Lead for Patient Safety, Quality & Compliance

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust; Harrogate; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Harrogate is seeking a Lead Nurse/Midwife for Patient Safety, Quality, and Compliance. This pivotal role focuses on coordinating the clinical governance within the Women's Health team, emphasizing gynaecology services. The ideal candidate will possess strong organizational skills and leadership experience. Responsibilities include supporting the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework, overseeing clinical audits, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Join a supportive and inclusive organization committed to high-quality patient care.

Benefits

Development opportunities

Flexible working

Strong focus on wellbeing

Qualifications

• Registered nurse or midwife qualification required.
• Post-registration professional continuous development required.
• Experience in clinical effectiveness and quality improvement is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and support the Clinical Governance and Risk Management Strategy.
• Oversee Gynaecology investigations and ensure compliance with standards.
• Support the WH MDT with complaints and necessary actions.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Written communication

Leadership

Audit experience

Quality improvement

Education

Registered nurse or midwife

Degree in nursing or midwifery

Practice assessor qualification

Leadership course

Job description

Lead for Patient Safety, Quality & Compliance

The closing date is 22 December 2025

The Lead Nurse/Midwife for Patient Safety, Quality and Compliance role is integral to coordinating and developing clinical governance within the Womens Health team, with a specific focus on gynaecology services. The postholder will support the Director of Midwifery, Gynaecology and Assistant Chief Nurse and the Head of Womens Health Governance and Assurance in ensuring delivery of high-quality care and robust governance frameworks. The postholder will be an integral member of the Womens Health safety, quality and education team. This specialist role requires strong organisational and written skills, and an ability to use your own initiative and work independently.

Main duties of the job

Supporting the delivery of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) within Womens Health (WH). Ensuring all clinical documents, written processes and patient information leaflets within the Gynaecology service are updated and reviewed in a timely manner in line with Trust Standards. Working with the Quality and Compliance midwife and Consultant audit lead to coordinate and facilitate the WH audit plan and monthly Mortality and Morbidity (M&M) meetings. Supporting and advising on quality issues, patient safety, and clinical governance and risk management to all clinical staff. Supporting the WH MDT with complaints and PALS responses and assisting the legal team with investigations as required.

About us

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) is proud to care for the communities of West Essex, delivering safe, compassionate, and high-quality services. We are part of the Neighbourhood Wave; a national programme that’s changing how care is delivered by focusing on prevention, early support, and more joined‑up services across health, social care, and the voluntary sector. This means we’re working more closely with local partners to bring care closer to home and support people to live healthier, more independent lives. We’re a supportive and inclusive organisation that values its people. We offer development opportunities, flexible working, and a strong focus on wellbeing. As a Disability Confident and equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences. Join us and help shape the future of care in West Essex.

Job responsibilities

To support the Clinical Director, the Director of Midwifery, Gynaecology and Assistant Chief Nurse, the Gynaecology Governance Lead Consultant and the Head of Women’s Health Governance and Assurance in delivering the Clinical Governance and Risk Management Strategy.

The postholder will be responsible for:

• Supporting the delivery of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) within Women’s Health (WH). This includes overseeing Gynaecology investigations including but not limited to Patient Safety Incident Investigations (PSIIs), After Action Reviews (AARs) and incident reviews; ensuring prompt reporting; supporting the WH multidisciplinary team (MDT) in investigations; implementing learning; and tracking/progressing actions.
• Overseeing the Gynaecology Risk Register, ensuring regular review and supporting progress on actions.
• Ensuring all clinical documents, written processes and patient information leaflets within the Gynaecology service are updated and reviewed in a timely manner in line with Trust Standards. This includes oversight of local compliance with NICE and identifying/supporting development of new documents.
• Working with the Quality and Compliance midwife and Consultant audit lead to coordinate and facilitate the WH audit plan and monthly Mortality and Morbidity (M&M) meetings. This includes the planning, organisation and facilitation of audit activity within the Gynaecology service, and completion of both local and National audits in line with the Clinical Governance agenda and WH audit plan.
• Disseminating alerts (ISB/MDA/MHRA) to managers and relevant teams and monitoring actions required in response to these.
• As a member of the WH governance team, jointly monitoring the incident reporting system, providing support to the WH MDT in response to incidents and external alerts.
• Coordinating, facilitating and supporting the WH MDT in working towards achieving and maintaining CQC Standards.
• Supporting and advising on quality issues, patient safety, and clinical governance and risk management to all clinical staff. This involves working closely with the WH governance and education team to achieve service‑wide learning and improvements. This includes contributing to departmental newsletters, presentations at learning forums and meetings, delivering MDT teaching, and attending safety huddles.
• Supporting the WH MDT with complaints and PALS responses and assisting the legal team with investigations as required.
• Producing reports, chairing meetings, tracking all aspects of governance within Gynaecology, and ensuring governance frameworks are maintained and updated.
• Identifying and escalating incident and complaint trends, supporting learning and quality improvement work to address these.
• Deputise for the Head of Women’s Health Governance and Assurance at relevant Trust meetings.
• Undertaking Duty of Candour and ensuring the process is monitored.
• Within scope of practice, provides cover for when other members of the Governance team are absent – e.g. the Lead Midwife for Patient Safety and Quality and the Lead Midwife for Quality and Compliance.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered nurse or midwife
• Degree in nursing, midwifery or equivalent
• Practice assessor qualification or equivalent mentorship course
• Leadership course
• After Action Review training

Experience

• Evidence of post‑registration professional continuous development and portfolio of learning
• Evidence of leadership experience
• Use of computerised information systems
• Experience of audit
• Experience in clinical effectiveness such as contributing to guideline updates
• Understanding of PSIRF (Patient Safety Incident Response Framework)
• Recent experience working in gynaecological services (highly desirable)
• Understanding of SEIPS (Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety)
• Experience in quality improvement work or example of contributing to service improvements

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.

Employer name

The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust