Quality & Governance Lead (Psychological Services)

Job description

Job title: Quality & Governance Lead (Psychological Services) Location: Remote or Hybrid Working Available (Croydon, Tewkesbury and Manchester offices available) Salary: £52,000 per year FTE (£31,200 0.6 FTE per year) Status: Fixed Term Contract - Mat Leave Cover Working Hours: Flexible working pattern of 22.5 hours per week Healthcare rm (Part of the HCML Group) is a specialist workplace health, wellbeing and safety provider committed to helping organisations build healthier, safer and more productive workplaces. Through integrated occupational health, wellbeing and safety services, we support businesses and their people to thrive, creating positive outcomes for employees, clients and communities alike HCML are proud to be recognised as a 2025 UK’s Best Workplace for Wellbeing and for Best Workplaces in Healthcare™ 2026, reflecting our commitment to supporting the growth, development, and wellbeing. We are seeking an experienced Quality & Governance Lead to provide professional leadership, clinical governance oversight, quality assurance and safeguarding expertise across Healthcare RM’s Psychological Services. Reporting to the Clinical and Quality Assurance Manager, you will lead the development and delivery of robust clinical governance frameworks, oversee complex and high-risk psychological cases, provide clinical supervision, and act as the organisation’s subject matter expert for mental health risk management and safeguarding. Purpose of Role: The Clinical Lead, Psychological Services is responsible for providing professional leadership, clinical governance, quality assurance and safeguarding expertise across Corporate Health and Wellbeing’s Psychological Services. The post holder will ensure that psychological services are delivered safely, effectively and in accordance with professional, regulatory and organisational standards. They will provide oversight of complex and high-risk cases, lead clinical quality assurance activities, deliver clinical supervision, support safeguarding investigations and act as the organisation’s clinical lead for mental health risk management. The role will provide specialist consultation and advice to Occupational Health Case Management and other Corporate Health and Wellbeing services where mental health, psychological risk or safeguarding concerns arise. The role does not involve the routine delivery of psychological therapy, counselling, assessment or the management of a personal clinical caseload. Key Responsibilities: Clinical Leadership: Provide professional leadership and expert psychological guidance across Corporate Health and Wellbeing, acting as HCML’s clinical lead in relation to psychological wellbeing, mental health risk, safeguarding and complex psychological presentations. Promote evidence-based practice and support the delivery of high-quality, person-centred services across Psychological Services. Support operational and clinical colleagues in managing complex psychological, behavioural and occupational presentations. Maintain awareness of emerging evidence, professional standards, legislation and best practice relevant to psychological services. Clinical Governance and Quality Assurance: Lead the quality assurance framework for Psychological Services, including clinical standards, policies, procedures and guidance. Undertake regular case audits, clinical record reviews and quality assurance activities within Psychological Services. Monitor compliance with professional standards, clinical governance requirements and contractual obligations. Analyse audit findings, complaints, incidents, supervision outcomes and service data to identify trends, learning opportunities and areas for improvement. Develop and implement quality improvement initiatives to enhance service quality, patient safety and clinical effectiveness. Contribute to governance committees, quality forums and organisational assurance activities, and support internal and external audits, accreditation programmes and client assurance reviews as required. Complex Case Review, Mental Health Risk and Safeguarding: Undertake independent reviews of complex, high-risk or escalated psychological cases. Provide clinical consultation and recommendations in relation to complex mental health presentations, psychological risk factors, trauma and stress-related conditions, neurodiversity considerations, fitness for work concerns involving mental health, occupational psychological risk and safeguarding concerns. Provide guidance and support to clinicians, case managers and operational teams to ensure appropriate clinical decision making and risk management. Escalate concerns relating to patient safety, professional conduct, safeguarding or clinical governance where required. Act as the lead resource for the management of mental health risk across Corporate Health and Wellbeing, including suicide risk, self-harm, risk of harm to others, acute psychological distress, serious mental illness, psychological deterioration, occupational mental health risks and psychological crises. Support clinicians and managers in identifying, assessing and responding appropriately to mental health red flags and high-risk situations. Ensure appropriate escalation, documentation and governance processes are followed for high-risk cases. Provide senior safeguarding support and consultation across Corporate Health and Wellbeing, acting as a specialist psychological