Head of Clinical Governance

Job DescriptionThe Head of Clinical Governance will lead and enhance the organisation’s commitment to delivering high-quality, safe care for children. This role is pivotal in overseeing clinical governance frameworks, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, managing clinical risks, and implementing quality improvement initiatives. The postholder will work collaboratively across teams to promote a culture of safety and continuous improvement, aligning with The Children’s Trust’s strategic objectives. Whilst the post directly reports to the Director of Nursing and Quality, the remit of the role spans the whole organisation and works across all clinical directorates.Interview date: Friday 2 January 2026This role is not open for sponsorship.Duties and ResponsibilitiesClinical GovernanceDevelop and maintain an effective clinical governance framework that supports safe and high-quality care.Facilitate regular clinical governance meetings to discuss performance, incidents, and quality improvement initiatives.Ensure that clinical pathways and practices are aligned with best practice guidelines and evidence-based standards.Patient SafetyLead initiatives to enhance patient safety across all services, promoting a culture of transparency and reporting.Implement and maintain the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF), ensuring that learning from incidents is captured and shared.Monitor and report on patient safety metrics, identifying areas for improvement and ensuring appropriate action plans are developed.Clinical Risk ManagementIdentify, assess, and manage clinical risks within the organisation, ensuring effective risk mitigation strategies are in place.Conduct regular reviews of incident reports and risk assessments to inform organisational learning and development.Oversee the management of serious incidents, ensuring thorough investigations and appropriate follow-up actions are completed.Quality ImprovementDevelop and implement quality improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and experiences.Lead quality impact assessments for new initiatives or changes in practice, evaluating potential risks and benefits and manage the organisational governance in relation to these.Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to promote a culture of continuous quality improvement.Regulatory ComplianceEnsure compliance with relevant legislation, standards, and guidelines, including CQC regulations and national safety frameworks.Maintain an up-to-date understanding of regulatory changes and ensure organisational policies and practices reflect these updates.Coordinate and draft the annual organisation quality account.Clinical AuditDesign and implement a comprehensive clinical audit program that evaluates the quality of care and compliance with clinical standards.Analyse audit findings to identify trends and areas for improvement, facilitating the development of action plans.Incident ManagementOversee the incident management process, ensuring that incidents are reported, investigated, and learned from effectively.Develop strategies to communicate learning from incidents across the organisation to promote a culture of safety.Professional StandardsPromote adherence to professional standards and best practices among clinical staff, ensuring high levels of accountability and professionalism.Monitor compliance with organisational policies and procedures, implementing corrective actions as needed.Policies and ProceduresDevelop, review, and update clinical policies and procedures to ensure they align with current best practices and regulatory requirements.Ensure all staff are trained and knowledgeable about relevant policies and procedures.Medical Records Ensure that medical records are maintained accurately and confidentially, supporting patient safety and care continuity.Medicines ManagementLine manage the lead pharmacist and wider pharmacy teamOversee medicines management processes, ensuring compliance with best practices and safe medication administration.Complaints and Patient ExperienceManage the complaints process, ensuring that concerns are addressed promptly and appropriately, and lessons learned are disseminated.Work to enhance patient experience through feedback mechanisms, ensuring that patient voices are heard and acted upon.General Undertake other or additional duties that are within your skills and abilities, as the organisation may reasonably require from time to time.Act as a critical member of the Nursing and Care senior leadership team.Health and SafetyAdhere to all Health and Safety guidelines, principles and regulations required to perform your role and comply with The Children’s Trust policies and procedures.Wellbeing and Emotional ResilienceMaintains a positive approach and outlook when dealing with change and overcoming challenges and problems.Recognises own limitations, develops realistic goals, and uses support network resource when or if necessary.Treats challenges and problems as a learning experience.Remains organised and focused when under pressure.Responds appropriately and effectively to all constructive feedback.Motivates self and other.Education & Qualifications:Active NMC membershipEducated to Masters degree level in a relevant area (or relevant