About this role
Job summary
Penrose Health is a GP group delivering primary care across South East London. We operate with strong clinical leadership and professional operational support to allow clinicians to focus on patient care and quality.
We are recruiting Lead GPs to combine hands-on clinical practice with responsibility for leading the GP team and supporting high-quality, consistent care at practice level.
This role offers more scope and influence than a traditional salaried GP post, without the financial or operational risk of partnership.
About the roleLead GPs continue to work clinically while also acting as the senior clinical leader on site.
You will:
Lead and line manage the GP team at your allocated practice Support newly qualified and transitioning GPs Provide clinical leadership and escalation support to all clinicians on site Act as the clinical safeguarding lead on site Be a senior clinical presence for in-person patient complaints Work alongside AHP Leads, who retain line management responsibility for their teams
A key part of the role is improving how clinical decisions affect demand and workload.
You will lead the team to:
Reduce unnecessary GP-booked follow-ups Improve first-time resolution where clinically appropriate Reduce avoidable cancelled clinics caused by absence or poor planning Improve consistency in clinical decision-making and safety-netting
You are not responsible for appointment scheduling or operational rostering.
You are responsible for clinical standards, behaviours, and reliability.
How we workPenrose Health is not a traditional GP partnership.
Partners lead clinically A Central Management Team runs the operations Clinicians are supported by HR, Clinical Admin, Welcome Teams, and cross-group AHP Leads
This structure allows Lead GPs to focus on patients, team leadership, safeguarding, and quality improvement, supported by experienced operational colleagues.
Main duties of the job Who this role will suit
This role is suited to GPs who:
Are experienced and interested in clinical leadership Enjoy supporting and developing colleagues Care about consistency, standards, and quality Want to reduce avoidable workload through better decision-making Are looking for influence and development without partnership risk
About us
Penrose Health is on a mission to deliver outstanding healthcare to every patient we serve.
We care for 75,000+ people across 9 sites in South East London, supported by a team of 200+ clinicians and staff. Our model is built on permanent, diverse teams, strong governance, and a clear focus on continuity, quality, and access.
We work closely with NHS partners to deliver a full range of services from routine checks to complex, long-term care backed by robust systems and a culture of continuous improvement.
We're proud to hold a CQC "Good" rating and consistently receive strong feedback from patients.
Learn more at penrosehealth.co.uk.
Job description Job responsibilities Purpose of the role
The Lead GP role is a hands-on clinical leadership position.
Alongside continuing clinical practice, Lead GPs take responsibility for how the GP team works, the reliability of GP capacity, and the clinical behaviours that drive avoidable workload at practice level.
The role exists to:
Improve consistency and quality of clinical decision-making Support and develop GPs, including newly qualified colleagues Reduce avoidable cancelled clinics caused by absence or poor planning Reduce unnecessary GP-booked follow-ups and repeat appointments Strengthen team performance, standards, and ways of workingLead GPs are not responsible for appointment scheduling or operational rostering.
Their responsibility is to:
Lead behaviours that protect clinical capacity Support reliable attendance and forward planning Challenge clinical practices that create unnecessary demandThis is not a partnership role.
It is a leadership role with real influence, protected time, and clear expectations.
The opportunityThis role sits between traditional salaried GP work and partnership.
As a Lead GP, you will:
Lead the GP team at an allocated practice or group of practices Provide senior clinical leadership across the practice Influence consistency, reliability, and quality of care Work closely with operational and central clinical teams Develop as a medical leader without partnership risk
It offers variety, influence, and professional growth alongside clinical practice.
Session commitment and time allocationThe role requires a minimum commitment of 6 sessions.
Minimum of 6 sessions per week 2 sessions are protected leadership time Remaining sessions are clinicalLeadership sessions are used for:
GP leadership and development Safeguarding and clinical governance Complaints, learning, and quality improvement Demand reduction and pathway improvement Meetings and decision-makingLeadership time is protected and expected to be used actively.
