SEHSCT Community Mental Health Clinical and Social Care Governance Lead Band 7

Job details

• Branch: Trustwide (SEHSCT)
• Location: Downshire Hospital, Main Building
• Salary: Band 7 (£47,810 - £54,710)
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Opening Date: 05/06/26
• Closes: Fri, 19 June 2026 @ 5:30 PM
• Interview Dates: To be confirmed

Notes

If you are submitting a manual application, please post it to: Recruitment Shared Services, Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital Site, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7PR. Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered, so please allow enough time for postage. “A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026”. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week.” Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards. Flexible Working We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE

Community Mental Health Clinical and

Social Care Governance Lead

BAND

DIRECTORATE

INITIAL LOCATION

Band 7

Adult Services

Downshire Hospital, Main Building

REPORTS TO

Governance & Quality Improvement Lead

ACCOUNTABLE TO

Assistant Director, Community Mental Health

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder will play a leading role in developing, coordinating and delivering a highquality Clinical & Social Care Governance (CSCG) service across Community Mental Health Services in South Eastern H&SC Trust.

They will be responsible for ensuring effective governance systems are in place to improve patient safety, service quality, and adherence to statutory and regulatory standards. This includes oversight of incidents, complaints, risk registers, audits, standards compliance, and learning systems across community mental health teams.

The role requires close collaboration with clinical and operational staff, service users, carers, partner agencies, and governance colleagues to foster a culture of openness, learning, accountability, and continuous improvement.

KEY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Governance Leadership

Lead the development and implementation of CSCG processes and systems across Community Mental Health Services.

Promote a culture of patient safety, continuous quality improvement, and transparent learning.

Provide expert governance advice to multidisciplinary teams, managers and senior leaders.

Develop, maintain, and monitor systems for the implementation of recommendations from internal/external reviews (e.g. RQIA, audits, investigations, NICE guidance).

Oversee dissemination of learning from Serious Adverse Incidents (SAIs), Significant Event Audits (SEA), complaints, and external inquiries.

Ensure robust communication systems exist to support effective governance across all community mental health teams.

2. Incident, SAI & Complaint Management

Coordinate reporting, investigation and followup of community mental health SAIs and SEAs.

Support managers in investigating complaints and incidents ensuring they are completed to required standards and within required timeframes.

Ensure all learning from incidents and complaints is captured, themed and communicated across teams.

Apply Root Cause Analysis (RCA) methodology to support highquality investigations.

Liaise with Corporate Risk & Governance teams to ensure compliance with reporting timelines.

3. Quality, Audit & Performance

Develop and lead the local audit plan aligned with Mental Health governance priorities.

Monitor compliance with standards including RQIA, NICE and regional mental health guidelines.

Provide assurance that community teams are implementing required improvements and mitigating risks.

Produce complex, detailed reports on governance indicators, trends, risks, complaints and incident data.

Analyse and interpret data to identify themes, gaps, deviations and emerging issues.

Lead and support local quality improvement projects relating to governance themes.

4. Risk Management

Oversee the development and review of all Community Mental Health risk registers.

Support teams to identify risks, develop mitigation plans, and escalate concerns appropriately.

Monitor implementation of risk actions and ensure evidence is available for assurance.

5. Policy, Standards & Process Development

Support the development, review and implementation of servicespecific policies, procedures and guidelines.

Ensure uptodate dissemination of Standards, Guidelines and Learning Letters to all relevant community teams.

Work collaboratively with service leads to embed policies into daytoday practice.

6. Engagement & Service User Involvement

Ensure service users and carers are central to governance improvement processes.

Facilitate involvement in review panels, feedback systems and quality improvement work.

Engage with carers, families and stakeholders in a sensitive and professional manner.

7. Education, Training & Capacity Building

Develop and deliver governancerelated training for community mental health teams.

Support staff in developing competency in incident management, RCA, risk assessment, and audit.

Promote a culture of continuous learning and reflective practice.

Work with Clinical Educators to incorporate governance learning into induction and CPD programmes.

8. Leadership & Professional Responsibilities

Provide visible leadership across community mental health teams.

Challenge poor governance practice and support teams in implementing improvements.

Build strong relationships with colleagues across Acute, Prison Healthcare, Corporate Governance, Primary Care and safeguarding teams where overlaps occur.

Model effective leadership, communication and professionalism at all times.

9. General Duties

Adhere to Trust policies including Equality, Health & Safety, Records Management, Information Governance and Infection Prevention & Control.

