Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Neuro Development Pathway Team Leader
The closing date is 09 April 2026
We are a community healthcare provider working across the Northwest, and we have an exciting opportunity for a Band 7 Team Leader to lead on the Neurodevelopment Pathway. The post is based within the Child Development Centre, Sandy Lane, Warrington.
Main duties of the job
The Team Leader will be responsible for the management and leadership of two teams within children’s specialist services including the Community Paediatric Service and the Neurodevelopmental Assessment Pathway (NDP) across the Borough of Warrington. The purpose of this role is to ensure effective, efficient, timely delivery of high-quality clinical services.
As one of several Team Leaders in children’s services across Bridgewater, the post holder reports to the Operational Manager and is based at the child development centre in Warrington. Regular support and supervision will be provided to enable the role to be carried out to a high standard, with ongoing participation in service development.
Job responsibilities
Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust plan to integrate and form a new organisation on the 1st April 2026. If your start date is on or after 1st April 2026, you will be employed by the newly‑formed organisation; if you join prior to this date, your employment will automatically transfer.
The Team Leader will be responsible for the management and leadership of three teams within children’s specialist services—including the Community Paediatric Service, the Neurodevelopmental Pathway (NDP), and the Neurodevelopmental Nursing Teams—across the Borough of Warrington. The purpose is to ensure effective, efficient, timely delivery of high‑quality clinical services.
Key duties include:
* Supporting staff to deliver high‑quality services that meet quality outcomes for service users and adhere to national and professional guidance.
* Ensuring staff treat each case individually, listening, understanding, and supporting the service user through access to the service, involving them and their family as much as possible in all care decisions.
* Carrying out clinical work for a minimum 20% of the time, undertaking highly complex assessments and developing care plans.
* Providing high‑quality written information to help service users understand clinical decisions and their role in managing care.
* Understanding and managing clinical risks and needs of the varied client groups accessing the service.
* Delivering on commissioning priorities within the localities covered by the team’s services.
* Planning inclusive services and removing barriers to equal outcomes.
* Overseeing management of the service area, ensuring cohesive referral pathways across teams and smooth transitions.
* Implementing clinical supervision and maintaining consistent clinical decision‑making and practice.
* Managing expectations of the service, ensuring staff and users understand them.
* Collecting and analysing service user feedback to improve quality.
* Advocating for children and families, sharing experiences to inform improvement.
* Building relationships with other Bridgewater Team Leaders, services, partner providers, and local parent/caregiver groups.
* Communicating effectively on difficult, complex, and sensitive issues and maintaining accurate records.
* Supporting staff workload management to promote work‑life balance and adherence to Trust policies.
* Covering for other team leaders to ensure continuity of support for staff and users.
* Developing and updating a workforce plan to match capacity with demand, in partnership with the Operational Manager.
* Implementing organisational policies—including recruitment, induction, supervision, personal development, and exit interviews.
* Managing the team budget with the Operational Manager.
* Managing risks, incidents, and actions, and sharing lessons learned.
* Allocating workload equitably and implementing attendance‑management policy.
* Contributing to performance management through data collection, quality analysis, and reporting.
* Handling timely reporting of client data, leave, expenses, and related HR issues.
* Managing complaints and incidents, implementing action plans as required.
* Addressing performance issues with staff in line with policy and with Operational Manager support.
* Responding to Freedom of Information requests, CQC reporting, and other information requests.
* Implementing business‑continuity plans and effective use of physical and financial resources.
* Ensuring a safe working environment and adherence to lone‑working policy.
* Promoting professional development and clinical supervision.
* Contributing to organisational policy development and practice improvement.
* Maintaining knowledge of changing NHS and local borough contexts.
* Linking with other Bridgewater borough teams to align practice where possible.
* Sharing quality‑improvement ideas with Team Leads, Clinical Leads, and the Operational Manager.
* Contributing to tender bids relevant to the service, developing clear evidence and service models.
* Encouraging improvement in clinical practice based on evidence or clinical guidelines.
* Evaluating clinical practice with specialists to enact continuous improvement.
* Collaborating with other agencies to develop integrated strategies and enable service delivery.
* Keeping own knowledge up to date, participating in professional development events.
* Representing the organisation when required.
* Ensuring staff competence and fitness to practice, with appropriate registrations and corrective action if needed.
* Providing student placements and assessment in line with regional agreements.
* Accessing peer support for collaborative problem solving.
* Supporting improvement through PPD, audit activity, and peer review.
* Maintaining training needs analysis and compliance with statutory training.
* Following PPD policy and timeframes for self and others.
* Building strong partnerships with health, education, and social care providers to maximise outcomes for children, young people, and families.
* Acting within competence and limits of authority, escalating concerns quickly.
* Allocating and monitoring progress and quality of work in the area of responsibility.
Person Specification
Job Specific Requirements
* Ability to travel independently across the Trust.
* Ability to work flexibly across the Bridgewater footprint.
Sponsorship
* Proof of right to work in the UK without sponsorship (share‑codes will be checked if applicable).
Skills and Knowledge
* In‑depth knowledge of professional provision to children and young people.
* In‑depth knowledge of relevant procedures including safeguarding children, SEN procedures and other legal frameworks.
* Ability to achieve objectives in an inclusive and collaborative manner.
* Governance and risk‑management skills.
* Strong oral and written presentation skills.
* Strategic thinking and problem‑solving ability.
* Basic IT skills using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Relationships
* Disclose any relationship with a director or employee of the appointing organisation.
Qualifications
* Recognised health‑professional qualification: Registered Nurse or Speech and Language Therapist.
* Registered member of the relevant professional body.
* Successful completion of postgraduate specialist clinical short courses up to Master’s equivalent.
* Advanced theoretical knowledge and practical experience of delivering high‑level clinical services.
* Evidence of ongoing personal and professional development.
* Evidence of successful completion of management short courses or training.
Experience
* Significant professional post‑qualification clinical experience with children and young people, including reflective practice and application of learning.
* Experience of performance management.
* Significant experience contributing to integrated, multi‑professional and multi‑agency child development processes and pathways.
* Experience of engaging with children and families as service users.
* Experience of contributing to policy, planning, and service redesign for quality and efficiency.
* Experience of safeguarding children, advising staff on welfare concerns.
* Experience dealing with HR issues such as recruitment, retention, performance management, sickness, and annual leave.
* Experience working with children and young people with learning, developmental, and/or neurodiverse conditions/disabilities.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service is required to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
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