Lead Nurse - General Practice

New River Health is seeking an experienced Practice Nurse with experience of managing or leading a team, to lead and develop our team of 3 Practice Nurse and 2 Healthcare Assistants. The postholder will be a key member of the management team, ensuring the delivery of high quality nursing services to our patient population, and leading on the Practice's compliance with clinical standards, policies, and regulations.

You will also be an integral part of the nursing staff, delivering high-quality, patient-centred nursing care.

Working in accordance with the NMC Code of Conduct, the post holder is responsible for ensuring the delivery of safe and effective nursing care to the whole practice population, and the quality of the nursing services provided at the practice.

They will provide leadership, direction and management to the nursing team, and develop the clinical practice of the practice nurse team in the provision of assessment, treatment, screening, health education services, and advice to patients.

They will lead and manage the nursing resources, working closely with the GP Partners and Practice Manager to deliver the overall practice priorities whilst providing a high standard of nursing care to patients.

Clinically, the focus of the role is the delivery of evidence-based practice for patients with acute and chronic conditions, and management and preventative nursing interventions to all patients.

Scope and Purpose of the Role

• To develop the nursing services offered by the practice
• To provide clinical and managerial leadership to the nursing team
• To ensure the highest standards of care are provided for patients
• To manage and develop a clinical acute and chronic case load, dealing with presenting patients needs in a primary care setting
• To deliver a high standard of patient care using specialist practice nurse skills

New River Healthare a friendly, forward-thinking, training GP practice covering 17,500 patients across two sites in Hertford and Ware.

We are proud to deliver high-quality, patient-centred healthcare within a supportive team environment.

Our multidisciplinary team includes GPs, practice nurses, HCAs, paramedics, pharmacists, physiotherapists, mental health practitioners, social prescribers, and an experienced administrative team who work collaboratively to deliver excellent care to our patient population.

Our practice is committed to innovation, continuous improvement, and maintaining a positive workplace culture. We embrace new models of care, digital tools, and evidence-based practice to ensure we meet the needs of our community. We hold regular clinical meetings, offer mentorship and support for professional development, and encourage open communication across all staff.

Main duties of the job

Clinical leadership and quality of patient care

• Oversee the delivery of safe and effective nursing care across the practice.
• Lead the nursing team and provide clinical supervision, mentorship, and management to ensure high standards of care delivery across the practice.
• Provide clinical supervision and guidance to nurses, healthcare assistants, and other clinicians.
• Manage a range of clinical activities, including chronic disease management, immunisations, and health screening.
• Provide and evaluate a range of health interventions to meet patient needs.
• Promote general health and well-being, develop person-centred care plans for patients with or at risk of long-term conditions.
• Implement and lead on vaccination and immunisation programmes for both adults and children, including travel health consultations
• Plan, develop and implement specific projects and new nursing services as required.

Staff and operational management

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the nursing team, including staff rostering and performance reviews.
• Maximise the performance of individuals and the efficiency and effectiveness of the team
• Build and lead a cohesive and effective team with good cross team communication.
• Carry out appraisals of the practice nursing team and update training needs as required.
• Ensure staff training and development needs are met, and that mandatory training is completed.
• Lead team meetings to discuss operational issues and share information.
• Lead or participate in recruitment as required and implement induction programmes for new practice nursing staff.

Compliance and quality assurance

• Oversee the implementation and adherence to Care Quality Commission (CQC) standards and ensuring regulatory compliance in all clinical activities.
• Undertake regular audits, risk assessments, and clinical governance reviews to ensure the practice meets CQC and NHS England requirements.
• Ensure all patient data is handled according to internal policies and relevant legislation.
• Maintain and review nursing protocols and quality systems.
• Lead on infection control for the practice
• Review and revise policies to ensure compliance with legislation and best practices.

Clinical Role

• Work as a Practice Nurse within the…