Role Summary
Are you an experienced nurse leader ready for a role where you can make a lasting difference – both for service users and the colleagues you lead?
We’re looking for a confident, compassionate leader, who’s passionate about advocating for both the clients that access SARC and the nursing team that provide care across Devon and Cornwall. You won’t be on your own, you’ll be joining an established and supportive senior leadership team within a well-regarded service.
You don’t need previous SARC experience - we’ll fund your forensic examination training and support your wider professional development. You’ll be able to help shape the service and your team. Future service projects include increasing the number of accredited forensic medical examination suites, and opportunities to establish a professional network and build on the strong foundations of existing multi-agency partnerships.
Make a difference as part of an NHS trust that truly values and invests in its people. Plus, enjoy a great work-life balance with Devon's two stunning coastlines, breath-taking National Parks, and vibrant cities right on your doorstep.
About the Role
For more information on the Job Description and Responsibilities please click the link below.
More detail about the role
You will be working core office hours, based at our Exeter location, with one day a week at Plymouth and Truro. Day-to-day, your focus will be the management of the service and your team. You will lead the daily case management calls, provide line management (121s, appraisals, training) to a team of nurses based in three sites across Devon and Cornwall. Supervision of the team is a vital aspect of the role, ensuring clinical standards are met along with the welfare of colleagues.
Once you have gained your forensic examiner qualification, you’ll be able to take on clinical duties to enable you to maintain your competencies, and have first-hand experience to support your team.
The role offers the chance to:
- develop our Plymouth and Truro sites to meet the new forensic standards
- integrate the SARC service within the Trust’s senior nursing team network
- establish a professional network for adopting and sharing best practice for the benefit of service users and relevant external agencies
- shape the team and service delivery (for instance consider the introduction of Assistant Practitioners)
- work with a wide group of agencies to advocate for our service users
About Devon and Cornwall SARC service
Our staff are specially trained to support anyone who has experienced rape or sexual assault, either recently or in the past. We provide care and counselling to service users when they need it the most.
Our adult service is based out of three secure locations in Exeter, Plymouth, and Truro. The Exeter site is the only SARC in England to be accredited to meet the new forensic medical examination standards. It is also the base for our paediatric service, which is a centre of excellence.
SARC provides a 24/7 service, 365 days a year, receiving referrals from Devon & Cornwall Police and self-referrals from members of the public.
About the SARC team
The adult service is nurse-led, with highly specialist knowledge, skills, and experience providing trauma-based care to our service users. The team consists of Forensic Nurse Examiners, Crisis Support Workers, a Practice Educator, and a Safeguarding Lead.
The medically-led Paediatrics service consists of Consultants, Specialty Doctors, Registered Nurses, Assistant Practitioners, and Crisis Support Workers.
The senior leadership are very experienced and supportive, and include the Devon Sexual Health team. With safeguarding being such a vital aspect of SARC, we are fortunate that our Associate Director of Safeguarding has working knowledge of the service being a previous postholder of this role.
About you
We’re looking for an experienced leader who can support a geographically diverse team, remotely and in-person. You’ll need to have a full driving licence and the ability to travel between locations.
Experience working in SARC is not essential. However, you’ll need to be passionate about the service we provide - delivering exceptional trauma-based care to vulnerable populations (domestic violence, alcohol/substance abuse, etc,) and supporting colleagues with secondary trauma.
Your professional background may include experience in one of the following areas:
- women’s health
- custody suite
- sexual health service
- prison service
- mental health service
- safeguarding
- NHS direct
Why join us?
Our established and supportive senior leadership team, have been in post since service inception. They have a successful track record of gaining grant funding for the development and improvement of the service. Your wider leadership and support network include the Devon Sexual Health team who have close links to the service and our Associate Director or Safeguarding – who was a previous postholder of this role.
Focus on wellbeing for colleagues is a core aspect of SARC. Supervision is provided internally through the team and with external providers, to individuals and as a group. As well as being able to draw upon the trust-wide wellbeing programme and initiatives.
Training and development opportunities are in high supply here. Whether you are interested in clinical or leadership development courses, we'll support you in finding the best way to grow. We actively encourage CPD and you will have an opportunity to spend time with our range of specialists as part of this.
Innovation is central at the Royal Devon, we were the first trust in the UK to use our electronic record in the community. The Exeter SARC is the first in England to meet the new forensics standards, with plans in development to upgrade our Truro and Plymouth centres.
A healthy work-life balance is essential and Devon is a great place to enjoy it. We have a flexible working policy that we are happy to discuss to establish suitable options for you and the department.
A great place to live and work – Exeter, the base location for this role, is a vibrant university city with lots of recreational opportunities and direct train links to London and the north.
We are near to two National Parks – Dartmoor and Exmoor, and beautiful world-class beaches enable a fantastic lifestyle. Don’t just take our word for it, the Telegraph recently ranked Devon as the best county in England, scoring highly for natural wonders, history and culture in their readers poll.
Working Pattern: This is a full-time position working 37.5 hours. The on-call rota for this role is one week every 6-8 weeks for non-clinical service needs.
Interview Date: Week commencing 12th May 2025
For further information please contact: Emily Simpson, Executive and Specialist Recruitment Lead, emily.simpson21@nhs.net or 07958 931414.
As an inclusive employer, the Royal Devon values diversity and is committed to creating a culture of inclusivity where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We believe in fostering a sense of belonging and actively encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. We recognise the advantages of having a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.
Preference will be given to staff with ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust reserves the right to close vacancy when sufficient applications have been received.
The Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was established in April 2022, bringing together the expertise of both the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust.
About Us
Stretching across Northern, Eastern and Mid Devon, we have a workforce of over 15,000 staff, making us the largest employer in Devon. Our core services, which we provide to more than 615,000 people, cover more than 2,000 square miles across Devon, while some of our specialist services cover the whole of the peninsula, extending our reach as far as Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
We deliver a wide range of emergency, specialist and general medical services through North Devon District Hospital and the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford). Alongside our two acute hospitals, we provide integrated health and social care services across a variety of settings, including community inpatient hospitals, outpatient clinics, and within people’s own homes. We also offer primary care services, a range of specialist community services, and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC).
Our state-of-the-art equipment, leading technologies and strong links to local universities put us at the forefront of research and innovations, enabling us to provide world-class care to our local communities.
Our values are at the heart of everything we do, click here to find out more
It has never been a more exciting time to join the Royal Devon, as you will help to shape our services as we continue along our integration journey.
Benefits
Looking after you is important to us.
We strive to help our staff create a healthy work-life balance through flexible working schemes and our family friendly policies.
If you are starting out in the NHS, you’ll start with 27 days paid annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising to 33 days plus bank holidays.
You will benefit from access to our own comprehensive occupational health services, including counselling, onsite wellbeing activities and groups.
We will work together to maintain a culture that develops and supports you and your team.
This might include funding for a care certificate, a degree or leadership qualifications. Or it might include days off to study, engage in CPD or rotational placements to help you hone your skills. Wherever you are heading in the NHS, we will help you get there.
Salary is not the only financial benefit
You will have access to an extensive range of staff discounts on shopping, fitness and leisure options and you can spread the cost of technology and home appliance purchases from major retailers. You will also have access to other benefits including:
- National discount services such as the Blue Light Card and Health Service Discounts.
- Salary sacrifice options including our OFSTED rated outstanding nursery onsite at Exeter
- Car lease schemes.
- The NHS Pension scheme (one of the most generous and comprehensive in the UK).
- Cycle to work scheme
These are just a few of the benefits available – if the role is something you are interested in, we would love to hear from you.
