MRP - Deputy Director of Nursing Clinical Quality (MH/LDA) | NHS England

This pivotal role will provide strategic and professional nursing leadershipto influenceandimprovethe quality and safety of healthcare acrossthe Midlands.

This is a high-profile role with significant responsibility for supporting NHS England's statutory duties in relation to quality oversight, patient safety and clinical effectiveness across Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), NHSprovidersand commissioned services.

You will act as the principal nursing relationship manager for an agreed portfolio of providers and systems, offering expert advice, constructive challenge andsupport influencing system-wide transformation and supporting delivery of the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, NHS Quality Strategy.

This role willalsoplay a critical leadership role in supporting the delivery of quality oversightofMental Health, Learning Disability and Autism services across the Midlands.The postholder will provide professional leadership for Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism (MH/LDA) quality oversight andSpecial Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) agendayou will work with systems and providers to strengthen quality governance, improve patient safety, reduce unwarranted variation and support sustainable service transformation, while maintaining oversight of quality and safety across a wider portfolio.

The work will include but not limited to the following key aspects

• Lead quality improvement and oversight forProfessional leadership Leadp for Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism services andSENDandstrengthen leadership capacity and capability across systems and providers.
• Lead quality oversight,assuranceand improvement across the agreed provider and ICB portfolio, applying national quality and oversight frameworks to ensure services are safe,effectiveand person-centred and that risks areidentified,escalatedand addressed.
• Act as the principal nursing relationship manager for an agreed portfolio of ICBs and providers, building trusted relationships and engaging directly with Board Directors, Chief Nursing Officers, Medical Directors andotherstakeholders.
• Use data, evidence, intelligence and regulatory insight toidentifyemerging quality and safety concerns, reduce unwarranted variation, scrutinise improvement plans and ensure risks are managed,escalatedand resolved.
• Supportprovidersand systems to deliver sustained improvements in quality, safety, patientexperienceandoutcomes, resultingin better care for patients and their families.
• Work collaboratively with regional and national colleagues, regulators,commissionersand wider partners to align priorities and enable system-wide improvement.
• Deputise for the Director of Nursing (Quality Oversight) asrequired.

Our work supports the NHS to deliver high quality services for patients and best value for taxpayers.

Our staff bring expertise across hundreds of specialisms — including clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial — enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

We lead the

NHS in England by

• Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities
• Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential
• Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
• Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
• Delivering value for money

Earlier this year, the Government announced that NHS England will gradually merge with the Department of Health and Social Care, leading to full integration. The aim is to create a smaller, more strategic centre that reduces duplication and eliminates waste.

If successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the recruitment process.

We are looking for experienced and credible senior nursing leader with a strongtrack recordof leading large-scale change, qualityoversight andimprovement and system leadership within complex healthcare environments.

Working closely with provider boards, Integrated CareBoardsand regional and national colleagues, you willidentifyand respond to quality and safety risks, support sustainableimprovementand help translate national priorities into better outcomes and experiences for patients,familiesand communities.You will lead major programmes, manageresourcesand develop strong partnerships across organisational boundaries.

AMental Health Nursing qualificationandactiveregistration are essential, alongside a strong record of delivering strategic change, qualityimprovementand effective system leadership.

You can find further details about the job, in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

For further details / informal visits contact:jacqueline.barnes10@nhs.net

This advert closes on Wednesday 28 Oct 2026