experience), and / or with relevant post graduate teaching or leadership qualifications.Experience:Evidence of significant operational leadership experience at AfC band 8a equivalent or aboveExperience working with children with learning disabilityExperience of working within quality and clinical governance dedicated rolesExperience within training/education/practice-based education and presenting effectively to a variety of audiencesExperience managing significant budgetsExperience writing business cases for service proposalsExperience of effective partnership working with internal and external stakeholdersManagement of changeSkills & Abilities:Dynamic, passionate, open, participative, and supportive leadership styleStrong influencing skillsAbility to develop and deliver innovative training programmesClinically credible in own area of practiceAble to deliver a multi-faceted service balancing the capacity of each area to meet service needs and priorities.Effective communicatorKnowledge:Strong understanding of:Health care educational framework and of developing training strategiesClinical and operational audit data and analysis/presentation methodologyMultidisciplinary team workingCare of children with learning disabilitiesSafeguardingQuality improvement programmes and methodologiesPersonal Qualities:Commitment to the vision and values of The Children’s Trust.Flexible and ‘can do’ attitude to competing commitments in workload.Highly motivated and reliable.Ability to cope working in a demanding environment.Commitment to maintaining personal wellbeing and the wellbeing of colleagues. About UsThe Children’s Trust is the UK’s leading charity for children with acquired brain injury, providing expert rehabilitation, education, therapy, and care at our national specialist centre in Tadworth, and to children and their families across the UK, via our Brain Injury Community Service.Boasting a beautiful 24-acre site in Surrey, we are located just outside of London, close to the M25 (accessible via Junction 8, A217 to Tadworth) and easily accessible via National Rail, by way of: Clapham Junction, Sutton, and Epsom.Staff BenefitsThe work we do is highly rewarding, and in addition to an attractive salary, we offer a valuable range of benefits on our staff flexible benefits platform, on-site nursery, free eye tests, enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay, time out days for those experiencing menopause symptoms and time off for gender reassignment.We also offer additional annual leave days for those with long service, with entitlements ranging from 35 to 41 days (including bank holidays) depending on your length of service.Other benefits include free on-site parking; a staff shuttle service from Epsom and Sutton train stations to Tadworth Court, subsidised cafeteria, on-site staff accommodation (subject to availability), the ability to retain your NHS pension (where applicable), Teacher’s pension (where applicable) or the opportunity to join an alternative scheme, and the opportunity to develop your career in a supportive and collaborative environment.Rehabilitation of OffendersMany roles at The Children’s Trust are exempt from the provisions of Section 4 (2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013 and 2020) and as such, are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.  Successful applicants will be required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, which will disclose all unspent convictions and adult cautions and any spent convictions or adult cautions that would not be protected.  The exceptions to this are our retail roles within The Children’s Trust shops, which are subject to Basic DBS checks which will disclose unspent convictions or adult cautions.Equal Opportunity EmployerTo help us achieve our ambition to give children and young people with brain injury and neurodisability the opportunity to live the best life possible, we want to accurately reflect the UK’s diverse population. We want equity, diversity, and inclusion to be at the heart of everything we do, and our people, services, and culture to reflect the diverse needs of all. Through our diversity and inclusion strategy, we have made a commitment to increase the diversity of our charity and create an inclusive culture. We have networks across the organisation working to ensure that these aims are met - including an LGBTQIA2S+ group, Ethnic Diversity Group, and Spark – our broad EDI group. Read more about our EDI work here. We welcome applications from all who share our ambition regardless of background. We will strive to ensure that any reasonable adjustments are made in respect of interview and working arrangements.Online SearchesIn accordance with statutory safeguarding and child protection guidance, online searches will be conducted for shortlisted candidates before interview. The online searches will be conducted by a person who is independent of the interview and selection process and will focus on relevant information returned via searches of the candidate’s name (and variations thereof). Social media searches will be limited to professional platforms such as LinkedIn. Any concerns relating to suitability for work with children and young people will be forwarded to the interview panel, for discussion during the interview.