Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Practice Development Lead

The closing date is 30 April 2026

Job summary

This is a unique opportunity to shape and influence practice across the Halton 019 Healthy Child Programme. As Practice Development Lead, you will play a central role in improving outcomes for children, young people and families by driving innovation, strengthening professional practice and ensuring services are responsive, equitable and evidence based. You will bring energy, curiosity and a passion for excellence in community public health. Working across systems and partnerships, you will inspire and support teams to continuously improve, fostering a culture where high-quality practice, reflective learning and meaningful engagement with families are embedded in everyday delivery.

This role suits someone who thrives on challenge, enjoys influencing at a strategic level, and is motivated by improving population health and reducing inequalities. You will use insight, data and professional judgement to shape services, identify opportunities for improvement and lead sustainable change. You will lead on embedding evidence-based practice across the 019 workforce, ensuring up-to-date research is effectively shared and translated into delivery. You will also oversee training and clinical audit activity, contribute to policy development, and provide assurance of a competent, confident and well-supported workforce.

Main duties of the job

In this role, you will act as a key clinical and professional leader within the 019 Healthy Child Programme, supporting the development of consistent, high-quality practice across the service. You will work closely with practitioners, managers and system partners to identify what is working well, where improvements are needed, and how care and support for children, young people and families can be strengthened. Using insight, data and professional expertise, you will help understand local need and influence service priorities. A significant part of your role will be translating evidence into practice, supporting teams to embed best practice approaches, and ensuring learning and improvement are consistently applied across the workforce. You will have a visible presence across the service, coaching and mentoring staff, facilitating reflective practice, and building confidence and capability within teams. You will support a culture of continuous improvement where innovation is encouraged, and staff feel empowered to contribute ideas that improve outcomes. Working collaboratively across health, local authority and wider system partners, you will help shape integrated approaches to service delivery, ensuring children and families experience seamless, high-quality support. You will also contribute to service development discussions, bringing a strong practice perspective to ensure decisions reflect frontline experience and population need.

Full Job Description & Person Spec attached

About us

Flexible working will be considered for all roles.

North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM) serves more than one million residents across the Halton and Warrington boroughs and the wider North West region.

Bringing together community and out-of-hospital services (formerly provided by Bridgewater Community Healthcare) with inpatient and elective care (formerly Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals) we provide services at two hospital sites and more than 70 community hubs and facilities.

Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM).

They underpin everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation.

Our mission

We will be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other

Our vision

We will be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn

Our values
  • Kind:We are caring, supportive and respectful to everyone
  • Open:We are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working
  • Fair:We listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all
  • One team:We work well together and with our communities

Details

Date posted

16 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9835-HC26-001

Job locations

Oaks Place Surgery

Caldwell Road

Widnes

Cheshire

WA8 7GD


Job description

Job responsibilities

Welcome to North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust.

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have now integrated to become North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust.

Job Purpose:

The purpose of this 0 19 years Practice Development Lead role is to lead and embed up to date research and evidence based practice and ensure effective dissemination to all 0 19 years staff to ensure the efficient delivery of the Healthy Child Programme and other local commissioning requirements. This will include provision/oversight of any required training and Clinical Audit to provide assurance of a competent confident workforce.

Role Purpose

To lead practice development in the 0-19service and to contribute to the overall planning, delivery, evaluation and development of a high quality and innovative service to the 0 19 years resident population across Warrington .

  • Develop effective working relationships with key stakeholders to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities
  • Develop networks by working in partnership with clients, families, service users and colleagues within and across systems to deliver and improve services
  • Encouraging contribution by creating an environment where others have the opportunity to engage and influence
  • To undertake Health needs profiles and contribute to local JNSAs and other local needs assessment documents
  • Critically evaluating by being able to think analytically, conceptually and to identify where services can be improved
  • Encouraging improvement and innovation by creating a climate of continuous service improvement

Duties and Responsibilities

Management and Leadership

  • Providing highly specialist clinical leadership for practitioners with the 0 19 years service within the scope of the specialist area
  • To undertake a community health needs assessment in partnership with appropriate stakeholders
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of clinical intervention
  • To lead the development of protocols, policies and guidelines within the organisation around health visiting and school health nursing
  • To promote quality of clinical work in specialist area by development and maintenance of the pathway clinical guidelines
  • To be proactive within local regional and national forums
  • To lead or participate in working groups for service development, in 0 19 years Family Services and within the organisation
  • To actively seek the views of the community, in order to influence and work alongside local organisations to improve the health and social well-being of the local population
  • To provide relevant evidence-based information to clinicians to assist them to lead and to help clients make informed choices about their own and their families health
  • To identify and report any accidents/incidents in appropriate documentation in accordance with organisational policy and take remedial action as appropriate
  • To assist in the management of complaints from clients and colleagues as per organisational policy. Analysing and responding as appropriate
  • To identify risk, and manage within policies and procedures laid down by the organisation
  • To lead and/or participate in all investigations as necessary
  • Maintain a good understanding of the specification for the commissioned service and inform the Team Leaders and clinical Manager of local opportunities/changes regarding commissioning
  • Setting up and leading when required a clinical network for the assigned clinical area to standardise delivery, share good practice and agree outcome measures,
  • To lead on clinical audit for the assigned clinical area and support wider dissemination of learning within 0 19 years Service within appropriate forums
  • To ensure that the local offer and care pathways of the specialist area reflects the needs of Warrington
  • To provide analytical reports as required
  • Work with Clinical Performance Indicators anticipating any variance undertaking appropriate action as required
  • To ensure compliance around CQC

