Nursing Quality Lead
Job overview
To role of a Patient Safety Lead involves the development and implementation of the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) for providers including clinical quality specifications, CQUIN schemes procurement and contract performance.
The successful candidate will work with other ICB Quality Team members to ensure seamless service provision across the Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care System.
The post holder will work with the Deputy Director of Nursing and Patient Safety team to provide specialist professional advice and leadership in respect of quality and safety matters to ensure commissioned services deliver core quality and safety standards.
The post holder will operate as the ICB lead for quality and patient safety in a designated area, which can include responsibility for patients placed out of area or placed and funded within Coventry and Warwickshire by external ICB’s or NHSE under the Host Commissioner responsibilities.
The post holder will work with the Deputy Director of Nursing and Patient Safety team on complex areas of poor clinical performance within providers across Coventry and Warwickshire and support the development of QIPP schemes from a quality perspective.
Main duties of the job- Develop and implementation of the Quality Assurance Framework (QAF)
- Work with other ICB Quality Team members to ensure seamless service provision
- Will operate as the ICB lead for quality and patient safety in a designated area
- Work with the Deputy Director of Nursing and Patient Safety team on complex areas of poor clinical performance
- To work directly with ICS Patient Safety Specialist to influence and maintain high quality care delivery.
- To contribute to a positive, inclusive team culture.
Working for our organisation
Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for commissioning NHS services on behalf of people in Coventry and Warwickshire. In consultation with local partners, it plans the delivery of services in a way that both meets local health and care needs and reduces inequalities between different groups.
The Board of the ICB is made up of senior leaders from a range of health and care organisations. By bringing together the knowledge and experience of the board members and the organisations they represent, we can make informed and joined up decisions about health and care provision across our region.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- Quality Monitoring and Development
- Ensure robust and comprehensive processes are in place to gather and triangulate information and data to monitor the quality of services to ensure the early detection of any quality concerns. This will include the review the evidence received from providers against their quality metrics and holding them to account where these are not achieved
- Ensure areas requiring improvement are followed up and co-ordinate support for resolution and actions as required.
- Direct and participate in announced and unannounced quality assurance and patient safety visits
- To support the development of new service specifications and the review and refresh of existing clinical quality specifications.
- Ensure that the appropriate quality standards and indicators are incorporated into commissioning strategies, service specifications and service level agreements.
- To establish and maintain effective partnerships across the system, social care and service providers.
- To act as a champion for patients and their interests and involve the public and patients in improving the quality of commissioned services.
- Promote quality, innovation and partnership working.
- To regularly review and update the ICBs quality monitoring and surveillance systems to ensure the capture and robust triangulation of data.
- Be responsible for making judgements and recommendations regarding providers performance against key quality indicators and standards
- Identify areas for improvement which demonstrate appropriate outcome measures, value for money and person-centred care and work in partnership with providers support quality improvement programmes.
- To lead clinical quality performance reviews and produce reports and recommendations for improvements.
- To be responsible for advising on the development and reviewing of systems, evidence-based practice and clinical quality which contribute to the care and wellbeing of patients and clients.
- To participate in the Patient Safety Specialist Network across the system
- To ensure that clinical risk and patient safety systems and procedures are in place across the ICB.
- To support the ICB and wider system in the transition to Patient Safety Incident and Response Framework, embedding patient safety and learning into the system
- Lead the quality and patient safety agenda, providing specialist advice and securing robust assurance on patient safety matters.
- Ensure a proactive culture of learning lessons and sharing good practice exists across the ICB and wider health economy.
- Promote a proactive patient safety culture with all services.
- Support the development and implementation of a patient safety strategy, working with key stakeholders to ensure an integrated approach and sustained improvements.
- To ensure robust policies re Patient Safety reflect best practice and current guidance.
- To ensure adequate and appropriate internal and external feedback on current clinical practice which impacts on complaints, risk assessments, significant incidents and clinical audit.
- Ensure that the ICBs responds to any changes in legislation relating to patient safety and risk.
- To ensure the Quality, Safety and Experience Committee (QSEC) and ICB board has available all of the necessary data and information to monitor key clinical governance components and progress toward compliance with standards. Compile reports and present on a regular basis to key Committees.
- To work within the Coventry and Warwickshire quality assurance framework, detecting, areas of poor clinical performance, analysing highly sensitive information, undertaking investigations and preparing reports for the QSEC and System Quality Group.
- To provide specialist input and advice to ensure that the delivery of clinical governance activity across the system.
- To establish and develop effective shared learning mechanisms from clinical governance processes and risk.
- To ensure adequate and appropriate support to the development of quality monitoring tools across the ICB.
- To support the ICB in the implementation of effective project management arrangements in relation to clinical governance activities.
- To ensure adequate links with commissioning and contracting in respect of NICE requirements, findings from National Enquiries, Evidence Based Practice and changing clinical standards to inform service specifications and service redesign.
- To identify new developments in service delivery and best practice through horizon scanning and to consider how these could lead to improved practice/services improvement and to link same with the commissioning process.
- To establish effective working relationships across the local health community and with external agencies.
- To effectively manage accountable staff and resources in accordance with ICB policies and procedures.
- Ensure that Performance Reviews and Personal Development plans are completed for all staff in accordance with Trust Policy, and that appropriate training is facilitated.
- To assist the Directors of Nursing with any other projects as agreed.
- To ensure confidentiality of patient and staff information is maintained at all times.
