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Job Title


Clinical Exercise Lead


Company : South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust


Location : Plymouth, England


Created : 2025-07-04


Job Type : Full Time


Job Description

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.We are committed to provide a high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for our care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good'.We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021 together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.Our ValuesWe take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.As a Trust we are happy to talk flexible working.Job overviewAn exciting opportunity is available for an enthusiastic and motivated physical activity instructor to join the occupational therapy/physio team at Lambeth hospital. You will be joining an established team that is passionate about improving the physical wellbeing of our service users across the wards, as well as broadening their access to sports and activities in the community.If you have an interest in supporting the recovery of people with mental health conditions through physical activity then this could be the role for you.The successful applicant will need to be resilient, resourceful and confident and have a good sense of humour. In return you will be well supported by the occupational therapists and physios and warmly welcomed by the ward staff and service users.Please be aware that we will be unable to provide sponsorship for this role.For further details / informal visits contact:NameDeborah MilburnJob titleLead Occupational TherapistEmail number07849734095Main duties of the job • To implement a range of sports and related activities either 1-1 or group across wards at Lambeth Hospital as part of the therapeutic timetable. • To support service users to engage in sports and exercise as part of the recovery process and to promote physical wellbeing via sports and exercise to service users and staff. • To develop and maintain up to date knowledge of resources providing sports and activities in the community, and to support service users to access these. • To ensure that interventions offered are evidence based and consistent with best practice. • To work in partnership with the OT team and undertake 1-1 sessions as requested by ward occupational therapists.Working for our organisationAbout South London and Maudsley:South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.The occupational therapy team at Lambeth hospital works to promote mental and physical wellbeing across the acute wards as part of the recovery journey. You will be part of a supportive and creative team and will get the opportunity to work in the hospital setting as well as providing a bridge into the community alongside the occupational therapists.The team has regular meetings and team members are encouraged to take time for CPD activities to enhance their practice.Detailed job description and main responsibilities Detailed job description and main responsibilities • To promote sports and exercise across the inpatient setting and provide access to a range of activities in this area. • To discuss concerns around any identified medical contraindications to exercise with the wards medical staff via completion of PAR-Q • To be aware of service users' history/background/culture and take this into account when considering group and individual sessions. • To promote and support individual choice and maximum independence, respecting service users' beliefs and ensuring privacy & dignity. • To have an awareness of the symptoms of a range of mental health conditions, medication and the possible side effects when planning /designing exercise therapy sessions.Person specificationTRAINING & QUALIFICATIONSEssential criteriaLevel 3 gym instructor qualification, Sports science or other industry recognised equivalent Experience of working as a gym instructor/sports coach Desirable criteria Register of Exercise Professionals or Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity KNOWLEDGE & SKILLSEssential criteria Effective verbal and written communication skills Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team Desirable criteria Experience of working with people with mental health or physical health conditions Basic understanding of mental health conditions including psychosis ExperienceEssential criteria Experience of working as a gym instructor/sports tech with groups and individuals, screening, assessing and designing exercise programmes Experience of coaching/leading sports activities with service users of differing abilities Desirable criteria Experience of assessing and advising on healthy lifestyle issues Ability to teach a variety of sports Experience of working with service users with mental health conditions The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by: Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect and dignity Please note: That all applications for this post will need to be made online That you read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria That the closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible That once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs That should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date your application has not successful That priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees That should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process That we are a smoke-free Trust SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion , Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe'Employer certification / accreditation badgesApplicant requirementsYou must have appropriate UK professional registration.This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.Documents to downloadJob Description (PDF, 356.2KB) SLaM Staff Benefits (PDF, 1.1MB) Happy to Talk Flexible Working (PDF, 680.1KB)#J-18808-Ljbffr