Clinical Services Lead in London

The Clinical Services Lead will provide senior clinical leadership and operational quality oversight for the Young Crisis Hub, ensuring safe, effective and high-quality care for children and young people with complex mental health needs. The post holder will formally deputise for the Group Head of Governance, Quality & Safeguarding, taking delegated responsibility for governance, safeguarding and quality assurance functions within the Young Crisis Hub, CAMHS Professional and supporting group-wide assurance activity where required. This is a highly visible senior clinical leadership role, combining hands-on oversight of day-to-day clinical quality with responsibility for embedding robust governance, safeguarding and performance management arrangements. The role will ensure the Young Crisis Hub is consistently CQC-compliant, safeguarding-led and outcome-focused, while supporting staff to deliver safe, compassionate and trauma-informed care.

Key Responsibilities

• Deputy Leadership & Executive Support
  • Act as deputy to the Group Head of Governance, Quality & Safeguarding, providing cover, delegated authority and senior decision-making as required.
  • Support the delivery of the Group’s quality, safeguarding and governance strategy, with a specific operational focus on Young Crisis Hub.
  • Provide assurance to senior leaders on clinical quality, risk and safeguarding within the service.
• Clinical Leadership & Quality Oversight (Young Crisis Hub)
  • Provide clinical leadership to nursing and care staff within the Young Crisis Hub.
  • Maintain high visibility within the service through regular clinical visits, audits and staff engagement.
  • Ensure clinical practice is safe, evidence-based, trauma-informed and aligned to care plans, risk assessments and legal frameworks (including DoLS where applicable).
  • Support and challenge clinical decision-making to ensure high professional standards are upheld.
• Safeguarding Leadership
  • Act as a senior safeguarding lead for the Young Crisis Hub, supporting the Group Head in safeguarding strategy and oversight.
  • Oversee safeguarding concerns, allegations and incidents, ensuring appropriate escalation, investigation and liaison with local authorities, LADO, police and commissioners.
  • Ensure safeguarding processes are robust, defensible and comply with statutory guidance and best practice.
  • Provide expert advice and support to staff managing complex safeguarding scenarios involving high-risk young people.
• Governance, Risk & Incident Management
  • Support local governance processes within the Young Crisis Hub, ensuring risks, incidents and quality concerns are identified, managed and escalated appropriately.
  • Support the investigation of incidents, complaints and serious concerns, ensuring learning is identified, implemented and monitored.
  • Contribute to group-wide assurance reporting, risk registers and quality dashboards as delegated.
  • Promote a learning culture aligned to PSIRF-style principles, focused on improvement rather than blame.
• Regulatory Compliance & Inspection Readiness
  • Support the Group Head in maintaining ongoing CQC compliance and inspection readiness within the Young Crisis Hub.
  • Act as a key point of contact for regulators and external professionals in relation to Young Crisis Hub governance and quality.
  • Support Registered Manager functions where required and ensure action plans from inspections or audits are delivered effectively.
• Workforce Leadership, Performance & Culture
  • Support clinical workforce development, competence and professional standards.
  • Contribute to supervision, mentoring and performance management of senior clinical staff.
  • Challenge poor practice and non-compliance constructively, while fostering a culture of accountability and psychological safety.
  • Promote values-led leadership, staff wellbeing and retention within a high-pressure crisis environment.
• Engagement, Partnership & Improvement
  • Work collaboratively with commissioners, local authorities, social workers and partner agencies to support safe service delivery.
  • Ensure service user voice, feedback and lived experience inform quality improvement activity.
  • Support service development, innovation and improvement initiatives aligned to the Young Crisis Hub model.
• Deputising for the Group Head of Governance, Quality and Safeguarding
  • Working with CAMHs Professionals, Young Crisis Hub and Young Wellbeing Hub in regards to regulatory requirements, safeguarding practices and clinical oversight.

Person Specification

Essential

• Registered Mental Health Nurse (NMC registration).
• Significant experience in senior clinical leadership within mental health services, ideally crisis or CAMHS-related.
• Strong knowledge and experience of safeguarding, incident management and clinical governance.
• Experience working within CQC-regulated environments and supporting services to maintain compliance.
• Ability to manage complexity, risk and ambiguity in high-pressure clinical environments.
• Confident communicator with the ability to present complex and sensitive information clearly.
• Demonstrated values-led leadership and commitment to safe, compassionate care.

Desirable

• Experience working in crisis, intensive or high-risk community mental health services for young people.
• Experience deputising for senior governance or quality leadership roles.
• Involvement in regulatory inspections, service improvement or turnaround activity.
• Formal training or experience in safeguarding leadership, quality improvement or investigation methodologies.

The post holder will maintain professional registration and act at all times in accordance with NMC standards, organisational values and statutory responsibilities, supporting the Group to deliver safe, effective and high-quality care.