Job summary
We are seeking applications for the role of the Lead Designated Nurse for Safeguarding in Black Country ICB. The postholder will be responsible for strategic and operational management of the ICB designated safeguarding functions and ensuring the ICB fulfils all statutory safeguarding duties. As such they will be knowledgeable and able to demonstrate considerable experience in all aspects of safeguarding relating to adults and children. The postholder will provide safeguarding system leadership for a defined place, managing the local safeguarding team and workstream including the related strategic plan for their area(s) of activity. They will work with partners across the sector in the delivery of strategic priorities. Work will be varied including provision of advice to strategic commissioners and specialist advise relating to individual cases, oversight and management of team members and deputisation for the Associate Director for Safeguarding and Partnerships.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will work as part of a team to ensure the ICB meets all statutory safeguarding duties as defined in related documents including the Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework (SAAF) 2024, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, Intercollegiate Documents for Children and Adults 20025 and all relevant legislation. The post holder will have a key role in relation to strategic leadership for safeguarding, system assurance and quality of safeguarding arrangements and delivery of Multi-Agency Priorities for adults and children. Expert clinical advice, learning and improvement and workforce development are key components of the role.

About us
Birmingham, the Black Country and Solihull Integrated Care System bring together the NHS, councils and voluntary sector to serve 2.7 million people. Our vision is to be the healthiest place to live and work, improving life chances and reducing inequalities. You will model system values, champion inclusion and actively address health inequalities, helping create an environment where everyone can thrive. In return, the Cluster offers a supportive, ambitious and inclusive environment with opportunities to develop and work across partners to deliver meaningful change. The ICB is committed to having a workforce which is representative of the population of Birmingham, the Black Country, and Solihull Cluster. Our current staffing profile demonstrates that we are not as representative as we would like to be at this level within the organisation. We would actively welcome applications from women and people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds for this role. The ICB is registered as a Disability Confident Employer. We actively welcome applications from applicants with a disability and commit to shortlisting all such suitable applicants who meet the essential criteria for an interview. Please let us know of any reasonable adjustments you require to participate in the recruitment process.

Job responsibilities
The postholder will be responsible for strategic and operational management of the ICB designated safeguarding functions and ensuring the ICB fulfils all statutory safeguarding duties. The postholder will provide system leadership for a defined Place, managing the local safeguarding team and workstreams including the related strategic plan for their areas of activity. You will work with partners across the sector and wider to ensure delivery of strategic objectives. You will ensure the provision of safeguarding, child protection and adult expertise and leadership throughout locally defined health economy and multiagency partnerships. The role is pivotal to complex case management, improved partnership working, strategic planning, quality assurance and safeguarding improvement. As a senior member of the team, you will be required to deputise for the Associate Director for Safeguarding and Partnerships as appropriate and to coordinate and oversee the work of Assistant Designated Nurses for Safeguarding working within the same geographical area, delivering key outcomes. In carrying out your role, at least one of the agreed strategic anchors should be at the core of everything you do:

• Commissioning for Value and Outcomes
• Accelerating Neighbourhood Health at Pace
• Making the Best Use of Digital Solutions in our Pathways
• Financial Discipline / 2% Productivity
• Advancing Health Equity
• Integrated Partnership

You will be accountable for:

• Ensuring the ICB meets all statutory safeguarding duties as defined in related documents including the Safeguarding Accountability and Assurance Framework (SAAF) 2024, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023, Intercollegiate Documents for Children and Adults 20025 and all relevant legislation including: Children Act 1989 and 2004, Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Liberty Protection Safeguards (when implemented), NHS Act 2006, Domestic Abuse Act 2021, Serious Violence Duty 2023
• Ensuring that the NHS can take forward the Safeguarding reforms being implemented as part of the Family First Partnership Programme.

Strategic Leadership

• Support the Associate Director for Safeguarding and Partnerships in the statutory delivery for Safeguarding Adults and Children designated functions for a defined Place and for related workstreams at Place and System.
• Act as the expert professional advisor to the Local Safeguarding Partnership and Board on safeguarding matters related to health.
• Act as the expert professional advisor to the ICB on safeguarding matters including risks, priorities and statutory compliance.
• Act as the expert professional advisor across the health economy as required.
• Influence commissioning to ensure that safeguarding is embedded in all services, quality and transformation programmes.
• Support the Associate Director for Safeguarding and Partnerships in the interpretation of national policy and legislation relating to safeguarding.
• Lead and support the development of Policy and Procedures related to safeguarding.
• Direct and support innovation and ensure efficiency and productivity is achieved in safeguarding through effective working at Place.
• Provide leadership and direction on key safeguarding areas as part of the wider portfolio supporting other safeguarding nurses.
• Responsible as line manager for a delivery of statutory safeguarding functions at place, line management of the specialist safeguarding nurse and for wider delivery of agreed safeguarding portfolio priorities across the footprint including devising of training fir safeguarding.

