Lead Practice Nurse

Primary responsibilities
The following are the core responsibilities of the Lead Nurse. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

Clinical Leadership & Patient Care

• Assess the health needs of patients and ensure care is clinically appropriate, evidence based, and in line with current guidelines.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate treatment and management plans for patients with chronic diseases, promoting health and wellbeing.
• Identify, manage, and support patients at risk of developing long term conditions, aiming to prevent deterioration and unnecessary complications.
• Provide routine and urgent nursing care in accordance with NICE guidance, National Service Frameworks, and local protocols.
• Diagnose and manage both acute and chronic conditions within the scope of professional practice.
• Prescribe as a Non Medical Prescriber (NMP) if qualified, or undertake the qualification with practice support.
• Review and optimise patient medication to support adherence and clinical outcomes.
• Provide and oversee travel health advice and vaccination services.
• Request pathology tests and process results appropriately.
• Recognise, assess, and refer patients presenting with mental health needs.

Health Promotion & Preventive Care

• Develop, implement, and embed health promotion strategies across the practice.
• Deliver adult and childhood vaccination programmes in accordance with national schedules.
• Provide opportunistic health promotion, lifestyle advice, and self management support.
• Support patients in the effective and safe use of prescribed and over the counter medications.

Infection Prevention & Control (IPC)

• Support the IPC Lead by contributing to IPC activities, including audits, staff training, and promoting best practice across the nursing team.
• Assist in gathering evidence and information to support the development of the IPC Annual Statement in collaboration with the IPC Lead and the practice management team.

Quality Assurance, Governance & Audit

• Maintain accurate, timely clinical records in line with professional and legal requirements.
• Ensure correct and consistent use of clinical coding (read codes/SNOMED) across the nursing team.
• Manage and maintain chronic disease registers appropriately.
• Develop, review, and implement clinical protocols and guidelines in partnership with the GP partners.
• Lead and participate in clinical audit cycles to improve care and service delivery.
• Participate in the review of significant events and near misses, supporting shared learning and improvement.
• Contribute to practice-wide continuous professional development, shared learning activities, and national/local initiatives.

Safeguarding

• Support safeguarding processes for adults and children in line with statutory requirements and practice policies.
• Liaise with external agencies to ensure patients receive appropriate and timely safeguarding support.

Nursing Team Management

• Provide leadership, supervision, appraisals, and training needs assessments for the nursing team (Practice Nurses, HCAs, and other clinical support staff) with the support of the Practice People Manager.
• Delegate clinical tasks and responsibilities appropriately and safely.
• Lead the planning and implementation of service changes, improvement projects, and new initiatives within the nursing team.

Service Coordination & Operational Support

• Oversee the delivery of chronic disease management clinics and provide clinical care where required.
• Ensure efficient processes for referrals and coordination with community and secondary care services.
• Support the ongoing review, implementation, and updating of practice policies and clinical protocols.
• Provide leadership and support during clinical emergencies, ensuring team readiness and adherence to local emergency procedures.

Confidentiality
All patient and practice information must be treated as strictly confidential at all times. Information may only be shared with authorised individuals in accordance with practice policies, GDPR, data protection legislation, and the principles of patient confidentiality.

Health & Safety
The post-holder will comply with and support all health promotion, health and safety, and infection prevention and control requirements in line with: the Practice Health & Safety Policy, the Health & Safety Manual, the Infection Prevention & Control Policy, all other relevant practice procedures. The post-holder is expected to follow safe working practices and participate in relevant risk assessments, audits, and training to ensure a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors.

Equality and Diversity
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include: Acting in a manner that recognises the importance of individuals rights, consistent with practice policies, procedures, and current legislation. Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs, and beliefs of patients, carers, and colleagues. Behaving in a non-judgmental, welcoming, and respectful manner that is responsive to individual circumstances, feelings, priorities, and rights.

Personal/Professional Development
The post-holder will participate in all relevant training and development activities required by the practice, including: Taking part in annual individual performance reviews/appraisals and maintaining an up-to-date record of personal and professional development. Taking responsibility for their own learning, performance, and professional development. Demonstrating skills and supporting the development of others undertaking similar work.

Communication
The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to: Communicate effectively with other team members, Communicate effectively with patients and carers, Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

Person Specification

Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
• Evidence of ongoing professional development and revalidation
• Leadership or management experience in a primary care or community setting
• Strong Diabetes care expertise
• Accredited Cervical Cytology Screening Training (current)
• Immunisation and Vaccination Training (including childhood)

Desirable

• Clinical leadership or management training
• Non-Medical Prescriber (support available to gain this)
• Postgraduate qualification in Diabetes Care
• Training in infection prevention and control (IPC)
• Experience of working in a GP Surgery

Experience
Essential

• Previous experience working in a GP surgery or primary care setting
• Experience delivering routine and seasonal immunisations
• Experience achieving QOF-based targets
• Experience managing patients with long-term conditions using evidence-based practice
• Ability to work as part of an integrated multi-skilled team

Desirable

• Experience of SystmOne clinical system
• Experience in clinical audit, service development or policy implementation

Specific Skills
Essential

• An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
• Ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness and common sense
• Excellent communication skills

Additional Information
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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.