Practice Lead Nurse

The Leith Hill Practice; East Kilbride; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

The Leith Hill Practice is seeking an experienced Lead Practice Nurse to provide clinical leadership and oversee nursing services across two sites between Horsham and Dorking. The role focuses on delivering high-quality patient care, governance, and team development.

You will lead a nursing team, drive clinical audits, manage vaccines and PGDs, and ensure compliance with standards. Independent prescribing and strong leadership skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Current NMC registration as a Registered Nurse.
• Significant experience in general practice or primary care nursing.
• Clinical competence in cervical screening, wound care, compression therapy and immunisations.
• Experience leading, supervising or mentoring clinical staff.
• Good understanding of CQC requirements and clinical governance.
• Knowledge of PGDs, medicines management and infection prevention and control.
• Excellent organisational, communication and leadership skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritise workload and take responsibility for nursing services.
• Proactive approach to identifying risks and maintaining high clinical standards.
• Independent or supplementary prescribing qualification.
• Experience in clinical audit, CQC preparation and quality improvement.
• Experience or expertise in long-term condition management, such as COPD or diabetes.
• Experience using the Systmone clinical system.

Responsibilities

• Deliver a range of general practice nursing services, including cervical screening, wound care and dressings, injections and immunisations.
• Lead and supervise the nursing team, including delegation, training and competency sign-off.
• Maintain nursing governance, policies and procedures in line with CQC.
• Oversee medicines management, PGDs, vaccine storage and stock control.
• Lead infection prevention and control audits and PPE standards.
• Collaborate with Practice Manager to monitor nursing performance and service improvements.

Skills

Nursing leadership

Clinical governance

Team supervision

Infection prevention

Vaccination delivery

Clinical assessment

Patient safety

Independent prescribing

Audits

Systmone

Education

NMC Registered Nurse

Tools

Systmone

Job description

We are lookingfor an experienced and enthusiastic Lead Practice Nurse. This is an opportunityto combine excellent patient care with clinical leadership, supporting our teamand ensuring our nursing services deliver safe, effective and high-quality care.

Main duties of the job

You will lead our nursing services, working closely with the Practice Manager and GP Partners. Alongside clinical appointments, you will oversee the nursing team, clinical governance and compliance, ensuring high standards of care.

Clinical responsibilities:

Cervical screening.

Wound care and dressings.

Compression therapy and bandaging.

Childhood, adult and seasonal immunisations, including flu and COVID-19.

INR monitoring.

Health promotion and lifestyle advice.

Clinical assessment, recognising red flags and escalating concerns.

Clinical records, referrals and patient follow-up.

Duties will reflect your training, competence and services offered by the practice.

Leadership and management responsibilities:

Team leadership: Supporting and supervising our practice nurse, two Healthcare Assistants and General Practice Assistant, including delegation, training and competency sign-off.

Clinical governance: CQC readiness, nursing policies, audits, risk assessments and quality improvement.

Medicines management: Overseeing PGDs, authorisations, reviews, vaccine cold-chain, stock control and emergency medicines checks.

Infection prevention and control: Leading audits and maintaining standards for cleaning, decontamination, PPE and clinical waste.

Working with the Practice Manager: Reviewing nursing performance, compliance, staffing and clinical risks, and coordinating training, audits and service improvements.

About us

The Leith Hill Practice is a friendly, well-established GP practice situated between Horsham and Dorking. We operate across two sites, supported by a dedicated and experienced multidisciplinary team.

Our team includes GP Partners, doctors, nursing staff, Healthcare Assistants, clinical pharmacists, paramedic practitioners, first contact physiotherapists and administrative colleagues, all working together to provide high-quality patient care.

We are committed to delivering accessible, personalised healthcare and continually developing the services we offer to meet the needs of our patients and local community.

We pride ourselves on our supportive team environment, collaborative approach and the value we place on every member of staff.

Job responsibilities

A. Clinical Responsibilities

Deliver a range of general practice nursing services, including:

• Cervical screening.
• Wound care and dressing changes.
• Compression therapy and bandaging.
• Childhood immunisations.
• Adult immunisations and vaccinations.
• Seasonal vaccinations, including influenza and COVID-19, as applicable.
• INR monitoring.
• Health promotion and lifestyle advice.
• Clinical assessment, recognising red flags and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Accurate clinical documentation, referrals and patient follow-up.

All clinical duties must be undertaken within the postholder's professional registration, training, competence and the services offered by the practice.

B. Team Leadership and Management

• Lead, supervise and support the nursing team, comprising a qualified Practice Nurse, two Healthcare Assistants and a General Practice Assistant.
• Ensure appropriate delegation of duties and effective use of clinical resources.
• Identify training needs and coordinate ongoing professional development.
• Maintain staff training records and competency assessments/sign-offs.
• Provide guidance, support and mentorship to nursing colleagues.
• Promote effective teamwork and consistent clinical standards.

C. Clinical Governance and Quality Assurance

• Maintain nursing services in line with CQC requirements and relevant regulatory standards.
• Ensure nursing policies, procedures and protocols are current and implemented.
• Coordinate clinical audits, risk assessments and quality improvement initiatives.
• Identify clinical risks and implement appropriate actions.
• Support CQC inspections and ongoing compliance.
• Promote a culture of patient safety and continuous improvement.

D. Medicines and Vaccines Management

• Oversee Patient Group Directions (PGDs), including authorisations, review dates and compliance.
• Ensure appropriate vaccine storage and cold-chain monitoring.
• Oversee vaccine and clinical stock management.
• Ensure emergency medicines checks are completed and recorded.
• Maintain safe medicines management procedures within nursing services.

E. Infection Prevention and Control

• Lead infection prevention and control audits within clinical areas.
• Maintain and review relevant policies and procedures.
• Ensure safe standards of cleaning, decontamination and use of PPE.
• Oversee appropriate clinical waste management.
• Identify and address any infection control risks.

F. Practice Management and Service Development

• Work in partnership with the Practice Manager and GP Partners to oversee nursing performance, compliance and clinical risks.
• Review staffing, training requirements and service delivery.
• Coordinate nursing audits, training and service improvements.
• Identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and quality of nursing services.
• Ensure nursing services operate safely and effectively

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Current NMC registration as a Registered Nurse.
• Significant experience in general practice or primary care nursing.
• Clinical competence in cervical screening, wound care, compression therapy and immunisations.
• Experience leading, supervising or mentoring clinical staff.
• Good understanding of CQC requirements and clinical governance.
• Knowledge of PGDs, medicines management and infection prevention and control.
• Excellent organisational, communication and leadership skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritise workload and take responsibility for nursing services.
• Proactive approach to identifying risks and maintaining high clinical standards.
• Independent or supplementary prescribing qualification.
• Experience in clinical audit, CQC preparation and quality improvement.
• Experience or expertise in long-term condition management, such as COPD or diabetes.
• Experience using the Systmone clinical system.

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.