Description:
The Head of Quality is a senior leadership role focused on embedding a values-driven, learning-oriented approach to quality across the organisation. This role ensures quality is integrated into everyday practice supporting regulatory compliance (CQC, PSIRF), driving continuous improvement, and fostering a culture where quality feels natural and empowering rather than a compliance task.
Working closely with clinical, operational, and leadership teams, the Head of Quality will lead clinical governance, oversee audits and service reviews, and use data in accessible ways to support reflection and growth. They will champion inclusive, co-produced quality initiatives, promote safe and effective care, and develop practical tools and training that enable teams to engage meaningfully with quality in their day-to-day work.
Principle duties and responsibilities will include but not limited to:
- Lead the ongoing implementation and integration of our clinical governance model. Ensure governance feels natural, with everyone understanding their role in improving quality and safety.
- Ensure CQC requirements are met and woven into the fabric of our daily operations rather than feeling like a compliance task.
- Lead a collaborative, developmental audit programme that reflects the needs of clinicians and service managers. Focus on progressive learning, not just checking boxes.
- Empower teams to run quarterly Service Health Checks as a way to reflect on progress, celebrate success, and identify areas for improvement.
- Collaborate closely with clinical leads, prescribers, and service managers to improve clinical report quality, medication safety, and care pathways.
- Use thematic reviews to reflect on mistakes or incidents in a positive, learning-focused way. Ensure the learning from incidents is shared and celebrated, not hidden.
- Foster a learning culture: Create an environment where quality is not a task, but a part of how we engage with our work, our clients, and each other. Quality becomes an instinct, built into every conversation and action.
- Develop tools, training, and resources that support teams to naturally integrate quality practices into their day-to-day roles. Ensure the tools are practical and reflective of the real challenges and pace of clinical practice.
Person Specification
- Experience in clinical governance or quality improvement, but with a practical approach that aligns with our culture and team dynamics. We want someone who understands that quality is not a tick-box exercise, but a way of life in a fast-paced, client-focused environment.
- Experience in mental health or neurodevelopmental services, ideally with a strong understanding of diagnostic processes and prescribing pathways (especially ADHD). This will allow you to speak the same language as clinical teams and understand the pressures they face.
- A passionate advocate for learning cultures: You know how to make quality feel like a learning opportunity instead of a compliance burden.
- A strong understanding of CQC and PSIRF frameworks, but with the ability to translate these into actionable, real-world steps for clinical teams.
- Confident in using data, but able to present it in simple, human ways that empower teams to make improvements. Data should be seen as a tool for reflection, not as something imposed.
- Proven track record of leading teams and projects in a way that builds collaboration, ownership, and engagement.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills – you must be able to bridge the gap between clinical, operational, and leadership teams.