Participate in appraisal, supervision and ongoing professional development.

Maintain accurate and confidential records in line with legislation and Trust procedures.

Represent the service at appropriate meetings.

Undertake any other governancerelated duties as required.

RAISING CONCERNS – RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency

The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with the Trust’s ‘Your Right to Raise a Concern (Whistleblowing)’ policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The post holder will be required to: -

Assist the organisation in fulfilling its statutory duties under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to promote equality of opportunity and good relations and under the Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2006. Staff are also required to support the organisation in complying with its obligations under Human Rights Legislation

Ensure the Organisation’s policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through his/her own actions and those of any staff for whom he/she has responsibility

Co-operate fully with the implementation of The Organisation's Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment defects to his/her manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for patients/clients, members of the public and staff

Adhere at all times to all Trust policies/codes of conduct, including for example

Smoke Free policy

IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct

standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour

Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.

Co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.

Take responsibility to minimise the Trust’s environmental impact wherever possible. This will include recycling, switching off lights, computers, monitors and equipment when not in use. Helping to reduce paper waste by minimising printing/copying and reducing water usage, reporting faults and heating/cooling concerns promptly and minimising travel

All employees of the Organisation are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the [org name] including patients/clients, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information act 2000 the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the [org name] policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt

Take responsibility for his/her own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise his/her potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.

Represent The Organisation’s commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service to patients/clients and members of the public, by treating all those with whom he/she comes into contact in the course of work, in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner

This Job Description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

It is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to serve at any location within the organisation's area, as needs of the service demand.

eHealth

The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust has invested in eHealth to deliver better, faster, safer care to our community and is committed to supporting staff to utilise associated information systems that directly and indirectly inform care. Trust staff are therefore required to commit sufficient time to ensure that they acquire and/or retain the core technology skills required to support their role.

Personal and Public Involvement (PPI)

Staff members are expected to involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community were relevant, in developing, planning and delivering our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to Personal and Public Involvement (PPI).

Please use the link below to access the PPI standards leaflet for further information. PPI_leaflet.pdf (hscni.net)

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE AND BAND

Community Mental Health Clinical and Social Care Governance Lead, Band 7

DEPARTMENT / DIRECTORATE

Adult Services

SALARY

Band 7

HOURS

37.5 per week

Ref: 55711299

Notes to applicants

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note The Organisation reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Qualifications/ Registration

Live registration in a profession that provides direct health or social care to patients/clients i.e. nursing, social work, allied health, medicine, pharmacy.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Qualifications/ Registration

Evidence of relevant postregistration/postgraduate development.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Experience

Minimum 3 years’ experience in Mental Health Services at Band 6 or equivalent.

Experience of governance systems including incident review, report writing, risk assessment, audit or policy development.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other

Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. This criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by The Organisation which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post.

Shortlisting by Application Form

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Skills / Abilities

Ability to lead governance initiatives and support safe, effective care.

Able to analyse and present complex information effectively.

Strong planning, organisational and prioritisation skills.

Excellent communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.

Interview / Test

Knowledge

Knowledge and understanding of clinical & social care governance and risk management

Interview / Test

DESIRABLE CRITERIA

SECTION 3: these will ONLY be used where it is necessary to introduce additional job related criteria to ensure files are manageable. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience

Minimum of 1 years’ experience in a specific governance, risk or service improvement post at Band 6 or above

Shortlisting by Application Form

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for The Organisation to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

THE ORGANISATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Successful applicants

may be required to attend for a Health Assessment

can expect to be placed at the minimum point of the pay scale, although a higher starting salary, within the range of the pay band may be available if the person appointed has experience relevant & equivalent to the post. Request for recognition of previous service with non-direct NHS/HSC organisations towards starting salary and incremental credit must be made via the Retained Recruitment team within 3 months from commencement of employment. Requests made after 3 months will not be considered. If the successful candidate is an existing HSC employee moving to a higher band, AfC Pay on Promotion will apply.

are able to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment. A number of flexible working provisions are offered by all HSC Organisations including Full-time working, Fixed working patterns, Part-time working, Flexi-time, Compressed/elongated hours, Average hours working patterns, Term-time working, Job-share or Homeworking for some or all of the working pattern, depending on the role being undertaken. Successful applicants are encouraged to discuss with their manager what Flexible Working provisions may be available in the role they are taking up, prior to commencing employment, to help them achieve a positive Work/Life Balance

All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times