Complete PDRs and return to work pro-forma as required to designated named staff within the team

Ensure performance data is collated in a timely manner

Act as a positive role model and provide clinical leadership to colleagues with the 0-19 Public Health nursing service.

Clinical

  • Clinical skills maintenance to specialist community public health nursing
  • To ensure adherence to National standards including NICE guidance and High Impact areas, developing action plans as required
  • To act as an expert advisor for clinicians, to ensure high quality, consistent care for the assigned clinical area/s
  • Contribute and deliver to the clinical performance

Professional

To participate in relevant training both within and outside the organisation and take personal responsibility to keep professionally up to date with specialist community Public Health nursing practice

Maintain standards of record keeping and report writing in accordance with NMC guidelines and organisation policy

To engage in clinical supervision as per organisational policy

To demonstrate professional practice reflects the principals of the 6 Cs

Educational

  • To provide up to date evidence based training in area of clinical expertise for all staff within the 0 19 years service as appropriate
  • To contribute to the development of an environment in which current evidence-based practice is fostered, implemented, evaluated and disseminated
  • To identify with Team Leaders within the teams, areas of improvement through PDP and facilitate lifelong learning within community practice, and nurture reflective practice
  • To utilise an evidence-based approach to teaching learners including evaluating the effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies
  • To utilise the appropriate theories, for teaching individuals and groups, within the community settings
  • To contribute to the training needs analysis
  • To ensure that continuing professional development is agreed by the Clinical Manager
  • Support the teaching and assessing of specialist practitioner, nursing and other students

Job description

Job responsibilities

Welcome to North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust.

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have now integrated to become North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust.

Job Purpose:

The purpose of this 0 19 years Practice Development Lead role is to lead and embed up to date research and evidence based practice and ensure effective dissemination to all 0 19 years staff to ensure the efficient delivery of the Healthy Child Programme and other local commissioning requirements. This will include provision/oversight of any required training and Clinical Audit to provide assurance of a competent confident workforce.

Role Purpose

To lead practice development in the 0-19service and to contribute to the overall planning, delivery, evaluation and development of a high quality and innovative service to the 0 19 years resident population across Warrington .

  • Develop effective working relationships with key stakeholders to improve outcomes and reduce inequalities
  • Develop networks by working in partnership with clients, families, service users and colleagues within and across systems to deliver and improve services
  • Encouraging contribution by creating an environment where others have the opportunity to engage and influence
  • To undertake Health needs profiles and contribute to local JNSAs and other local needs assessment documents
  • Critically evaluating by being able to think analytically, conceptually and to identify where services can be improved
  • Encouraging improvement and innovation by creating a climate of continuous service improvement

Duties and Responsibilities

Management and Leadership

  • Providing highly specialist clinical leadership for practitioners with the 0 19 years service within the scope of the specialist area
  • To undertake a community health needs assessment in partnership with appropriate stakeholders
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of clinical intervention
  • To lead the development of protocols, policies and guidelines within the organisation around health visiting and school health nursing
  • To promote quality of clinical work in specialist area by development and maintenance of the pathway clinical guidelines
  • To be proactive within local regional and national forums
  • To lead or participate in working groups for service development, in 0 19 years Family Services and within the organisation
  • To actively seek the views of the community, in order to influence and work alongside local organisations to improve the health and social well-being of the local population
  • To provide relevant evidence-based information to clinicians to assist them to lead and to help clients make informed choices about their own and their families health
  • To identify and report any accidents/incidents in appropriate documentation in accordance with organisational policy and take remedial action as appropriate
  • To assist in the management of complaints from clients and colleagues as per organisational policy. Analysing and responding as appropriate
  • To identify risk, and manage within policies and procedures laid down by the organisation
  • To lead and/or participate in all investigations as necessary
  • Maintain a good understanding of the specification for the commissioned service and inform the Team Leaders and clinical Manager of local opportunities/changes regarding commissioning
  • Setting up and leading when required a clinical network for the assigned clinical area to standardise delivery, share good practice and agree outcome measures,
  • To lead on clinical audit for the assigned clinical area and support wider dissemination of learning within 0 19 years Service within appropriate forums
  • To ensure that the local offer and care pathways of the specialist area reflects the needs of Warrington
  • To provide analytical reports as required
  • Work with Clinical Performance Indicators anticipating any variance undertaking appropriate action as required
  • To ensure compliance around CQC

Complete PDRs and return to work pro-forma as required to designated named staff within the team

Ensure performance data is collated in a timely manner

Act as a positive role model and provide clinical leadership to colleagues with the 0-19 Public Health nursing service.

