Assistant Clinical Leadnhs Afc: Band 6Restrictions Apply

Bradford District Care Nhs Foundation Trust; Aberford; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust is recruiting an Assistant Clinical Lead for Thornton Ward at Lynfield Mount. You will lead clinically on the inpatient forensic mental health service, guiding the team to improve patient, family and carer experience and drive improvements across care pathways with partner organisations.

You will oversee safety, quality, governance, staffing, audits and staff training, ensuring compliant documentation and adherence to MHA requirements.

Qualifications

• NMC registered mental health nurse (RMN) with current registration.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical leadership and guidance to inpatient ward staff.
• Ensure service meets local, regional, and national guidance and quality standards.
• Maintain high standards of documentation, care planning and risk assessments.

Education

RMN / NMC registered clinician

Job description

Job overview

We have an exciting opportunity within the Forensic Inpatient Mental Health Services for an Assistant Clinical Lead on Thornton Ward at Lynfield Mount.

We are looking for someone who is prepared to lead creatively, committed to improving patient and family and carer experience, and who will lead and motivate the team to strive for continuous improvement through the development of pathways with across Mental Health Services and with partner organisations in the acute care, voluntary and community sectors.

Areas of focus will include creating a safe and caring culture, quality and safety agendas, safer staffing, meeting key performance indicators, roster management, lessons learnt and enabling development of the team.

Closing Date: 30th October 2026

Shortlisting Date: 3rd November 2026

Interview Date: 9th November 2026 (Subject to change)

Main duties of the job

To demonstrate a high standard of care to patients and contribute to a safe and developing culture.

• To provide clinical expertise and guidance to inpatient ward staff.
• To ensure the service meets guidance and quality standards set locally, regionally, and nationally.
• To ensure high standards of documentation, care planning and risk assessments are met and maintained.
• To provide relevant training and education as required/requested by the service.
• To contribute to data collection and analysis locally and regionally
• To be an integral part of the senior team.
• To support the team in meeting quality standards, implementing policy, managing change, and delivering innovation
• To monitor and analyse care provision through audits, reviews and engagement and provide leadership on maintaining and improving standards.
• To administer medication in line with Trust policy and NMC guidelines
• To maintain clinical record systems as required.
• To comply with the correct implementation of the Mental Health Act.

Working for our organisation

Everything we do is underpinned by our core values: -

• We Care - We act with respect and empathy, and always value difference
• We Listen - We understand people’s views and respond to their individual needs
• We Deliver - We develop and provide excellent services and support our partners

We will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements to enable staff to balance their work and home lives and support staff by offering a fantastic range of benefits including :

• Increase mileage rates for > 4500
• A wide range of health and wellbeing support packages
• A range of internal and external development and learning opportunities
• Plus many more.

We are also proud to pledge our support to the Armed Forces and hold a Bronze Award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidates best interest to apply as soon as possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please read the attached Job description and person specification for further details about this role.

Right to Work in the UK

Applicants should be aware that for any individual who requires a visa to work in the UK, the Trust provides sponsorship for registered healthcare practitioner roles only. This is an essential requirement of the role, and the Trust is unable to offer you a role if you are unable to meet Trust requirements for sponsorship and Home Office requirements for a visa.

Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide confirmation of your right to work and reside in the UK. During your continued employment with the Trust, you have a personal responsibility to notify your manager as soon as possible should there be any changes to your right to work status.

Regrettably, if the role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Trust’s eligibility criteria, the Trust are unable to extend your employment beyond the expiration of your current visa. The Trust is not responsible or liable for ensuring that your employment continues after this period.

As a condition of continuous employment, it essential you maintain the legal right to work in the United Kingdom throughout the duration of your employment with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust (BDCFT). Any change in your right-to-work status, including but not limited to visa expiration, revocation, or denial of renewal, may impact your eligibility for employment with the Trust. It is your responsibility to promptly inform your Line Manager of any changes in your right-to-work status immediately and to provide necessary documentation for verification purposes. Failure to obtain or renew your visa in a timely manner is a breach of employment conditions and will result in termination of your employment. We appreciate your attention to this matter and your commitment to fulfilling this requirement promptly.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• RMN
• Current Registration on part 3 or part 13 of NMC Register

Desirable criteria

• Teaching (clinical practice) qualification/certificate or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential criteria

• Assessment, planning, formulation, and evaluation of patient’s psychological difficulties.
• Experience of working with people with Mental Health Needs.
• Experience of supervising staff

Desirable criteria

• Involvement with innovation in Nursing Practice
• Experience of doing audits
• A minimum of 2yrs post qualification working in a mental health inpatient setting.

Please note that the Trust reserves the right to close the vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received. It is in the candidates best interest to apply as soon as possible.

In view of Home Office Immigration Regulations all applicants must state their current immigration status, including expiry dates.

Bradford District Care Trust is an award-winning Trust that provides a range of innovative services that have been recognised as best practice nationally. As a provider of care for people of all ages who have mental and/or community health needs we are dedicated to providing a high-quality service, close to where people live and as much as possible tailored to an individual’s needs.

The Trust’s purpose is to create connected communities and help people to feel as healthy as they can be at every point in their lives and our vision is to connect people to the best quality care, when and where they need it and be a national role model as an employer and provide our staff with the best place to work.

Bradford has been awarded the coveted status of UK City of Culture 2025. The year is set to deliver more than 1000 new performances and events including 365 artist commissions, a series of major arts festivals as well as exciting national and international collaborations. Its themes will be rooted in the unique heritage and character of Bradford and will reveal the magic of the district that is held in its people, its ambition, and above all, its potential.

We would welcome applicants with lived experience of providing unpaid care and/or support to a family member or friend with a disability, health condition, frailty, mental health problem, addiction or other health and care needs.

We welcome people from all backgrounds and in particular Bradford District Care Trust is keen to reflect the population we serve, we are currently underrepresented in terms of black and minority ethnic staff. Applications are encouraged from these groups, but it must be stressed that selection will be solely on merit and in accordance with the Trust recruitment policy.

BDCFT is dedicated to environmental and social sustainability by delivering on the commitments within our Green Plan. All staff are actively encouraged and supported to participate in training and to identify and implement sustainable quality improvement across all service areas and activities.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.