Senior Clinical Lead - Advancing Practice

Job overview

This is a newly developed role for an experienced leader with Advanced Practice experience to undertake the post of 8b Clinical Lead – Advancing Practice on a secondment or fixed-term basis until 31 March 2027.

You will collaborate closely with the Associate Director for Advancing Practice, providing care delivery and integration leadership and oversight of the Advancing Clinical Practice workforce and actively shaping the Trust-wide Advancing Practice strategy.

This includes responsibility for leading the operational management of the Advanced practitioner (AP) and enhanced clinical practitioner (ECP) workforce, ensuring robust clinical and professional governance, effective risk management, and comprehensive oversight in line with Trust standards and regulatory requirements.

The role will proactively identify and address operational risks, reinforce assurance mechanisms, and establish a well-defined framework for leadership at both clinical and professional levels.

You will provide robust clinical guidance and support across care delivery units employing and hosting AP/ECP staff, ensuring the delivery of safe, high-quality care and compliance with best practice protocols.

You will take a lead role to enhanced and advanced practitioners - both qualified and in training, across multi-professional professional backgrounds.

The proposed interview date for this vacancy is 16th September 2026

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will provide comprehensive senior clinical leadership support for the Director for Clinical Operations and Nursing, both within the organisation and externally, in line with the responsibilities expected at this level.

You will deliver operational and professional leadership for Advanced and Enhanced level practitioners across DCHS care delivery, ensuring effective oversight and high standards of practice.

You will be asked to exercise responsibility for the day-to-day clinical and professional governance of Advancing Practice, maintaining safe, high-quality standards and supporting the delivery of the Trust’s strategic objectives.

And take a leading role within the Care Delivery and Integration Leadership Team, supporting Senior Operational Leads and actively contributing to care delivery and integration workforce planning and development at a senior level.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will demonstrate expert knowledge and skills, acting as a role model and driving continuous professional development and improvement across the workforce.

The candidate will have proven experience of working in strategy and service development, and this role will:

• Provide care delivery leadership in the implementation of the DCHS Advancing Practice Strategy, working collaboratively with the MPDT and operational services to ensure delivery aligns with organisational objectives and national priorities.
• Take a proactive role in the development, review, and dissemination of clinical policies, guidelines, and supervision frameworks, ensuring these reflect current best practice and regulatory standards.
• Undertake systematic identification of service gaps and lead the design and implementation of evidence-based solutions to address organisational and system-wide needs.
• Champion workforce development initiatives by leading on the creation, delivery, and evaluation of advanced practice training pathways and capability frameworks, ensuring this support the progression and retention of staff.
• Promote and maintain consistency in standards and expectations across all levels of advanced practice, ensuring robust governance and quality assurance mechanisms are in place.
• Facilitate the embedding of learning into practice through effective supervision, mentorship, and support for trainee roles, as well as by fostering a culture of continuous professional development.
• Work in partnership with operational leads and managers across the organisation to ensure equitable access to support, clarity of expectations, and consistency of development opportunities at all levels of practice.
• Lead on the development and implementation of quality measures to provide safe and effective oversight of Advancing Practice.

See full job description attached.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.