System Assurance and Quality

• Support NHSE and the ICB in the system assurance processes relating to NHS Provider organisations in line with the NHSE Quality Strategy and including a range of Safeguarding Tools including SCAT and SCRT.
• Ensure safeguarding is addressed as part of the service specifications, contract performance measures and service level agreements with provider organisations, and in the review of their on-going performance.
• Provide assurance to the ICB Board that all commissioned and contracted providers meet statutory safeguarding requirements as outlined within the SAAF.
• Lead safeguarding elements of quality assurance including: Contract monitoring, Quality Schedules, CQC interface, Serious Incident oversight
• Ensure providers meet safeguarding standards through contractual monitoring, quality schedules and serious incident oversight.
• Analyse safeguarding data, themes and intelligence to identify system risks and drive improvement.
• Ensure learning from reviews (SARS, CSPRS, DARDR, CDOPs) is embedded across the system.
• Develop approaches to evidence impact and outcome of interventions to improve safeguarding practice.

Multi-agency Partnership

• Represent the ICB at: Safeguarding Adult Boards, Safeguarding Children Partnerships, Domestic Abuse Boards, Prevent/Channel Panels, Strategic MAPPA, Community Safety Partnerships
• Ensure effective Multi-Agency Arrangements are in place including information sharing.
• Provide expert health input into multiagency safeguarding reviews as required.

Expert Clinical Advice

• Provide expert safeguarding advice as required within the ICB and with all stakeholders.
• Support and contribute information, give advice to help resolve complex enquiries that may have legal, ethical and professional implications.
• Work with Business Intelligence to support commissioners with safeguarding performance and population risk indicators to inform commissioning decisions and monitoring frameworks.
• Provide up to date specialist advice to support safeguarding related policy development
• Provide specialist advice on: Complex safeguarding cases involving all forms of abuse, Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty, Domestic Abuse, Exploitation (CSE, CCE, Modern slavery)
• Digital safeguarding oversight.
• Supporting system resilience.

Learning, improvement and Governance

• Leading and supporting safeguarding innovation and transformation.
• Ensure learning from incidents, audits and all reviews is translated into practice and system improvements including: Safeguarding Adult Reviews, Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews, Domestic Abuse Related Death Reviews
• Maintain oversight of learning implementation from all reviews.
• Lead the ICBs governance framework including safeguarding related policies, procedures and audit.
• Produce high quality safeguarding reports for the ICB, SABS and SCPs.
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of SCRT.
• Maintain oversight of safeguarding risks and ensure timely escalation.

Workforce Development

• Ensure training aligns with Intercollegiate Documents.
• Provide and receive supervision allowing for reflection and restoration.
• Provide professional leadership to Named and Specialist Safeguarding professionals across the system.
• Support primary care with safeguarding advice.

Key Relationships

• Chief Executive Officer
• Chief Clinical and Quality Lead (Chief Nurse)
• Deputy Chief Officer Safeguarding and Strategic Partnerships
• Associate Director for Safeguarding and Partnerships

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nurse - NMC
• Masters degree or equivalent qualification in the relevant specialism/a related field, or equivalent level of demonstrable experience
• Evidence of professional and personal development at senior management level

Desirable

• Leadership/ Management Qualification
• Additional Safeguarding qualification
• Experience in commissioning
• Experience in quality assurance

Experience
Essential

• Extensive Safeguarding experience at a senior level
• In depth knowledge of: Children Act 1989/2004, Care Act 2024, Working Together 2023, SAAF, MCA/DOLS, Domestic Abuse Act, Multi-agency Partnership Working, Leading safeguarding systems, Managing complex cases, Workforce development/ training and provision of supervision, Oversight of Provider safeguarding arrangements, Participation in a wide range of statutory safeguarding reviews - SARs, DHRs and CSPRs
• Evidence of ability to make significant and successful contributions at a senior level
• Evidence of strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Experience of developing robust operational and strategic plans and strategies
• Clear and in-depth understanding of national NHS strategy and policy, and ability to translate this into strategic and operational outcomes
• Experience in building and nurturing strong and positive relationships with a range of stakeholders
• Knowledge of IT platforms relevant to the role
• Experience of managing potentially challenging, sensitive or contentious situations and/or characters

Desirable

• Experience of working in the NHS in addition to another sector
• Experience of directly line managing a team

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

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