Job summary
The Head of Nursing for Clinical Quality and improvement is an integral member of the Quality and Safety team, working collaboratively to ensure the delivery of consistently high-quality care across the organisation. In this role, a key responsibility is to provide assurance from ward to board, establishing transparent and robust processes that demonstrate the organisation's commitment to exceptional standards at every level.
A central focus is on fostering harm free care, actively supporting initiatives that reduce incidents and ensure patient safety is prioritised throughout all clinical areas. The Head of Nursing for Clinical Quality and improvement also plays a pivotal part in driving accreditation efforts and supporting the organisation's journey along the Pathway to Excellence, embedding recognised best practices and celebrating achievements as milestones of progress.
By championing a culture of continuous improvement, this position encourages innovation and ongoing learning, ensuring that the values of quality, safety, and excellence are deeply rooted and continually enhanced across all teams and services. The Head of Nursing for Clinical Quality and improvement is tasked with leading the development and integration of quality initiatives, applying data and insights to drive consistent, incremental enhancements in clinical care. This approach establishes an organisational environment where exemplary patient outcomes and collective achievement are the standard.
Main duties of the job
Establish and maintain ward to board oversight and assurance, ensuring robust governance and visibility of clinical quality and safety at all organisational levels.
Lead on the Pathway to Excellence fostering a culture that prioritises positive staff experience and continuous improvement, and empowering teams to deliver their very best for patients and each other.
Champion and deliver consistently harm-free care every day, with a clear focus on the prevention of falls, hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) and other avoidable incidents embedding a culture where patient safety and the reduction of harm are at the heart of practice.
Work collaboratively with the Quality and Safety team to establish a unified approach to monitoring and enhancing clinical standards.
Actively contribute to the design and implementation of quality improvement projects, using evidence, feedback and digital resources to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.
Foster a culture of continuous learning and innovation, encouraging team members at all levels to share experiences and insights that shape better outcomes and embed accreditation standards in daily practice.
Promote open, constructive communication within multidisciplinary groups, ensuring collective expertise is leveraged to deliver safe and high-quality care.
Collaborate with nursing teams, clinicians and other stakeholders to triangulate information from multiple sources for a comprehensive understanding of care quality.
About us
Come Nurse with us...
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the country. It comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital. We provide accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge and regional and national specialist services. It's a great place to nurse, work and live.
You will work on a vibrant hospital campus with a friendly community feel; we have excellent facilities to practise your skills and abilities to support your career pathway and development. Our values of Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent support the delivery of outstanding care. We have a fully electronic patient record system that is improving health-care quality; this is transforming services, improving patient safety and clinical outcomes.
Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?
o Our values and reputation for outstanding careo Opportunities to experience a range of specialitieso Career and development opportunitieso Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support teamo Research experience and opportunitieso Lovely location and quality of lifeo Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start
For NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based roles, all applicants from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have identified that they are at risk of redundancy will be prioritised over those not at risk. However, interviews cannot be guaranteed.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 18 September 2025
Interviews are due to be held on 1 October 2025
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start
For NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based roles, all applicants from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have identified that they are at risk of redundancy will be prioritised over those not at risk. However, interviews cannot be guaranteed.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 18 September 2025
Interviews are due to be held on 1 October 2025
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Master's level or equivalent leadership experience.
- Formal Quality Improvement qualification, or relevant experience
- Registered Nurse (NMC)
- Evidence of continuous professional development
- Teaching or mentoring qualification
Desirable
- Postgraduate management or similar relevant qualification or experience
Experience
Essential
- Significant NHS senior clinical experience in acute hospital settings.
- Extensive experience in governance, compliance, or risk management at a senior level within a large or complex healthcare organization.
- Significant experience in clinical quality, assurance, and change management, demonstrating a strong record of leading improvements in clinical standards and patient outcomes.
- Have a demonstrable track record of improving quality or reducing risk
- Have experience of successfully managing healthcare related accreditation or inspection requirements (particularly CQC)
- Significant experience of managing staff
- Experience of formal and informal teaching and mentoring
- Experience of leading or supporting patient safety investigation processes.
Desirable
- Experience in trust board development
- Experience of undertaking patient accreditation/regulatory visits
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive knowledge of NHS clinical governance systems and statutory frameworks.
- Knowledge of national and international standards related to the speciality
- Budgetary management and business planning; including workforce planning.
- Quality Improvement models & Experience of interpreting Statistical Process Control charts
- Understanding of patient safety principles of systems thinking, psychological safety, and just culture
- Understanding of patient safety, quality improvement, and clinical risk.
- Familiarity with NHSE's Well-Led Framework and CQC inspection standards.
Desirable
- The commissioning process, Quality Account requirements
Skills
Essential
- Collaborative, with excellent influencing and communication skills.
- Politically astute and emotionally intelligent.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to understand issues rapidly and explain them clearly and succinctly
- Proven interpersonal skills with the ability to influence change in a rapidly changing environment
- High level report writing
- Able to establish positive relationships and mutual respect with people at all levels, including patients, services users and carers
Additional Requirements
Essential
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
- Embodies the NHS Constitution and Trust values.
- Demonstrates integrity, transparency, and a commitment to improvement.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Master's level or equivalent leadership experience.
- Formal Quality Improvement qualification, or relevant experience
- Registered Nurse (NMC)
- Evidence of continuous professional development
- Teaching or mentoring qualification
Desirable
- Postgraduate management or similar relevant qualification or experience
Experience
Essential
- Significant NHS senior clinical experience in acute hospital settings.
- Extensive experience in governance, compliance, or risk management at a senior level within a large or complex healthcare organization.
- Significant experience in clinical quality, assurance, and change management, demonstrating a strong record of leading improvements in clinical standards and patient outcomes.
- Have a demonstrable track record of improving quality or reducing risk
- Have experience of successfully managing healthcare related accreditation or inspection requirements (particularly CQC)
- Significant experience of managing staff
- Experience of formal and informal teaching and mentoring
- Experience of leading or supporting patient safety investigation processes.
Desirable
- Experience in trust board development
- Experience of undertaking patient accreditation/regulatory visits
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive knowledge of NHS clinical governance systems and statutory frameworks.
- Knowledge of national and international standards related to the speciality
- Budgetary management and business planning; including workforce planning.
- Quality Improvement models & Experience of interpreting Statistical Process Control charts
- Understanding of patient safety principles of systems thinking, psychological safety, and just culture
- Understanding of patient safety, quality improvement, and clinical risk.
- Familiarity with NHSE's Well-Led Framework and CQC inspection standards.
Desirable
- The commissioning process, Quality Account requirements
Skills
Essential
- Collaborative, with excellent influencing and communication skills.
- Politically astute and emotionally intelligent.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to understand issues rapidly and explain them clearly and succinctly
- Proven interpersonal skills with the ability to influence change in a rapidly changing environment
- High level report writing
- Able to establish positive relationships and mutual respect with people at all levels, including patients, services users and carers
Additional Requirements
Essential
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
- Embodies the NHS Constitution and Trust values.
- Demonstrates integrity, transparency, and a commitment to improvement.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).