262733 Lead Nurse Mental Health and Learning Disability

Licensed sponsor Dumfries Full-time Posted 2 days ago

NHS Dumfries and Galloway Mental Health Directorate is seeking an experienced, credible and inspirational nursing leader to join our Senior Management Team as Lead Nurse for Mental Health and Learning Disability Services.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of Mental Health and Learning Disability Nursing across Dumfries and Galloway, providing strategic, professional and clinical leadership within a progressive and ambitious Mental Health Directorate.

As Lead Nurse, you will be responsible for leading the professional development, quality, governance and strategic direction of the nursing workforce across Mental Health and Learning Disability Services. Working as a key member of the Directorate Senior Management Team, you will influence and support the delivery of the Directorate's strategic priorities, ensuring nursing services continue to deliver safe, effective, person-centred care and achieve key performance objectives. The role also has a significant contribution to wider nursing leadership across NHS Dumfries and Galloway and national nursing developments.

You will work collaboratively with senior clinical leaders, operational managers, partner agencies and external stakeholders to support service improvement, workforce development, quality assurance and transformation programmes. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong leadership skills, strategic thinking, a commitment to compassionate leadership and a proven ability to influence change and deliver improvement across complex healthcare systems.

Applicants should be a registered Mental Health Nurse/Learning Disability Nurse with substantial senior leadership experience within Mental Health and/or Learning Disability Services and be educated to Master's level or able to demonstrate equivalent experience.

This post requires PVG Scheme Membership.

Interviews will take place on 06/11/2026

If you would like an informal discussion about this opportunity, please contact:

Justin Murray, General Manager - Tel: 01387 244007 | Justin.Murray@nhs.scot

Jena Davies, Deputy General Manager - Tel: 01387 244914 | Jena.Davies@nhs.scot

We welcome applications from motivated and compassionate leaders who are committed to improving outcomes for people who use mental health and learning disability services and who are keen to help shape the future direction of care across Dumfries and Galloway. Based on the vacancy details for the Lead Nurse Mental Health and Learning Disability post

If you require a Work Visa, please check to see if you and the vacancy you are applying for are eligible by visiting the Home Office website: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

INFORMATION FOR ALL CANDIDATES

To find out more about working with NHS Dumfries and Galloway and for an insight into our friendly, beautiful corner of Scotland please visit our Work With Us web pages https://www.nhsdg.co.uk/workwithus/

APPLICATION PROCESS - https://www.careers.nhs.scot/how-to-apply/application-process/

Please note that our correspondence method is by e-mail, therefore please ensure you enter your email address accurately. Please check your e-mail regularly (including junk folders) and also your Jobtrain account for updates.

Please contact Jobtrain Candidate Support Hub - https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home for advice and support with any system issues.

Accessing Jobtrain - Users may experience issues if accessing Jobtrain via mobile phone, we recommend using a computer, laptop or tablet.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) - Tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be helpful when planning or preparing your application—but your responses must be written by you.
Be authentic: Your application should genuinely reflect your own skills, experience, and motivations.
Use AI appropriately: It’s fine to use AI for inspiration or to check spelling and grammar, but it shouldn’t write your answers for you.
Why this matters: Applications that appear to rely on AI‑generated content may be withdrawn. By applying, you confirm that your answers are based on your personal knowledge and achievements.
Tip: Think of AI as a support tool, not a replacement. We want to understand you, not an AI-generated version of you.
CVs - DO NOT upload a CV as this will not be used for shortlisting purposes.
Assessment Form - Within the application you are required to answer three questions giving you the opportunity to fully evidence why you are the ideal person for the job. Please ensure these statements are written by yourself and are unique to you. This section times out after 30 minutes. A tip is to build your reply on a Word document and copy and paste into Jobtrain. If you exceed the maximum amount of characters it will cut your text at this point, please check your information once copied and pasted.
Once you have submitted your application form you will be unable to make any amendments.
Posts close at midnight on the indicated date however please be aware that a vacancy may close early due to volume of applications, therefore you should not delay in submitting your application.
If you are a member of staff please ensure you update your Jobtrain profile to reflect that you are employed by NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
Staff and patients across Dumfries and Galloway enjoy free, unlimited parking at all our hospital sites.

DISCLOSURE SCOTLAND – Some of our posts may require you to undergo a criminal records check. Changes as of the 1 April 2025 to the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme membership now sees more roles requiring PVG that may not have needed this check in the past. If you are successful in this role you will be notified which level of check is required by the recruitment team. If you would like to read more information please visit: Disclosure levels - mygov.scot

EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY

NHS Dumfries and Galloway is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce, and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Dumfries and Galloway welcomes applicants from all sections of the community.

PUBLIC PROTECTION

Public protection practice encompasses the recognition and management of risk in order to prevent or reduce harm to children, (including unborn babies), young people and adults. All public protection legislation, and NHS Dumfries and Galloway (NHSDG) policies and guidance are founded on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Convention on Human Rights, and the principles of these Conventions underpin all NHSDG core business.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL CANDIDATES

RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

NHS Dumfries and Galloway has a legal obligation to ensure that it does not employ any worker who has not been granted the relevant permission to work in the UK. This permission is without exception granted by the UK Border Agency. We are required to check the entitlement to work in the UK of all prospective employees, regardless of nationality or job category.

WORK VISA

If you require a Work Visa, please check to see if you and the vacancy you are applying for are eligible by visiting the Home Office website: https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or if you require a work visa that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form. We are unable to provide sponsorship for bank contracts.

UNITED KINGDOM REGISTRATION

NHS Dumfries & Galloway are unable to support OSCE Training for international nurses for vacancies.

Vacancies requiring professional registration require full United Kingdom registration with the appropriate council (eg NMC, HCPC, GMC, GDC etc).