safeguarding resource and providing Level 5 safeguarding expertise. Support safeguarding decision making, investigations, referrals and case reviews involving adults and children. Work collaboratively with the Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Safeguarding Leads to ensure effective safeguarding arrangements. Contribute to safeguarding audits, assurance activities, organisational learning, and the development and review of safeguarding policies, procedures and training. Clinical Supervision, Workforce Development and Service Support: Lead and maintain a robust clinical supervision framework for Psychological Services. Provide individual and group clinical supervision in accordance with professional body standards and organisational requirements. Support reflective practice, professional development and maintenance of clinical competency. Coach and mentor clinicians to support safe and effective clinical practice. Deliver training, workshops and educational sessions relating to psychological practice, mental health risk, safeguarding and clinical governance. Support competency assessments, induction processes and ongoing professional development activities. Provide specialist psychological consultation to Occupational Health clinicians where mental health complexities arise, including psychological injury, stress and burnout, anxiety and depression, trauma-related conditions, suicide and self-harm risk, safeguarding concerns and neurodiversity-related complexities. Contribute psychological expertise to multidisciplinary discussions and case reviews where required. Provide guidance regarding psychological risk factors affecting work capability, recovery and workplace adjustment planning. Ensure compliance with all applicable professional, ethical and regulatory standards, maintaining current professional registration and fulfilling continuing professional development requirements. Ensure adherence to Healthcare RM policies, procedures, information governance requirements and GDPR obligations. Maintain accurate records and documentation relating to supervision, audits and governance activities. Undertake any other duties commensurate with the responsibilities and seniority of the role. Person Specification: Experience Essential Significant post-qualification experience within psychological or mental health services. Demonstrable experience of providing clinical supervision. Experience of reviewing complex and high-risk mental health cases. Experience managing safeguarding concerns involving adults and/or children. Experience undertaking clinical audit, case review and quality assurance activities. Desirable Experience working within occupational health, vocational rehabilitation, insurance-funded healthcare or case management services. Experience supporting serious incident investigations, complaints or clinical reviews. Experience leading service improvement or quality improvement initiatives. Paediatric experience, particularly where this supports safeguarding decision making, child and family context, or psychological risk assessment involving children and young people. Skills & Knowledge Essential Strong understanding of clinical governance and risk management principles. Excellent communication, coaching and report-writing skills. Ability to influence and support clinicians, managers and multidisciplinary teams. Desirable Knowledge of workplace mental health and fitness for work principles. Attributes Essential Ability to demonstrate sound professional judgement when managing complex and high-risk cases. Commitment to high standards of clinical quality, governance and safeguarding. Collaborative approach when working with clinicians, managers and multidisciplinary teams. Qualifications and Training Essential Current registration with an appropriate professional body, such as HCPC, BPS, BABCP, BACP, NMC or equivalent. Degree-level qualification and recognised professional qualification in a relevant psychological or mental health discipline. Desirable Formal qualification in clinical supervision. Safeguarding Level 5 training or equivalent experience. Company Benefits: Medicash Health Cash Plan: Which includes ability to claim back dental, optical, and chiropody costs. Plus, add your dependent children for free! + 24/7 Digital Health: Round-the-clock access to a virtual GP helpline and an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) + Mental Health Support: Up to 8 fully funded face-to-face counselling or CBT sessions Pension Scheme & Pension Salary Sacrifice Peace of Mind: Rest easy knowing your loved ones are protected with a Death in Service benefit equal to 4x your base salary Payroll Giving: Support the causes you love directly from your gross pay Annual Leave: 25 days + BH, plus Birthday Leave to celebrate your special day Flexibility: Option to buy or sell up to 3 days of holiday each year Giving Back: Up to 2 fully paid Volunteering/Community days per year Family First: Enhanced, generous Maternity and Paternity policies, alongside comprehensive Company Sick Pay Professional Development: We fund professional subscriptions and registrations post-probation, alongside internal promotion and secondment opportunities Rewarding Excellence: Annual pay reviews, discretionary bonus schemes, and regular staff awards to celebrate your hard work plus a regular events and activities throughout the year Equal Opportunities Statement: HCML is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.