Lead Practice Nurse

Ruskington Medical Practice; Sleaford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A rural GP practice in England is seeking a Lead Practice Nurse to oversee nursing operations and provide high-quality clinical leadership. The successful candidate will manage chronic disease clinics, mentor staff, and engage in public health initiatives. This position offers a supportive work environment with opportunities for professional development and flexible working hours.

Benefits

Minimum 5.6 weeks annual leave plus Bank Holidays

Indemnity and NMC cover

Ongoing training and career development opportunities

Uniform provided

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse (RN) with current NMC registration.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to primary care and leadership.
• Experience of service development, audit, and quality improvement initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead infection prevention and control initiatives.
• Conduct and manage nurse-led clinics for chronic conditions.
• Provide mentorship and support to nursing colleagues.

Skills

Leadership

Chronic disease management

Clinical expertise

Infection prevention and control

Patient education

Education

Degree-level qualification in nursing

Post-registration qualifications in general practice nursing

Advanced practice qualification

Tools

NMC registration

EMIS Web

Job description

We are seeking an experienced, motivated, and forward-thinking Lead Practice Nurse to join our friendly rural GP practice team. This is an exciting opportunity to take a leadership role in shaping and delivering high-quality nursing care for our local community.

As Lead Practice Nurse, you will provide both clinical expertise and management support, leading our nursing team to deliver safe, evidence-based care in line with national and local guidelines. You will play a key role in chronic disease management, health promotion, preventive care, and supporting patients to live healthier lives.

Working in a rural setting offers the chance to develop strong, long-lasting patient relationships and make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of our community. You will be supported by a multidisciplinary team of GPs, healthcare assistants, allied health professionals, and administrative colleagues, all committed to providing excellent, patient-centred care.

This role also provides the opportunity to influence practice development, mentor and support colleagues, and contribute to the ongoing improvement of services. We are looking for a proactive clinician who is passionate about teamwork, innovation, and the delivery of high-quality primary care.

Main duties of the job

The Lead Practice Nurse will provide high-quality,evidence-based care, and play a key role in supporting the practice team.Responsibilities include:

Acting as the Infection Prevention and Control Lead for thepractice.

Delivering nurse-led clinics for long-term conditions,including diabetes, asthma, and COPD.

Providing travel health advice and administeringvaccinations (including childhood immunisations and adult vaccines).

Undertaking wound care management, cervical cytology and other appropriate practice nurse duties.

Supporting patients through health screening, lifestyleadvice, and education.

Ensuring the safe storage, administration, and management ofmedicines and vaccines.

Maintaining accurate clinical records in line with NMCstandards.

Contributing to practice performance targets, including CQC and theQuality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).

Making appropriate referrals and working closely with thewider multidisciplinary team to ensure continuity of care.

Supporting the training, mentoring, and appraisal of teammembers, sharing learning and promoting best practice across the nursing team.

Working collaboratively with colleagues to promote highstandards of care, patient safety, and continuous quality improvement.

About us

Ruskington Medical Practice is a rural, dispensing GMSpractice, caring for just under 8,000 patients. We have a dynamic clinical teamcomprising one GP Partner, two Salaried GP, two Advanced Nurse Practitioners(ANPs), one Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP), and one Urgent CarePractitioner (UCP).

We are actively involved with our Primary Care Network (PCN)and local Federation, hosting a range of additional roles includingPharmacists, a Mental Health Practitioner, an MSK First Contact Practitioner,and a Paramedic Home Visiting Team.

We offer extended hours healthcare support worker led service, providingflexible appointment access for patients who work or have family/carerresponsibilities

We are proud of our inclusive, welcoming practice cultureand our CQC rating of 'Good'.

We continue to drive improvement through team-widecollaboration and whole-practice voice in quality initiatives.

Why Join Us?

Supportive and friendly working environment

Indemnity and NMC cover paid for by the practice

Minimum 5.6 weeks annual leave plus Bank Holidays

Paid 1/2 hour lunch break

Uniform provided

Ongoing training and career development opportunities

Working hours can be reasonably flexible within surgeryopening time for the right candidate.

Candidates please be available for interview week commencing the 3rd November 2025.

Job responsibilities

Job Summary Lead Practice Nurse (GP Practice)

The Lead Practice Nurse will be responsible for the overall leadership, coordination, and development of the practice nursing team, including registered nurses, the nurse associate, and healthcare assistants. This role provides clinical leadership, mentorship, and supervision to ensure safe, effective, and high-quality nursing services are delivered across the practice and wider network, while strengthening integration with community, secondary, and social care providers.

The post-holder will play a key role in supporting public health and screening programmes, such as infection prevention and control, chronic disease management, immunisations, cervical screening, and health promotion initiatives. They will also embed population health management approaches within general practice, focusing on reducing health inequalities and improving access to care for all patients.

As a senior member of the multidisciplinary team, the Lead Practice Nurse will contribute to the strategic and operational development of clinical services, support the implementation of clinical policies and procedures, and promote evidence-based practice. They will oversee the delivery of care for patients with long-term conditions, ensuring effective processes are in place for proactive, holistic management.