Key relationshipsInternal GP colleagues (salaried, sessional, and locum) Newly qualified and transitioning GPs AHPs and AHP Leads Operational Leads and on-site operational staff Central operational functions including HR, Clinical Admin, and Welcome Teams Clinical Partner and other Lead GPsExternal PCN colleagues ICB and system partners Federation and collaborative forumsKey responsibilities1. Clinical leadership and standards Act as a visible and credible senior clinician on site Set and reinforce clear standards of clinical practice and behaviour Reduce unwarranted variation in decision-making Lead learning from audits, incidents, and complaints Promote reflective practice and continuous improvement2. Leadership and development of GPs Lead and line manage the GP team at allocated practice(s) Provide support, challenge, and guidance to GP colleagues Take a particular interest in newly qualified and transitioning GPs Address performance concerns early and constructively Set clear expectations around ways of working and reliability Work with HR and central teams on people matters3. Clinical leadership across the practice Provide senior clinical leadership and support to all clinical colleagues on site Work alongside AHP Leads, who retain line management responsibility for AHPs Act as a senior clinical point of escalation for complex or concerning cases Be available as a trusted source of clinical advice, support, and challenge4. Safeguarding and patient concerns Act as the clinical safeguarding lead on site, in line with organisational policy Provide leadership and oversight for safeguarding concerns Support clinical colleagues with safeguarding decision-making and escalation Work with central safeguarding leads and external agencies as required Ensure safeguarding learning is shared and embedded Act as a senior clinical presence for in-person patient complaints Support timely, sensitive, and professional resolution Lead learning from complaints and ensure actions are taken5. Demand management and efficient care Reduce unnecessary GP-booked follow-ups and repeat appointments Promote clinically appropriate first-time resolution Challenge defensive or inefficient clinical patterns Improve consistency in follow-up planning and safety-netting Work with operational colleagues to protect capacity6. Practice leadership and team working Work in partnership with AHP Leads and operational colleagues Chair and contribute to clinical and MDT meetings Build strong relationships across clinical and non-clinical teams Support recruitment, induction, and retention of GPs Bring the GP team together around shared standards and goals7. Governance, systems, and quality improvement Lead clinical governance activity at practice level Ensure registers, coding, and pathways are robust Support delivery of QOF and local priorities Contribute to CQC readiness and inspections Embed clinical guideline changes consistently8. Working with central clinical leadership Act as a clear link between the practice and central teams Contribute to cross-site leadership discussions Share learning and good practice Support organisation-wide initiatives9. Continued clinical practice Continue to practise as a GP Deliver high-quality patient care Balance clinical and leadership responsibilities effectivelyHow we work at Penrose HealthNot a traditional GP practicePenrose Health operates differently from a traditional GP partnership.
We have deliberately designed our organisation to protect clinical time and maximise value for patients.
Partners lead clinically A Central Management Team runs the operations Clinicians are supported by: Central Clinical Admin Welcome Teams Cross-group AHP team leads HR
This model exists to:
Reduce administrative burden on clinicians Delegate work to the right level Support consistent, high-quality care at scale
For Lead GPs, this means:
You are not expected to carry operational problems You work alongside experienced operational professionals Leadership time is focused on patients, people, and improvement
Person Specification
Professional registration & qualifications Essential
- Qualified GP with a minimum of 2 years post-CCT experience - GMC registered with a licence to practise - Registered on the NHS Performers List
Clinical experience Essential
- Experience working as a GP in UK primary care - Strong, up-to-date clinical knowledge
Desirable
- Experience in multi-site or group practices
Leadership & management capability Essential
- Experience supporting or influencing other clinicians - Confidence addressing challenge and performance concerns - Willingness to take responsibility for standards and outcomes
Desirable
- Experience managing or supervising other GPs - Experience supporting newly qualified or early-career GPs - Formal leadership or management training
Safeguarding and complaints Essential
- Confidence acting as a senior clinical point of escalation - Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities in primary care - Comfortable handling in-person patient concerns
Demand and efficiency Essential
- Understanding of how clinical decisions affect demand - Interest in reducing unnecessary follow-ups and avoidable workload - Comfortable working with operational colleagues
Working style & behaviours Essential
- Strong time management and prioritisation - Able to protect leadership time - Calm, credible, and professional - Collaborative and relationship-focused
Desirable
- Experience leading through change or service improvement
Systems & governance Essential
- Comfortable using EMIS and clinical systems - Understanding of clinical governance and audit
Desirable
- Experience supporting CQC readiness or inspections
Availability & commitment Essential
- Able to commit to a minimum of 6 sessions - Willingness to undertake at least 2 protected leadership sessions
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).
Employer details Employer name Penrose Health
Address 3 Kingfisher Square
London
SE8 5DA
Employer's website https://www.penrosehealth.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)