Lead CAMHS Nurse

Job Description: Lead Nurse

Organisation: Young Crisis Hub Reports to: Terry Whinnett and the senior clinical leadership team Responsible for: Support workers within the allocated package Grade: Equivalent to NHS Band 6/7 Location: Allocated home/package (England-wide) Hours: [To confirm], including on-site shifts during the first week of each placement

Role purpose

The Lead Nurse is the clinical link between Young Crisis Hub and the staff team on the ground. They take real ownership of a package for young people with complex and challenging needs, from setup through to ongoing delivery.

Young Crisis Hub is a nurse-led service. Rather than placing a senior-grade nurse in every home, we develop capable nurses and give them the authority to lead, with senior clinical leadership around them. The Lead Nurse leads the package; they do not carry it alone.

The postholder will have a view of the whole package, not just their own shifts. They will keep care safe, consistent and therapeutic, and make sure standards meet CQC and Ofsted expectations.

Key responsibilities

Setup

• Join setup discussions once a home is identified, so you understand the young person’s needs, risks and environment, and what the Local Authority (LA) expects, from day one.

• Contribute to staffing decisions, bringing a clinical view on the right fit for the young person and the team.

• Support the practical setup of the home and develop the support and care plan before the package goes live.

• Work on-site for your shifts during the young person’s first week, to build relationships early and resolve issues quickly.

Clinical leadership

• Act as the day-to-day clinical leadership point for the package.

• Make sure all staff understand and consistently follow the care plan and risk management plan.

• Promote trauma-informed, relational and therapeutic practice, adapted to each young person.

• Build effective relationships with the young person, their family and the professionals around them.

Risk and safeguarding

• Spot risks and emerging concerns early and act on them, reviewing care plans and risk assessments regularly and after incidents.

• Follow safeguarding procedures and make sure staff understand their responsibilities.

• Escalate to senior clinical leadership when more support is needed, especially for complex risk decisions.

Team leadership

• Provide regular supervision to support workers in your home, covering practice, risk, team relationships and development.

• Identify training needs and support staff learning.

• Help build a stable, experienced team that can work together across future packages.

Governance

• Contribute to the two baseline audits completed in the first week of placement: Health, Care & Environment, and Communication & Therapeutic Practice.

• Own and deliver actions from audit action plans within agreed timescales, and take part in routine audits and continuous improvement.

• Keep accurate, timely records in line with CQC and Ofsted expectations.

Communication

• Attend the 15-minute Lead Nurse check-ins on Monday and Wednesday.

• Attend the mandatory Friday team meeting, or make sure a representative from the placement team attends in your place.

• Give regular updates to senior clinical leadership on progress, staffing, incidents and risks, and contribute ideas to how the nurse-led model develops.

Person specification

Essential: You will be a Registered Nurse with current NMC registration (RMN or RNLD). You will have experience working with children and young people with complex mental health needs, and of leading or coordinating a staff team. You will have sound knowledge of safeguarding, risk assessment and care planning, and an understanding of CQC and Ofsted expectations. You will communicate clearly with young people, staff and Local Authorities, show sound clinical judgement and keep accurate records. You will take ownership, stay calm under pressure and know when to escalate.

Desirable: Leadership, management, mentorship or supervision training. Experience in residential, crisis or bespoke placement settings, including working with Deprivation of Liberty orders. Knowledge of audit, quality improvement and trauma-informed therapeutic models. Experience of delivering supervision and staff training, and an interest in progressing to Senior/Area Clinical Lead.

Support and development

Lead Nurses receive regular clinical supervision from senior clinical leadership, covering practice, leadership, risk and their own development. As the service grows, the role offers a route to overseeing more than one package and to wider leadership positions, including Senior/Area Clinical Lead and Registered Manager.

Additional requirements

An enhanced DBS check is required. You must be willing to travel to new packages and work flexibly, including during mobilisation. You will be committed to Young Crisis Hub’s values: consistent standards and individual, person-centred care.

This job description is not exhaustive and may be reviewed as the nurse-led model develops