The role requires active participation in training, education, and quality improvement activities, while supporting colleagues to develop their skills and maintain professional standards. The post-holder will also be expected to engage with the wider practice nurse network and act as a role model for best practice in primary care nursing.

The organisation will ensure that the Lead Practice Nurse has access to appropriate clinical supervision and a named individual for ongoing advice, guidance, and support, in line with the organisations Clinical Supervision Policy.

Quality and Continuous Improvement (CI)

Ruskington Medical Practice is committed to delivering high-quality healthcare services and continually improving the way care is provided. All staff are expected to consider not only what they do but how they do it, ensuring that their work contributes to the overall effectiveness and quality of the practice.

Every member of the team has a responsibility to:

• Identify opportunities for improvement and share examples of good practice.
• Collaborate with colleagues to enhance patient care and service delivery.
• Participate in discussions, reviews, and initiatives that support continuous improvement.

We promote a culture where everyone counts, and all staff are encouraged to make suggestions and contribute to the development of processes that improve patient outcomes and experiences.

All staff are also expected to contribute to quality assurance activities, including learning events, whole practice meetings, complaints/compliments, and multidisciplinary case discussions, to ensure learning and continuous improvement are embedded across the organisation.

The following are the core responsibilities of the Lead Practice Nurse in delivering health services:

Act as the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) lead and to work to the IPC Policy providing audits, training, support and evidence of compliance. To produce the IPC annual statement in conjunction with the Practice Manager

Consult with patients and their families to undertake assessments of patient need

Lead long-term condition management within the organisation, supporting quality improvement and assurance initiatives

Support public health and screening programmes, including immunisations, vaccinations, and cervical screening

Support, mentor, and supervise nursing colleagues and other healthcare professionals within the organisation

Be an integral part of the general practice team as well as supporting the wider practice nurse network and multi-disciplinary team

Teach and advise patients and their families on how to manage their condition

Participate in clinical audits and research projects and implements changes as required, including supporting with the development, and updating of practice protocols/guidelines and procedures locally

Work within national and local protocols where these exist

Recognise the boundaries of their practice and know when and to whom patients should be referred

Demonstrate initiative and be creative in finding solutions to problems

Provide supervision to student nurse associates and nurse associates

Support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements

Be aware of duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children

Participate in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near-miss events

Undertake all mandatory training and induction programmes

Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance

Attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed

Contribute to practice targets (QOF, etc.), complying with relevant guidance

Maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation ensuring that SNOMED CT codes are used effectively

Maintain chronic disease registers and implement an effective call/recall system

Chaperone patients where necessary

Support the team in dealing with clinical emergencies

Liaise with external services/agencies to ensure the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients, etc.)

Deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate

There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks, this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels

In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Lead Practice Nurse has the following wider responsibilities:

Develop, review and implement nursing protocols in conjunction with the Practice Manager and clinical team.

Support all members of the nursing team, providing guidance when necessary, conducting appraisals and training needs analyses as required

Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care

Support and participate in shared learning within the practice in order to improve patient care

Coordinate the nursing team rota, ensuring sufficient staff are available to meet patient needs

Lead the planning and implementation of changes within the nursing team, enhancing the provision of services to patients

Support the practice team with the reviewing and implementation of practice policies and protocols, ensuring conformance to extant legislation

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse (RN) with current NMC registration.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) relevant to primary care and leadership.
• Post-registration qualifications in key areas of general practice nursing (e.g. chronic disease management, cervical cytology, immunisations, infection prevention and control).
• Understanding of population health management and health inequalities in primary care
• Degree-level qualification in nursing or health-related subject.
• Advanced practice qualification or working towards MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice.
• Independent/supplementary nurse prescriber qualification (V300).
• Qualification or training in leadership/management (e.g. ILM, postgraduate certificate).
• Experience of service development, audit, and quality improvement initiatives.
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries (e.g. PCNs, community, or secondary care).
• Evidence of leadership and team management skills within a healthcare setting.

Experience

• Significant post-registration nursing experience, with a substantial period in a general practice or primary care setting.
• Proven experience in chronic disease management (e.g. diabetes, asthma, COPD, hypertension, cardiovascular disease).
• Experience in delivering immunisations and vaccinations across age groups (including childhood, travel, and seasonal programmes).
• Competence in womens health services, including cervical cytology and contraception advice.
• Experience in health promotion, lifestyle advice, and patient education.
• Evidence of leading or supervising a team within a healthcare environment.
• Experience in infection prevention and control practices.
• Demonstrable involvement in service development, quality improvement, or audit within primary care.
• Experience of multidisciplinary team working and liaising with wider healthcare professionals/services.
• Experience as a Lead or Senior Practice Nurse with responsibility for managing or developing nursing services.
• Previous involvement in clinical supervision, mentoring, or supporting the training of nurses, HCAs, or students.
• Experience of nurse prescribing (independent or supplementary).
• Working knowledge of population health management approaches and tackling health inequalities.
• Involvement in service redesign, pathway development, or leading quality improvement projects in primary care.
• Experience of working across organisational boundaries, e.g. with PCNs, community, secondary care, or social care teams.
• Evidence of contributing to policy or protocol development within a practice or wider healthcare 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.