IUC Clinical Lead

This is an opportunity for an experienced GP to take on a senior clinical leadership role within a large, established Integrated Urgent Care service. The IUC Clinical Lead will oversee audit, performance and improvement across urgent treatment centres, out-of-hours and community services, working closely with senior clinical and operational teams. The role offers a balance of clinical practice and leadership, with a clear focus on improving quality, supporting clinicians, and shaping how care is delivered across the system.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will manage the audit team and work closely with clinical staff, governance team members, Deputy Medical Director, Director of Clinical Services, Head of Urgent and Primary Care, and wider teams to identify areas for improvement and implement practical, data-driven strategies to enhance performance, patient safety and service delivery.

Job responsibilities

• Core Hours: 3 days a week leadership plus added clinical sessions (one session per week)

Role Responsibilities:

• Clinical Requirements: Undertake one clinical session per week across LCW services, ensuring exposure to UTC, visiting, face-to-face, community and triage services over a 12-month period. Participate in the clinical on-call rota. Complete EPRR training as part of the LCW on-call team.
• Clinical Leadership: Provide clinical leadership across IUC services including identifying issues and progressing towards service improvement and to have a strong commitment to high quality patient care and patient safety. Act as a senior point of contact for clinical queries amongst the GP cohort. Support the Deputy Medical Director in the management of clinician performance.
• Governance and Patient Safety: Lead and contribute to the review of incidents and HCP feedback. Identify learning and ensure this is shared and embedded into practice. Support investigation of significant or complex cases. Ensure compliance with CQC standards, PSIRF and internal policies. Contribute and lead on reports internally and externally. Represent LCW at quality and governance meetings where appropriate. Ensure latest guidance (NICE, MHRA) is reviewed and shared where appropriate.
• Audit Management: Develop, implement and manage audit policies, SOPs and frameworks. Ensure audit tools are current and aligned with local, regional and national guidance. Oversee audits of new and existing clinical staff. Ensure regular benchmarking and alignment of auditors. Prepare audit reports outlining findings, risks and recommendations. Ensure clinical breach reporting and timely audit as part of PSIRF processes. Line Manage Auditors.
• Performance Improvement: Lead implementation of clinical performance and conduct as per direction from LCW policy. Work with governance, BI and project management teams to analyse audit data and identify trends and variation. Develop and implement performance improvement initiatives. Support the Deputy Medical Director and Head of Clinical Services in providing direct feedback to clinicians to support improvement. Monitor the effectiveness of improvement actions with the auditors through the clinical performance task and finish group.
• Service Development: Identify areas for improvement and support service development. Contribute to pathway review and redesign. Work with system partners to improve patient flow and coordination. Develop digital and automation pathways with wider team.
• Workforce and Development: Support induction, mentoring and development of clinicians and GP trainees. Contribute to teaching schedules and peer review sessions. Support the Deputy Medical Director in the performance management processes where required. Contribute and lead on our clinical bulletins that are disseminated to clinical and operational staff.
• Regulatory Compliance: Maintain awareness of relevant healthcare regulations and standards. Support preparation for inspection by external bodies including CQC. Liaise with NHS England Professional Standards and other regulatory bodies as required.
• Quality Assurance: Develop and maintain quality assurance programmes. Present service quality metrics at Quality Assurance Group (QAG) as per IUC quality schedule. Work with governance and other clinical leads to reduce risk and improve patient safety.
• Reporting and Communication: Prepare and present reports for QAG, CQRG, Quality, Performance and Workforce Committee and Board. Facilitate communication across clinical, operational and digital teams. Opportunities to work with external stakeholders to support digital and operational improvements.

Main Conditions of Service

• Confidentiality: All staff employed by LCWUCC has a duty to keep information about staff and patients confidential and not to discuss information unnecessarily or to unauthorised persons. Failure to maintain confidentiality will lead to disciplinary action.
• Health and Safety: Employees must be aware of the responsibilities placed on them under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974), and to ensure that agreed safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment for employees, patients and visitors.
• No Smoking Policy: There is a no smoking policy in operation within the Organisation. In accordance with this policy smoking is positively discouraged and is not permitted in any areas.
• Data Protection: If you have contact with computerised data systems you are required to obtain process and/or use information held on a computer or word processor in a fair and lawful way.
• Patients Charter: We are committed to meeting the rights and standards required by the Patients Charter. We expect our staff to be aware of these rights and standards and to be fully involved and co-operate in meeting them.

Person Specification

• Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to analyse and interpret data. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to provide constructive feedback to clinicians. Ability to work collaboratively with clinical and management teams. High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Qualifications: MBBS, MRCGP.
• Other Attributes: Flexible and adaptable to change to meet the needs of the service.
• Knowledge: Strong understanding of clinical audit in urgent care settings. Knowledge of healthcare regulations, accreditation standards and quality improvement methodologies.
• Values: Exhibits behaviours in line with Organisation Values: Drive Change Together, Belonging, Community Focused.
• Experience: Minimum 3 years experience in audit, quality assurance or performance improvement. Experience in IUC, GP OOH, UTC or similar setting.

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.