Huge sense of belonging to a team and organisation which feels like the whole team.
Personal development opportunities and support.
The opportunity to always preserve and practice current and best practice
An ever-changing, exciting environment. No two days are the same.
Equality Bill:
Comprehensive specialist mental health services for older people must be reconfigured and developed, with an urgent need to provide:
ƒaccess to crisis home treatment
ƒearly diagnosis and intervention
ƒcare home liaison
ƒgeneral hospital liaison
ƒaccess to psychological therapies

6. Common questions and misconceptions
Mental Health wards are dangerous places to work
The safety of staff and patients are always the top of the Trust agenda. There are very few injuries to staff and there is a good occupational health support service
Nursing and AHP is not a career for life
Most staff who work in Portsmouth have been working there for 15 or more years. A number of staff including myself don’t live in Portsmouth and choose to travel and work there.
There are no opportunities for flexible working or career development
There are many opportunities for flexible working. There are opportunities for rapid promotion and continuing development.
The buildings are all old and not fit for purpose
All of the Solent inpatient buildings currently in use in Portsmouth are less than 15 years old and are fully equipped and were purpose built.

7. Thank you, any questions?
Please contact us if you have any queries or to arrange a visit to our services.