- To be familiar with and adhere to the Policies and Procedural Guidance of the Clinical Commissioning Groups.
- To actively support the development of individuals and the team through appraisal, personal development planning, coaching and mentoring.
- To model a collaborative and influencing style of working, negotiating with others to achieve best outcomes provider organisations.
- To contribute to the development of the principles that promote a supportive, facilitative approach, and a culture in which staff will evaluate and challenge practice that does not meet required standards.
- To contribute to the ICB’s annual report.
- To represent the CCG at national and local forums as appropriate.
- To be responsible for directing his/her own learning and maintaining his/her own.
Freedom to Act
To demonstrate the ability to interpret national policy/guidance for the ICB and wider system including NHS acute, Mental Health and Independent providers. To demonstrate the ability to interpret, analyse and independently plan approaches and appropriately risk assess as part of leading policy/guidance implementation.This includes the ability to operate independently, manage external providers/organisations and provide challenge as appropriate.
Physical Effort
To demonstrate the ability to undertake a combination of sitting at computer for extended periods, standing/walking/driving for extended periods as part of travel to and around provider sites and clinical areas. Clinical visits and interactions with patients and staff requiring moderate effort for long periods.
Mental Effort
To be able to undertake frequent periods of concentration, in order to complete analysis of data to complete reports/presentations, meetings. To be able to effectively manage frequent interruptions to support staff and respond to urgent provider issues.To also be adaptable to manage sometimes an unpredictable workload and/or pattern.
Emotional Effort
To demonstrate emotional resilience to be able to manage distressing / highly distressing clinical situations/incidents relating to unexpected/ distressing circumstances (including deaths) in order to ensure appropriate escalation/reporting and to ensure robustness of action planning and dissemination of learning in relation to patient safety and safeguarding of patients.This includes the ability to manage staff issues, complaints and reporting. This may include working occasionally in unpleasant conditions associated with site assurance and quality visits to clinical areas.
Person specification
Knowledge, Training and Experience
Essential criteria- Degree or equivalent clinical professional qualification
- Registration with appropriate professional body
- Evidence of Continued Professional Development and acquiring new skills and knowledge in the past 3 years.
- Significant experience at clinical and leadership level.
- Strong understanding of service provision across all healthcare sectors
- Specific management experience in the fields of clinical governance, patient safety, evidence-based practice, clinical audit and effectiveness.
- Experience of leading a team.
- Project leadership and delivery experience.
- Management Qualification.
- Study at Master’s level
- Experience of working in commissioning
- Demonstrates an understanding of research and evidence based practice across a complex organisation
Communication Skills
Essential criteria- Must be able to articulate, provide and receive highly complex, multi stranded date containing sensitive or contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential audiences.
- Actively develop and negotiate relationships on difficult and controversial issues including performance variation and change management.
Analytical Skills
Essential criteria- Expert understanding of Microsoft Office Suite including Advanced Excel, Access, Word and Excel spreadsheet modelling.
- Expert understanding of relational databases, and of reporting from SQL Server and SSRS (SQL reporting studio)
- Proven problem-solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected service demands
- Ability to analyse highly complex facts and situations and develop a range of options for direct senior management in support of decision making.
- Takes decisions on difficult and contentious issues where there may be a number of courses of action.
- Strategic thinking – ability to anticipate and resolve problems before they arise.
Planning Skills
Essential criteria- Demonstrate capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly
- Experience of project principles techniques and tools such as Prince 2 and Managing Successful Projects
Management Skills
Essential criteria- Must be able to prioritise own work effectively and be able to direct activities of others.
- Experience of leading and motivating a team and reviewing performance of the individuals
- Manage relationships with stakeholders.
Freedom to Act
Essential criteria- Must be able to use initiative to decide relevant actions and make recommendations to Sponsor/ Manager, with the aim of improving deliverables and compliance to policies.
- Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues, working to tight and often changing timescales.
- Experience of identifying and interpreting National policy.
- Experience of researching best practice (globally, private and public sector), interpreting its relevance and processes/ practices which could be implemented successfully to achieve system reform (advising on policy implementation).
Physical Skills
Essential criteria- Expert knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite with excellent keyboard skills.
Equality and Diversity
Essential criteria- Needs to have a thorough understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems
Financial and Physical Resources
Essential criteria- Previously responsible for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes.
Other
Essential criteria- Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change.
- Willing to engage with and learn from peers, other professionals and colleagues in the desire to provide or support the most appropriate interventions
- Professional calm and efficient manner.
- Effective organiser, influencer and networker
- Demonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference by focusing on goals
- To be able to undertake multiple site visits for assurance and therefore appropriate travel arrangements are essential
The option to request flexible working is offered regardless of role, banding, or reason for wanting to work flexibly. If you are interested in this vacancy and would want to consider a form of flexible working, we would encourage you to reach out to us to discuss further.
We aim to be a great place to work and have many initiatives in place to support staff. In line with the Equality Act 2010, our organisation has an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group which meets on a monthly basis and has representation from a wide range of staff groups and supports a fairer and more diverse workplace for everyone.
The ICB has a Wellbeing Warriors group which has recently received Bronze level accreditation for Thrive at work and is working towards Silver accreditation. The Wellbeing warriors focus on physical, mental and emotional health of all staff providing tips, resources and webinars to support and educate staff from senior management to administrators about their wellbeing.