St Martin's Hospital, Canterbury

St Martin's Hospital in Canterbury is part of Kent and Medway Mental Health NHS Trust, delivering specialist mental health services to the local community.

We have 69 beds across 4 wards looking after adults of all ages. Our patients are people who have severe and complex mental health disorders, or who might be experiencing an acute mental health crisis that can’t be treated in the community. We employ a total of 626 people.

Through our multidisciplinary teams we are caring for a number of different disorders or presentations: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, severe depression.

Fern Ward and Foxglove Ward are our two female wards. Bluebell Ward is our male only ward. Heather Ward is for older, male (and typically frail) patients.

Types of care offered at St Martin's Hospital helps service users presenting with:

• Schizophrenia
• Bipolar disorder
• Personality disorders
• Severe depression
  

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Careers at St Martin's Hospital

In terms of staffing, you will be employed to one ward with opportunities to support fellow wards when required. However, we believe strongly in continuity of care and gaining familiarity with the patient group - which is why it’s important to us that substantive staff are employed to a specific ward.

We also believe being stationed in one ward is important for you too - constantly building familiarity with colleagues in your team, the space you work in and your patients helps you deliver better care which brings a greater sense of purpose and satisfaction.

We do employ bank and NHS Professionals also (if you work with us via bank or NHSP routes it is more likely that you will be asked to work on any ward and we will tend to employ you generally in the locality).Our multidisciplinary team (MDT) framework consists of our nurses, OTs, healthcare workers, psychiatrists and psychologists.

Mental Health Nurse

Mental health nurses lead shifts, coordinating quality patient care, implementing therapeutic interventions and administering medication. Nurses will be considering the medical requirements of patients and monitoring physical as well as mental health. Our nurses develop strong communication skills so that they can work successfully within the multidisciplinary team (MDT) of psychiatrists, psychologists and healthcare workers, as well as within the multi-agency team where required (police, social care colleagues, KMPT discharge coordinators and others).

Registered General Nurse

We employ physical nurses who focus on a patient’s physical healthcare (screening planning and monitoring, training staff, promoting wellbeing and providing medical interventions - wound care etc).

Matron

Matrons are an integral part of the senior clinical leadership team. They uphold, monitor and maintain the highest standards of patient care, in line with national and local quality guidelines. Matrons are allocated to specific wards and are responsive across the locality as required.

Healthcare Worker

This is our largest body of employees. Each shift will see two nurses and four healthcare workers on every ward. Day-to-day you will be working with patients and observing patients. You’ll have a good deal of interaction with patients, and be able to provide them with therapeutic activities too. Where a patient is at risk to themselves you may be asked to provide 1-2-1 support and observation, monitor and complete the necessary forms.

Our healthcare workers are there to support patients with their personal care, daily living and from time-to-time will be required to accompany them on escorted leave. You will work alongside your nursing colleagues, occupational therapists (working together to design therapeutic activities), psychiatrists and psychologists. In fact, you support all of the team!

Peer support worker

We aspire to employ more peer support workers as it’s a valuable role within the team - you would have personal experience of mental health issues and so you are able to provide a slightly different service to patients, including elements of coaching.

Occupational Therapist

The O.T provides assessment & therapeutic interventions. These may include cooking, creative, physical activities among others. Our OTs will plan and implement therapeutic activities. For instance, you might help them in the kitchen, assist them with rehabilitating their cooking skills or join them in artwork therapy. You’ll work closely with the healthcare workers to design therapeutic activities. As one of our OTs, you’re helping to treat our patients by building their independence, teaching them new skills, and rehabilitating them.

Psychologist

Our psychologists provide psychotherapy, therapeutic intervention and talking with our patients about their mental health needs.

Psychiatrist

We employ a psychiatrist on each ward. They are responsible for their ward, taking decisions about the patients, meeting patients, advising on treatment and care and diagnosing. Each of our psychiatrists work within the MDT, but are there to also authorise the legal aspects of each person’s care, working within the mental health framework and making decisions around discharge. This is a clinical and ward leadership role with considerable responsibility.

Career development at St Martin's

We are happy to take on newly qualified nurses at band 5 and for their first year they are on a preceptorship, supported by a mentor and linking in with other newly qualified nurses. You’ll be part of learning sets to develop your learning and gain your required levels of competencies before being signed off your preceptorship.

Experienced nurses are able to apply for external courses, and offered opportunities to apply for band 6 managerial or band 6 clinical roles - allowing you the choice of the nursing career pathway you want to go down. This includes matron and senior nursing roles.

We will help all staff determine their aspirations during appraisal and talent management - looking at understanding what they want to achieve in their career and helping them develop in the way they want to. This includes taking further qualifications (including a masters) while still working.

St Martin’s hospital employee support and wellbeing

As with other sites within KMPT we provide support groups for people with protected characteristics:

• LGBTQ+
• Disabilities, including a neurodivergent forum
• Religion
• Equality and Diversity
• Shwartz rounds, where people can meet to get structured support around the emotional aspects of working in healthcare

We support the freedom to speak up, with the ‘Speak Up Guardian’ system in place.Depending on the role we can look at flexible working - it is not something possible for every role because we have to cover a 24 hour service in shifts.

Practical information about working at St Martin's

You might currently be working in London and looking for a lifestyle change - St Martin’s hospital in Canterbury would be a great option. Kent offers a slightly different pace of life, with more greenery and openness. St Martin’s is a very friendly and inclusive place to work - there’s a family feel to it. And the location itself, Canterbury - it has a real sense of community largely because the people who work here tend to live here.

In terms of access, there is plenty of free staff parking on site, and a bus that goes past St Martin’s for those who prefer to use public transport. If you're living in the centre of Canterbury it’s a 20 minute walk to work.While many staff live locally, some commute to Canterbury by car from other towns, like Maidstone (about a 40 min journey).

Canterbury has a large student population which means it has a nice, busy atmosphere with things going on.It also enjoys a very diverse local community and this should appeal to many people. We enjoy a large Pride event each year in the town, and there’s a very inclusive feel to the place.