Practice Support Lead in Hove

As Practice Support Lead at Brighton & Hove GP Federation, you will be at the heart of a dynamic, citywide organisation helping GP practices thrive in an increasingly complex healthcare landscape. This is your opportunity to lead impactful auxiliary practice support services, while shaping how care is delivered across Brighton & Hove. You will combine operational excellence with people leadership, managing teams, driving performance, and improving patient pathways. Every day brings variety from coordinating services, analysing data, solving system pressures, to collaborating with practices, PCNs, and wider health partners. Your work won't just keep services running, it will actively improve access, quality, and sustainability of care. What makes this role stand out is its purpose. This is not a profit-driven organisation, every success is reinvested locally to support patients, workforce wellbeing, and long-term resilience. You will join a forward-thinking team rooted in NHS values, where innovation, collaboration, and equity are not just principles, they shape everything we do. If you are an experienced leader who thrives in fast-paced environments, enjoys driving change, and wants to make a tangible difference at scale, this is a unique chance to shape services that matter.

Main duties of the job

The Practice Support Lead will provide operational leadership and management for the Federation's auxiliary practice support services, ensuring efficient, safe, and patient-centred service delivery in line with contractual, regulatory, and governance requirements. This will include:

• Managing the day-to-day delivery of services
• Line-managing service administrators
• Planning team rotas and workload
• Monitoring performance of services and leading on reporting requirements
• Assisting with governance and quality assurance

This may include working across Brighton and Hove as required to cover service delivery. This role spans multiple auxiliary Federation services that form our Practice Support offer to members. This currently includes the following, but may change in future:

• Locally Commissioned Service (LCS) support
• Sustainability support
• Practice training
• Virtual Wards

Job responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead the day-to-day operational management of the services.
• Ensure effective coordination of referral, booking, and pathway management processes.
• Monitor service activity, capacity, and demand, escalating risks and pressures as appropriate.

Performance and Contract Management

• Monitor performance against agreed KPIs, waiting times, and contractual requirements.
• Develop and monitor internal performance measures.
• Produce regular performance reports and support data submissions to commissioners.
• Support service planning to meet demand and improve access.

Workforce and Team Management

• Provide line management and supervision to non-clinical staff working in the services.
• Coordinate staffing rotas, recruitment, induction, and workforce planning in line with service needs.
• Promote a positive, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
• Identify and organise training needs of non-clinical staff.
• Promoting and monitoring staff wellbeing.

Governance and Quality Support

• Support clinical governance processes including incidents, complaints, and risk management.
• Ensure policies, SOPs, and pathways are implemented and reviewed.
• Support audits, quality improvement initiatives, and service reviews.

Service Development and Improvement

• Lead or support service improvement projects to enhance efficiency, patient experience, and outcomes.
• Support the implementation of new pathways, digital systems, and ways of working.
• Work with member practices to identify support needs and develop additional services.
• Facilitate service user feedback and contribute to co-production activity.

Partnership and Stakeholder Working

• Act as the operational point of contact for internal and external stakeholders.
• Liaise with commissioners, primary care, and partner organisations on operational matters.
• Represent the service at operational and contract review meetings.

Information and Data Management

• Ensure accurate data collection, reporting, and use of information to drive improvement.
• Work with informatics and performance teams to improve data quality and insight.

Health and Safety

Employees have a legal responsibility not to endanger themselves, fellow employees and others by their individual acts or omissions. The post holder is required to comply with the requirements of any policy or procedure issued in respect of minimising the risk of injury or disease.

Data Protection and Confidentiality

All employees are subject to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 and must maintain strict confidentiality in respect of patient, client and staff records.

Smoking and Health

The organisation has a no smoking policy throughout its premises, including buildings and grounds.

Equality and Diversity

The organisation is committed to promoting equal opportunities to achieve equity of access, experience, and outcomes and to recognising and valuing peoples differences. This applies to all activities as a service provider and employer.

Information Management and Technology

All staff are expected to utilise the relevant national and local Information management and technology systems necessary to undertake their role.

Flexible Working

The organisation is committed to offering flexible, modern employment practices, which recognise that all staff need to strike a sensible balance between home and work life. All requests to work flexibly will be considered, however it is envisaged that in the first 12 months full time working will be required.

Reasonable Adjustments

The organisation is seeking to promote the employment of disabled people and will make any adjustments considered reasonable to the above duties under the terms of the Equality Act 2010 to accommodate a suitable disabled candidate.

Person Specification

Experience

• Previous managerial experience in a complex organisation preferably within the NHS.
• A proven record of success in change management, while maintaining high standards of quality.
• Experience of staff performance management, including appraisal writing, staff development and disciplinary procedures.
• Experience and evidence of delivering high standards of service performance, improvement and development.
• Experience of successfully developing and implementing projects.
• Experience of workforce planning, forecasting and development.
• Experience of working in a healthcare setting.
• NHS / primary care general practice experience (especially practice management).
• Experience of working effectively in collaboration with other organisations.
• Experience of chairing meetings, producing agendas and minutes.

Knowledge and Skills

• Excellent communication skills (written, oral and presenting).
• Ability to prioritise, delegate and work to tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Effective time management (planning & organising).
• Ability to network and build relationships.
• Proven problem-solving & analytical skills.
• Ability to motivate and train staff.
• Knowledge and understanding of local LCS requirements.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in management or leadership (or relevant experience).
• Evidence of continuing professional development to a post graduate level.

Other requirements

• Flexibility to work outside core office hours.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Full UK driving licence.

Personal Qualities

• Polite and confident.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Motivated and proactive.
• Ability to use initiative and judgement.
• Forward thinker with a solutions-focused approach.
• High levels of integrity and loyalty.
• Flexible and cooperative.
• Confident, assertive and resilient.
• Ability to drive and deliver change effectively.
• Ability to motivate teams, enhance morale and maintain a positive working environment, including team-building sessions.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.