Job overview
The Care Group Lead Nurse is a senior clinical leadership role within the Surgery & Critical Care Care Group, providing visible, credible, and authoritative nursing leadership across a large and complex portfolio of services, including critical care, emergency and planned surgical pathways, and specialist nursing teams.
Working in partnership with the Care Group Director of Nursing, Clinical Directors and operational colleagues, the postholder is responsible for the delivery of high-quality, safe, and patient-centred care. The role leads on clinical governance, patient safety, workforce, and patient experience, ensuring services are compliant with regulatory standards and aligned to Trust priorities.
The postholder will play a key role in embedding the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), strengthening governance systems, and driving continuous improvement across the Care Group. This includes oversight of quality performance, incident management, complaints, and learning, ensuring that improvement is sustained and visible in practice.
As a senior leader, the role requires a strong, visible presence across clinical areas, supporting ward and departmental teams, developing nursing leadership capability, and fostering a culture of openness, learning, and accountability.
Main duties of the job
Provide visible, credible nursing leadership across Surgery & Critical Care, acting as a role model for professional standards and maintaining a strong clinical presence. Lead and develop Matrons, Ward Leaders, and Specialist Nursing teams to deliver safe, effective, and person-centred care, fostering a culture of openness, learning, and continuous improvement.
Hold accountability for clinical governance, including oversight of incidents, complaints, risk, audit, and assurance. Lead the implementation of the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), ensuring learning is translated into sustainable improvement. Ensure compliance with regulatory standards, including CQC requirements and the Health and Social Care Act.
Drive improvements in patient experience and outcomes through use of data, feedback, and quality metrics. Lead workforce planning, ensuring safe staffing, effective skill mix, and performance management across teams.
Work in partnership with clinical and operational leaders to deliver service performance and transformation. Maintain oversight of services, including ICU, emergency surgical wards, surgical assessment areas, and specialist nursing teams, ensuring safe, high-quality care and delivery of Trust priorities.
Working for our organisation
Why colleagues think we are
What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?
As part of our BHT family, you’ll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.
Alongside NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme, you'll have access to NHS discount schemes.
We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.
What do we stand for?
Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.
Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.
We are working hard to increase diversity at all levels within the trust. We believe a diverse workforce can have a positive effect on both staff wellbeing and patient outcomes.
We welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, candidates with disabilities and care-experienced candidates.
We make employment decisions by matching our service needs with the skills and experience of candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Registered Nurse (NMC) with relevant first degree
2. Evidence of continued professional development at a senior level, including leadership, quality improvement, or patient safety.
Desirable criteria
3. Master’s degree or working towards (or equivalent experience) in a relevant field such as leadership, healthcare management, or advanced clinical practice.
4. Formal leadership or management qualification (e.g. NHS Leadership Academy programme or equivalent).
Experience
Essential criteria
5. Extensive senior nursing experience at Band 8a level (or equivalent), with responsibility for leading teams/services in a complex healthcare environment.
6. Demonstrable experience of leading clinical governance, including incidents, complaints, risk management, and quality assurance.
7. Experience of workforce leadership, including staff management, performance management, and workforce planning.
8. Experience of leading change and service development within a multidisciplinary environment.
Desirable criteria
9. Experience of working across multiple services or sites within a Care Group or equivalent structure.
10. Experience of working at or alongside senior leadership level (Band 8b or equivalent), contributing to strategic planning and delivery.
11. Experience of implementing patient safety frameworks (e.g. PSIRF) or equivalent governance models.
skills, Knowledge and competencies
Essential criteria
12. Strong understanding of clinical governance, risk management, and regulatory requirements (including CQC and relevant legislation).
13. Ability to analyse and interpret complex data to inform decision-making, service improvement, and performance management.
Desirable criteria
14. Knowledge and experience of Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) or equivalent patient safety approaches.
15. Understanding of NHS operational performance standards and service delivery frameworks.
16. Experience of financial awareness and resource management within a clinical service.
PPE requirements: Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust requires all colleagues to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with our infection prevention and control procedures.
COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations remain the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the viruses when working in our healthcare settings. We encourage our staff to be vaccinated when recommended.
Application deadline: This post will close on the closing date stated at midnight, however if we receive a large number of applications or there is a change in circumstance, we may be required to close a job before the advertised date.
Application information: If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records (ESR) system.
Shortlisting: The monitoring and safeguarding sections are not made visible to the shortlisting panel. The safeguarding section may be made visible to the interview panel, dependent on the role being recruited into.
Travel expenses: It is Trust policy that travel expenses for interviews will not be reimbursed.
Smoking: All Trust sites are NO SMOKING. Smoking in all areas of the buildings and premises is prohibited.
Employer certification / accreditation badges