The Isle of Wight NHS Trust is an integrated acute and ambulance health care provider in England. We serve a population of approximately 150,000 residents, making the services we offer variable and personalised with a flexible approach to our service users.

Working for our Trust brings a variety of benefits, including an onsite day nursery, cycle-to-work scheme, discounts at local businesses and gyms, and the opportunity to hire Trust's beach hut in Ryde. We offer many flexible working opportunities, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement for you and if it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

The Isle of Wight is a unique and stunning gem located off the South Coast of England, a short ferry journey from Portsmouth and Southampton, with journey times taking from as little as 10 minutes. London can be reached in 90 minutes by rail from Southampton or Portsmouth. The island offers an amazing coastline with beautiful countryside, year-round events, festivals and award-winning attractions.

NHS Band 8a Salary: £57,528 - £64,750 per annum                       

Hours Per Week: Full time 37.5

Contract Type: Permanent

The Single Corporate Service Mental Health Team, which works across Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust and Isle of Wight NHS Trust, are looking for an experienced and passionate Mental Health Matron who can develop and support patient centred, seamless care for patients of all ages, including young people, with mental health conditions whilst in St Marys Hospital, Isle of Wight. 

We are looking for someone who can support and foster a culture that promotes parity of esteem between physical health and mental health needs. Advocating on behalf of patients and carers to ensure their experience of care is positive and reflects the trusts values of CARE; Compassion, Accountable, Respect and Everyone counts.

Working collaboratively with local mental health services to ensure that assessments and care plans provide the hospital staff with the information needed to guide their care of the patient whilst in hospital. Having oversight of the discharge planning process will be key to actively progress arrangements for those ready to be discharged from the acute hospital. 

Working in conjunction with the Senior Lead for Mental Health the Matron will provide professional leadership for mental healthcare in an acute hospital, through effective and visible role modelling and a strong focus on education and training.

As part of the Single Corporate Service, the role provides a service across both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust. However this role will predominantly be based at St Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight and deliver a service to the Isle of Wight Trust. Cover for Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust will only be expected in urgent situations or in the absence of the PHU Mental Health Matron.

If the post holder is required to undertake business travel between sites, the frequency and arrangements will be discussed on an individual basis, and the staff mobility local agreement will apply.

For our leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, they will need to be visible and provide in person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

Please refer to the Job description for further details

Essential

• Current RMN or RN, registration with NMC and any other relevant post registration specialist qualifications.
• First degree essential and evidence of working towards Masters
• Leadership development qualification / equivalent experience
• Recognised teaching qualification /experience
• Management qualification / experience

Desirable

• Masters degree
• Post qualifying mental health qualifications
• Leadership/management qualifications

Experience

Essential

• Substantial experience of working in secondary mental health services, experience of working in a senior role (Band 7) and with evidence of professional development.

Desirable

• Experience of working in an acute general hospital

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs. 

For more information, please see our People and OD Strategy 2026

Smoke Free Policy: 

All of our hospitals operate a strict no smoking policy. Smoking cigarettes or tobacco products is not allowed on any of the grounds or in any of the buildings run by us. This applies to patients, staff, carers and visitors to Trust premises.

Our goal is to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone we care for and, by making sure that our NHS services are smoke-free, we benefit the health of people who use our services as well as the health of the people who work for us.