Lead Nurse in Chester

The Lead Nurse will provide clinical and operational leadership to the nursing team within the GP practice, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe, evidence-based patient care for the practice population. You will work closely with GPs, practice management, healthcare assistants, and other clinical staff to develop nursing services, lead chronic disease management, preventive care, and contribute to service improvement across the practice.

Main duties of the job

• The role provides strong clinical leadership to ensure the delivery of safe, effective, and high-quality care.
• It contributes to service development and quality improvement initiatives, driving innovation and continuous improvement in patient outcomes.
• The role involves leading, managing, and supporting multidisciplinary teams, fostering a positive and collaborative working environment.
• It also includes responsibility for education and development, supporting staff learning, supervision, and professional growth.
• In addition, the role upholds professional and regulatory responsibilities, ensuring practice aligns with relevant standards, policies, and governance requirements.

About us

We are a motivated and friendly team providing high-quality care to a practice population of approximately 8,000 patients. Our team works collaboratively to deliver patient-centred services, valuing professionalism, mutual support, and continuous improvement. We are committed to maintaining a welcoming environment for both patients and staff, with a strong focus on quality, safety, and ongoing development.

Job responsibilities

• Clinical Leadership
  • Provide clinical leadership and supervision for nursing staff, ensuring high standards of care across all nursing services.
  • Deliver and coordinate clinical services including chronic disease management (e.g., diabetes, COPD, hypertension), immunisations, vaccinations, and health promotion.
  • Undertake advanced clinical duties such as immunisation delivery, cervical cytology, wound care, blood tests, ECGs, and other clinical procedures as required by the practice.
  • Provide or support nurse-led clinics and autonomous clinical decision-making within scope of practice.
  • Support adherence to national and local clinical guidelines and evidence-based practice.
• Service Development & Quality Improvement
  • Identify opportunities and lead initiatives to develop nursing services to meet practice priorities and patient needs.
  • Contribute to achieving practice performance targets (e.g., Quality and Outcomes Framework, immunisation targets).
  • Promote clinical governance, audit, quality assurance, and continuous improvement.
  • Lead, mentor, and supervise the nursing team, including registered nurses, nurse associates and healthcare assistants.
  • Support recruitment, induction, appraisal and development of nursing staff.
  • Manage nursing rotas and contribute to team workload planning.
  • Act as a role model, promoting teamwork, professionalism and collaboration.
  • Work closely with GPs, Practice Manager, other clinicians and admin staff to integrate nursing services with the wider practice and PCN.
  • Maintain effective communication with patients, carers and teams to support care delivery and practice goals.
  • Attend and contribute to clinical and practice meetings.
• Education & Development
  • Support training and professional development of nursing staff and students.
  • Promote a learning environment and disseminate new clinical knowledge, guidelines and best practice.
• Professional & Regulatory Responsibilities
  • Maintain up-to-date NMC registration and practice within the NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
  • Ensure accurate and timely clinical record-keeping in line with practice standards.
  • Comply with data protection, confidentiality and safeguarding requirements.

Person Specification

• Qualifications: Registered Nurse with current NMC Registration.
• IT Knowledge: EMIS Web knowledge, DOCAN knowledge, Office 365 knowledge.
• Experience: Significant experience in primary care / general practice nursing.
• Strong clinical skills across chronic disease management, immunisation, and treatment room procedures.
• Leadership or supervisory experience.
• Excellent communication, organisational and team-working skills.
• Experience in service development, clinical governance or quality improvement.

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.