Clinical

  • Clinical skills maintenance to specialist community public health nursing
  • To ensure adherence to National standards including NICE guidance and High Impact areas, developing action plans as required
  • To act as an expert advisor for clinicians, to ensure high quality, consistent care for the assigned clinical area/s
  • Contribute and deliver to the clinical performance

Professional

To participate in relevant training both within and outside the organisation and take personal responsibility to keep professionally up to date with specialist community Public Health nursing practice

Maintain standards of record keeping and report writing in accordance with NMC guidelines and organisation policy

To engage in clinical supervision as per organisational policy

To demonstrate professional practice reflects the principals of the 6 Cs

Educational

  • To provide up to date evidence based training in area of clinical expertise for all staff within the 0 19 years service as appropriate
  • To contribute to the development of an environment in which current evidence-based practice is fostered, implemented, evaluated and disseminated
  • To identify with Team Leaders within the teams, areas of improvement through PDP and facilitate lifelong learning within community practice, and nurture reflective practice
  • To utilise an evidence-based approach to teaching learners including evaluating the effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies
  • To utilise the appropriate theories, for teaching individuals and groups, within the community settings
  • To contribute to the training needs analysis
  • To ensure that continuing professional development is agreed by the Clinical Manager
  • Support the teaching and assessing of specialist practitioner, nursing and other students

Person Specification

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Good understanding of how to work with individuals and groups
  • Managing change in clinical practice
  • Aware of the external environment on the needs and health of individuals
  • Recent evidence of developed skills, knowledge and competences
  • Ability to communicate at all levels both written and oral
  • Negotiating skills with nursing and other professionals, often in a challenging environment
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Excellent presentation skills
  • Research and auditing skills
  • Ability to prioritise workload and manage time effectively

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
  • Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Health Visiting/School Nurse)
  • First level Degree (or equivalent)
  • Masters study in relevant specialist are or working towards

Desirable

  • Mentor Qualification
  • Nurse Prescriber

Relationships

Essential

  • If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.

Job Specific Requirements

Essential

  • The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs.
  • Ability to travel independently throughout the Trust.

Experience

Essential

  • Working knowledge of Community Healthcare / early years
  • Experience of working within specialist area
  • Good knowledge base of current legislation and national plans which impact on Community Care / early years
  • Knowledge of the Public Health Agenda
  • Excellent knowledge of the Health Child Programme Working in partnership with other agencies

Desirable

  • Professional portfolio demonstrating competency within Public Health nursing

Sponsorship

Essential

  • Please confirm your Right to Work status (share-codes will be checked where applicable).
Person Specification

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Good understanding of how to work with individuals and groups
  • Managing change in clinical practice
  • Aware of the external environment on the needs and health of individuals
  • Recent evidence of developed skills, knowledge and competences
  • Ability to communicate at all levels both written and oral
  • Negotiating skills with nursing and other professionals, often in a challenging environment
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Excellent presentation skills
  • Research and auditing skills
  • Ability to prioritise workload and manage time effectively

Qualifications

Essential

  • Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
  • Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Health Visiting/School Nurse)
  • First level Degree (or equivalent)
  • Masters study in relevant specialist are or working towards

Desirable

  • Mentor Qualification
  • Nurse Prescriber

Relationships

Essential

  • If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.

Job Specific Requirements

Essential

  • The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs.
  • Ability to travel independently throughout the Trust.

Experience

Essential

  • Working knowledge of Community Healthcare / early years
  • Experience of working within specialist area
  • Good knowledge base of current legislation and national plans which impact on Community Care / early years
  • Knowledge of the Public Health Agenda
  • Excellent knowledge of the Health Child Programme Working in partnership with other agencies

Desirable

  • Professional portfolio demonstrating competency within Public Health nursing

Sponsorship

Essential

  • Please confirm your Right to Work status (share-codes will be checked where applicable).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Oaks Place Surgery

Caldwell Road

Widnes

Cheshire

WA8 7GD


Employer's website

http://bridgewater.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Oaks Place Surgery

Caldwell Road

Widnes

Cheshire

WA8 7GD


Employer's website

http://bridgewater.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Michelle Martin

Michelle.martin52@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

16 April 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

£49,387 to £56,515 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9835-HC26-001

Job locations

Oaks Place Surgery

Caldwell Road

Widnes

Cheshire

WA8 7GD


Supporting documents

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