Digital Clinical Lead

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust; Leicester; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A major NHS healthcare provider is seeking a Digital Clinical Lead to spearhead the integration and optimization of digital technologies across clinical teams. Responsibilities include managing a team of digital nurses, collaborating on IT projects, and ensuring that digital solutions enhance patient outcomes and clinical workflows. Ideal candidates will demonstrate leadership in digital healthcare and an ability to effect change in clinical practices through innovation and collaboration.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Support for training and development

Healthcare benefits

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading digital health initiatives.
• Strong clinical background aligned with digital healthcare.
• Ability to foster user engagement in digital technology.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of digital clinical staff.
• Ensure implementation of digital health initiatives.
• Promote digital literacy among nursing staff.

Skills

Digital literacy

Leadership

Clinical knowledge

Collaboration

Data management

Education

Relevant clinical qualifications

Tools

EHRs

Remote monitoring systems

Decision support systems

Job description

The Digital Clinical Lead is a senior clinical leader responsible for spearheading the adoption, integration, and optimisation of digital technologies across nursing and wider multidisciplinary teams. This pivotal role ensures that digital health initiatives are designed and delivered in a way that improves patient outcomes, enhances clinical workflows, and supports the overall transformation of care delivery.

At the core of this role is the responsibility for leading a team of digital nurses and officers, providing strategic direction, mentorship, and operational oversight to ensure effective execution of the organization’s digital health program.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of digital clinical staff.
• Provide strategic direction and operational oversight for digital health initiatives.
• Collaborate with clinical and IT teams to implement and optimise solutions such as EHRs, remote monitoring, virtual care, mobile apps, and decision support systems.
• Represent nursing in digital projects, ensuring clinical needs are aligned with technical capabilities.
• Champion digital literacy and capability-building across the nursing workforce.
• Influence digital policy, contribute to governance structures, and support change management.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Act as the key nursing representative on digital projects and programs, aligning clinical requirements with technical capabilities, and ensuring that all digital solutions are safe, user‑friendly, and fit for purpose.
• Manage day‑to‑day activities of the team, set performance goals, coordinate project timelines, allocate resources, and promote innovation.
• Ensure clinical practice supported by digital technology meets professional standards and NMC Code of practice.
• Collaborate with benefits realisation lead to identify and articulate benefits related to digital projects and work streams.
• Maintain high profile in the clinical area and build working relationships across UHL and with healthcare partners and suppliers.

Key Working Relationships

• Digital Matron
• Chief Nurse Information Officer
• Heads of Nursing/CMG Leads
• Non‑clinical managers
• IM&T Teams
• Business partners
• LPT

Key Result Areas – Service Delivery & Development

• Work in a strong and effective corporate manner with key stakeholders building strong influential relationships with staff at all levels.
• Develop and implement digital nursing strategies aligned with organizational goals.
• Act as the senior clinical lead for digital projects, ensuring alignment with patient safety.
• Represent nursing perspectives in IT governance, planning, and decision‑making forums.
• Build effective alliances to ensure programme priorities are understood and reflect the needs of patients, to have significant impact on safety, quality, performance, patient and staff experience and staff effectiveness.
• Lead and manage the delivery of assigned projects on time and within budget, through a process including setting goals, objectives, resources, milestones and measures of success which deliver significant change.
• Ensure benefit realisation and change management processes are integral to the management of the project.
• Work alongside colleagues to help achieve maximum functionality from the existing clinical IT systems.
• Promote the use of digital tools for data‑driven decision making and clinical audits.
• Ensure the integrity, accuracy, and security of patient data within digital systems.
• Support the monitoring of digital KPIs, clinical outcomes, and user satisfaction.
• Provide day‑to‑day support for users diagnosing and remedying errors in a timely manner in collaboration with the IT department helpdesk and system suppliers.
• Act as a leader for change.

Governance & Safety

• Investigate clinical incident reports, complaints and concerns relating to and in association with Clinical IT systems.
• Understand and act as a champion for the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
• Ensure effective communication channels exist between users of the system, those supporting it and senior managers.
• Contribute to managing significant risks and issues to ensure clinical safety and patient care is not affected by system development issues.
• Assess risks, develop Clinical Safety Case hazard logs and contribute to Clinical Safety Case reports as part of the development process.

Patient/Customer Service & Digital Documentation

• Ensure service user engagement during the development and implementation and review of digital technology development.
• Support clinical staff with use of IT systems (including E3, ICE, Nervecentre, SystemOne, Badgernet).
• Participate in the development of Digital Documentation for Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs, as part of the Trust's wider EPR programme.
• Attend relevant IT meetings and disseminate information as appropriate.
• Participate in the introduction of new IT systems in clinical areas.
• Assist in training staff with new IT systems and developments.

Working for Our Organisation

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023‑2030). We have four primary goals:

• High‑quality care for all
• Being a great place to work
• Partnerships for impact
• Research and education excellence

We embed health equality in all we do, taking active steps to reduce avoidable differences in healthcare. Our strategy is underpinned by new values: compassionate, proud, inclusive, and one team.

Location & Reporting

Primary base will be Leicester Royal Infirmary. Flexibility required across the three main hospital sites (Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General Hospital, Glenfield Hospital). Reports to: Digital Matron; Accountable to: Chief Nurse Information Officer.

Equal Opportunities

UHL is an equal opportunities employer. We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds who match our job criteria. Applicants with a disability meeting essential criteria will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. Reasonable adjustment provision is available at any stage of the recruitment process. UHL is committed to flexible working arrangements where reasonably practicable and subject to service needs.

Disclosure & Barring Service Check

Successful candidates will undertake a Disclosure & Barring Service check (enhanced £38 or standard £18) paid by the Trust initially and deducted over three months thereafter.

COVID‑19 Risk Assessment

As part of the pre‑employment process, a staff risk assessment will be conducted to ensure safe duties performance. Safe completion will depend on vulnerability status, with reasonable adjustments discussed with Occupational Health and recruiting manager if necessary.

COVID-19 Vaccination Status

Vaccination is encouraged to protect self, colleagues, patients, and service users.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance

We hold the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to developing a workforce that reflects the community we serve: diverse communities in Leicester, Rutland, and surrounding areas.