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Job summary

Main area
Nurse
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Secondment: 6 months
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (long days 9am - 9pm shifts)
Job ref
363-BED8163509
Employer
East London NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Florence Ball House
Town
Bedford
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 per year
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
30/07/2026 23:59
Interview date
31/07/2026

Employer heading

East London NHS Foundation Trust logo

Clinical Lead Nurse

NHS AfC: Band 7

ELFT has long been recognised as a centre of excellence for mental and health care, innovation and improvement. So it is a very exciting time for you to come and work for us. Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Job overview

The Clinical Lead for Kelvin Grove will provide visible clinical leadership for the Crisis House, ensuring the safe, effective and recovery-focused delivery of care in partnership with Penrose.

Working closely with the Operational Lead, Bedford Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHT), Penrose Service Manager and wider multidisciplinary teams, the post holder will provide clinical oversight of the service, ensuring that residents receive high quality, person-centred care within a psychologically informed environment.

The Clinical Lead will support the day-to-day clinical operation of Kelvin Grove by providing advice to guidance both ELFT and Penrose staff. They will oversee referrals into the service, support clinical decision making, coordinate multidisciplinary reviews, provide clinical supervision and ensure effective discharge planning.

The post holder will work collaboratively with CRHT medical staff and community teams to ensure that residents receive appropriate assessment, treatment and follow-up throughout their stay.

The Lead Nurse will champion continuous service improvement, ensuring that Kelvin Grove operates safely, meets contractual and Trust standards, delivers excellent patient experience and contributes positively to the wider crisis pathway.

Main duties of the job

  • Provide clinical leadership for the safe and effective operation of Kelvin Grove.
  • Ensure that referrals are clinically appropriate and meet agreed admission criteria.
  • Support collaborative working between ELFT and Penrose staff.
  • Lead on clinical governance, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives.
  • Ensure effective assessment, care planning, risk management and discharge planning.
  • Monitor performance against agreed Key Performance Indicators.
  • Promote a recovery-focused, trauma-informed and psychologically informed model of care.
  • Support the development of staff through supervision, teaching and professional leadership.
  • Ensure residents receive compassionate, person-centred care that promotes independence and recovery.
  • Deputise for the Operational Lead when required.

Working for our organisation

Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving the quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • Provide day-to-day clinical leadership for Kelvin Grove.
  • Maintain oversight of all residents admitted to the service.
  • Review referrals alongside CRHT clinicians to ensure admission criteria are met.
  • Support the assessment, implementation and evaluation of individual recovery plans.
  • Ensure comprehensive mental state examinations, risk assessments and safety plans are completed and reviewed.
  • Provide specialist advice regarding complex mental health presentations.
  • Coordinate daily clinical reviews with CRHT and Penrose staff.
  • Chair or contribute to multidisciplinary meetings.
  • Support timely discharge planning and transition back to community services.
  • Ensure residents receive care in accordance with Trust policies, NICE guidance and national best practice.
  • Promote trauma-informed, recovery-focused and psychologically informed practice.
  • Act as a clinical resource for Penrose staff regarding risk, safeguarding and crisis management.
  • Escalate deterioration in mental state or risk appropriately and coordinate urgent reviews where required.
  • Support appropriate use of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act where indicated.
  • Provide visible leadership within Kelvin Grove.
  • Foster positive working relationships between ELFT and Penrose.
  • Support operational development of the Crisis House.
  • Participate in recruitment, induction and development of staff where appropriate.
  • Ensure appropriate clinical supervision arrangements are in place.
  • Support workforce wellbeing and professional development.
  • Contribute to service planning and business development.
  • Monitor clinical activity and performance against agreed KPIs.
  • Participate in operational and governance meetings.
  • Promote equality, diversity and inclusion throughout the service.
  • Ensure compliance with Trust and provider policies.
  • Maintain oversight of clinical risk across the service.
  • Ensure robust and dynamic risk assessments are completed.
  • Support staff in managing complex or escalating presentations.
  • Coordinate responses to incidents requiring urgent clinical intervention.
  • Review serious incidents and support learning from incidents.
  • Ensure safeguarding concerns are escalated promptly.
  • Promote positive risk management while maintaining resident independence.
  • Provide clinical advice regarding medication management within Kelvin Grove.
  • Support safe self-administration of medication by residents.
  • Ensure medication risks are assessed prior to admission.
  • Liaise with CRHT medical staff regarding medication reviews and treatment changes.
  • Support governance relating to medicines management within the Crisis House.
  • Ensure medication-related incidents are investigated and learning implemented.
  • Communicate highly complex clinical information sensitively and effectively.
  • Develop strong collaborative relationships across organisational boundaries.
  • Provide professional advice to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Support residents and carers through compassionate communication.
  • Maintain accurate clinical documentation within RiO.
  • Produce reports and presentations relating to service performance and quality.
  • Ensure clinical practice complies with ELFT policies and procedures.
  • Participate in governance meetings.
  • Monitor complaints, incidents and patient feedback.
  • Ensure safeguarding responsibilities are fulfilled.
  • Maintain compliance with NMC Code and professional standards.
  • Support implementation of clinical audits and service improvement plans.
  • Promote high standards of documentation and record keeping.
  •  Ensure compliance with CQC standards, Trust governance requirements and contractual expectations.
  • Provide clinical supervision to staff.
  • Deliver teaching relating to crisis intervention, recovery-focused care, risk management and safeguarding.
  • Support induction programmes for new staff.
  • Act as mentor or practice assessor where appropriate.
  • Maintain own professional registration and continuing professional development.
  • Participate in mandatory training and leadership development.
  • Promote reflective practice across the multidisciplinary team.
  • Lead quality improvement initiatives within Kelvin Grove.
  • Monitor performance against contractual standards.
  • Analyse incidents, complaints and feedback to identify improvements.
  • Participate in clinical audit.
  • Support implementation of new policies and clinical guidance.
  • Promote evidence-based practice throughout the service.

Person specification

Education/Qualification/Training

Essential criteria
  • Suitable experience at Band 6 Grade
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Effective communication skills both orally and in writing
  • Proven leadership
  • Suicide prevention training
  • experience of complex crisis assessments
Desirable criteria
  • Post Qualification training and development

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience in undertaking audit/review

Knowledge and Skills

Essential criteria
  • Awareness of cultural and ethnic issues.
  • Knowledge of current legislation/policies relating to community mental health.
  • Knowledge of the needs and rights of service users and carers.
  • Strong assessment skills.
  • Well developed experience in working with severe and enduring mental illness, preferably in a community setting.
  • knowledge of KPI's
Desirable criteria
  • Evidence of good organizational skills
  • Computer literacy

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Capital Nurse, LondonCommitted to being an Inclusive EmployerApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveHSJ Best places to workArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Mindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerCare quality commission - OutstandingStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Stacey Wimbleton
Job title
Operational Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07800554859
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