Lead Practice Nurse

The Lead Practice Nurse will provide clinical leadership and day-to-day coordination of the nursing team while maintaining a direct patient-facing role. Working as a senior member of the practice multidisciplinary team, the post holder will ensure safe, effective, evidence-based nursing services for the registered patient population, including patients with long-term conditions and elderly, frail or housebound patients. The role combines the clinical responsibilities of a Practice Nurse with oversight of nursing standards, team development, service delivery and continuous improvement, working closely with the Practice Manager and clinical leadership team.

Main duties of the job

• Provide visible clinical leadership, guidance and support to Practice Nurses, Healthcare Assistants and other members of the nursing team.
• Coordinate the delivery of nursing services, supporting safe allocation of duties, clinical cover, workload management and effective use of available resources.
• Support induction, supervision, mentoring, training and professional development of nursing team members, identifying learning needs and opportunities for improvement.
• Contribute to performance reviews, competency assessments and the management of performance concerns in collaboration with the Practice Manager and clinical leadership team.
• Promote effective multidisciplinary working, clear communication, professional accountability and a positive learning culture.
• Delegate clinical responsibilities appropriately, ensuring tasks are within the individuals competence and scope of practice.

Clinical Care and Patient Management

• Assess patients healthcare needs and deliver appropriate, evidence-based nursing care in accordance with current clinical guidance, including NICE and relevant national standards.
• Develop, implement and evaluate individual care and treatment plans for patients with long-term conditions, including diabetes, hypertension and respiratory conditions.
• Oversee and participate in chronic disease clinics, including referral to secondary or specialist care where appropriate.
• Develop and embed effective care management arrangements for frail, elderly and housebound patients.
• Identify and support patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, promoting prevention, health improvement and wellbeing.
• Provide routine nursing care and, where qualified and within scope of practice, assess and manage acute and chronic conditions.
• Administer or prescribe medicines only where appropriately authorised, including under applicable Patient Group Directions (PGDs) or independent prescribing qualifications.
• Support medication reviews and provide patients with advice on prescribed and over-the-counter medicines, including use, side effects and dosage, within scope of practice.
• Coordinate travel health services and implement adult and childhood immunisation programmes.
• Develop and participate in well woman and well man clinics, including cervical screening where qualified.
• Request pathology investigations and process or act on results as appropriate to competence and local protocols.
• Recognise and respond to clinical emergencies, safeguarding concerns and patients presenting with mental health needs, escalating or referring appropriately.
• Liaise with external agencies and services to ensure coordinated care for vulnerable patients.

Clinical Governance, Quality and Safety

• Lead or support implementation and review of nursing-related clinical policies, pathways, procedures and standard operating processes.
• Lead on the implementation of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) policies, undertake annual IPC audits, ensure staff training and evidence of compliance, and contribute to the annual IPC statement in collaboration with the Practice Manager.
• Monitor nursing quality, patient safety, clinical documentation and adherence to agreed standards; address gaps through training, audit and improvement actions.
• Ensure accurate, contemporaneous clinical records, effective use of clinical coding and appropriate maintenance of chronic disease registers.
• Promote compliance with safeguarding requirements, information governance, professional standards and local and national guidance.
• Contribute to incident reviews, significant event learning, clinical audits, quality improvement and preparation for regulatory inspections.
• Identify clinical risks and escalate concerns promptly through the practices governance arrangements.

Service Delivery and Improvement

• Work with the Practice Manager and clinical team to review patient demand, nursing capacity, appointment provision and access to services.
• Use available activity, quality and population-health data to identify priorities and improve nursing pathways and outcomes.
• Develop, implement and evaluate health promotion and wellbeing programmes.
• Contribute to service planning, changes in clinical pathways and initiatives to improve patient experience and continuity of care.
• Ensure nursing equipment, clinical supplies and treatment-room arrangements support safe and efficient service delivery, escalating any issues as required.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• Registered Nurse with current Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registration.
• Previous experience working as a Practice Nurse in primary care.
• Experience in chronic disease management, including diabetes, hypertension and respiratory conditions.
• Qualified cervical screening sample taker.
• Trained and competent in immunisations and vaccinations, including childhood immunisations.
• Ability to provide clinical leadership, support colleagues and maintain high standards of patient care.
• Strong communication, organisational, prioritisation and clinical decision-making skills.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

• Previous leadership, supervisory or senior nursing experience.
• Experience using EMIS.
• Formal qualification or advanced training in diabetes management.
• Asthma and/or COPD qualification or relevant specialist experience.
• Travel health experience or qualification.
• Competence in Doppler assessment, leg ulcer assessment, dressings, removal of sutures (ROS) and compression dressings.
• Experience in clinical audit, quality improvement, staff development or clinical governance.

27 days annual leave (pro rata) plus 8 bank holidays (pro rata).

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires an appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

This job description outlines the main responsibilities of the role and may be reviewed to reflect the changing needs of the practice.