Lead Nurse for Learning Disability and Autism

Lead Nurse for Learning Disability and Autism

The closing date is 21 December 2025

We are seeking a dynamic, highly motivated registered nurse with extensive experience of working in learning disabilities services and providing leadership to clinical teams.

The developed role is based within the Trust's Adult Neurodevelopmental Disorder (NDD) service structure. The successful applicant will work alongside experienced clinicians in learning disability and autism whilst providing visible clinical leadership and expertise across the organisation. The successful applicant will have a clear work plan which outlines the range of responsibilities within this role.

This is an exciting opportunity for an individual who wants to contribute to and shape the Trust wide learning disability and autism agenda. There will be opportunities to lead on quality improvement initiatives in NDD services, develop Trust policy which reflects national standards, deliver training and represent the Trust at senior stakeholder meetings.

The successful applicant will work closely with the NDD Clinical Manager and the Service Line Head of Nursing and Quality. Regular supervision will be provided and opportunities for CPD actively promoted.

Main duties of the job

• To spend 0.5 WTE on the support and effective practical leadership to community Learning Disability and Adult Autism service areas. Working alongside the Neurodevelopment Disorder (NDD) Clinical Manager to promote a culture of high performance and clinical excellence.
• To spend 0.5 WTE on clinical leadership in relation to improving access to health care for people with learning disabilities and autism across the organisation. The Lead Nurse will work closely with a range of stakeholders to ensure that high quality, accessible health care services are delivered.
• To provide learning disability awareness education and training, identify services where training is required.
• To work with clinical teams across the organisation to promote awareness of the reasonable adjustments for individuals with learning disability and autism.
• The post holder will be highly visible across the organisation, providing responsive and expert guidance to clinical teams and senior leadership team.

Agile and flexible working:

As one of the few mental health Trusts in London we are proud to offer flexible working as part of our new ways of working, and we are happy to talk flexible working at the interview stage. In this role you will be able to work Monday to Friday.

About us

We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.

We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.

We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.

We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Springfield University Hospital, Tooting

Our largest, 19-ward site is in Springfield Village, created following our £150m investment into two new world class mental health facilities. A 32-acre public park, shops and cafes are now opening. Springfield is close to shops, cafes and Tooting Bec on the Northern Line plus Earlsfield and Tooting rail stations and bus routes.

Job responsibilities

Practice quality & workforce development

The post holder will be an effective role model for clinical excellence across their assigned clinical pathway and organisation. They will demonstrate visible leadership and take responsibility for ensuring care is delivered in line with best practice.

The post holder will promote multidisciplinary team working and engagement in care pathway delivery in line with the fundamental standards.

Ensuring the safety and effectiveness of services through the implementation of effective risk management, governance and assurance systems.

The development of practice improvement initiative including training and supervision programmes for staff

Take responsibility for key practice development projects across the service line as assigned by the Head of Nursing and Quality

Ensure that robust systems and processes are in place to facilitate clinical audit and the implementation of best practice guidelines across the service line and organisation

Service Delivery

Support Team Leaders and the Clinical Manager to maintain the efficient and safe transition of clients through care pathways. Develop reporting systems and monitor dashboards to ensure that Trust and Service Line standards are being achieved.

Support in achieving Trust and Service Line initiatives such as CQUINs and CQC actions.

Ensure that governance and assurance systems are in place for care pathways and clinical teams.

Provide expert professional advice with regard to clinical care, incidents and complaints to services across the organisation

To contribute to effective incident management procedures and promoting a Just Culture

Ensure that lessons are learnt and actions taken to improve services are embedded, with a particular focus on quality improvements

Take a leading role in quality improvement initiatives and train and develop staff to ensure their knowledge and skills are updated in this area.

Communication & Working Relationships

To ensure that clear lines of communication and positive working relationship across professional and organisational boundaries are established and embedded across services to ensure care is received in line with best practice.

Work collaboratively with the Governance Department, Safeguarding Leads, Acute Care Coordination Centre, Community teams, Home Treatment Teams, Housing agencies, Social Services ensuring that all people with learning disabilities and Autistic people who use our services are moved appropriately through the care pathway.

Co ordinate and investigate complaints and clinical practice performance issues and ensure that lessons learned are identified, disseminated and embedded in practice.

Clinical responsibilities

Promote, develop and role model high standards of clinical care, ensuring that all clinicians across the organisation can clearly articulate patients care pathways and what this means in practice.

Providing clinical leadership and support clinicians to develop and implement care plans, ensuring active involvement of service users and their carers

Ensure a holistic approach to assessment, care and treatment, including physical health needs.

Support the Clinical Manager and Team Leaders/Ward Managers to embed Clinical Governance Standards within their teams.

To provide consultation to relevant services regarding high clinical risk situations informing risk management plans

Ensure that appropriate action is taken to safeguard adults and children. This will include providing and receiving highly complex and sensitive information in relation to safeguarding adults and children.

Training & Qualifications

• A Registered Nurse with an established clinical nursing background who has successfully completed a period of academic education and clinical supervision to be competent against the RCNs competency requirements for an Advanced Nurse Practitioner.
• Evidence of significant post registration education and development at degree level or equivalent
• Significant management and or leadership training

Experience

• In depth current post registration nursing experience within Learning Disabilities and Autism services
• Extensive knowledge and expertise across a number of areas e.g. positive behaviour support, safeguarding.
• Significant professional leadership, especially professional development, clinical governance and supervision and appraisal
• Significant professional leadership, especially professional development, clinical governance and supervision and appraisal

Knowledge & Skills

• Evidence of understanding and developing nursing policy and practice, education and research within the context of a multi-disciplinary setting
• Evidence of contribution to practice and service development and the ability to translate strategic intent into operational reality
• Evidence of being able to communicate with and engage front line clinical staff and clinical leaders.
• A demonstrable knowledge of evidence-based nursing practice in specialist area

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.

£64,156 to £71,148 a year inclusive of inner London HCAS