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Job summary

Main area
Nurse
Grade
AFC Band 8
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
  • Job share
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
919-ROG-307943-EXT
Employer
UK Health Security Agency
Employer type
Public (Non NHS)
Site
London, Liverpool, Leeds, Birmingham
Town
London
Salary
£62,215 - £72,293 Per annum, Pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
07/11/2024 23:59

Employer heading

UK Health Security Agency logo

IPC Nurse Specialist

AFC Band 8

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is a system leader for health security; taking action internationally to strengthen global health security, providing trusted advice to government and the public and reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

UKHSA’s remit, as an agency with a global-to-local reach, is to protect the health of the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. As the nation’s expert national health security agency UKHSA will:

  • Prevent: anticipate threats to health and help build the nation’s readiness, defences and health security
  • Detect: use cutting edge environmental and biological surveillance to proactively detect and monitor infectious diseases and threats to health
  • Analyse: use world-class science and data analytics to assess and continually monitor threats to health, identifying how best to control and mitigate the risks
  • Respond: take rapid, collaborative and effective actions nationally and locally to mitigate threats to health when they materialise
  • Lead: lead strong and sustainable global, national, regional and local partnerships designed to save lives, protect the nation from public health threats and reduce inequalities.

Job overview

The Infection Prevention Specialist is a key member of a multi-disciplinary team providing specialist IPC advice and guidance, they will share responsibility with other senior members of the infection prevention and control (IPC) team to provide oversight and management of the IPC workplan including development of guidance, reports and provide expert input to a range of different teams within UKHSA.

 

The post holder will:

 

  •  require excellent generic IPC and public health skills and have specific lead areas of work involving partnership working with external organisations. They will actively assist in the delivery of the IPC agenda.

 

  •  have to provide support and cover for other IPC team members to ensure service continuity,

 

  •  will contribute to the strategic work of the national IPC team deputising if appropriate and will lead and coordinate defined complex areas of work including supporting national work streams.

 

The post holder may be expected to work across regional sites, providing leadership and the post holder will travel to various sites and provide on call, there may be occasional need for overnight stays away from home.

Main duties of the job

  • Use expertise and knowledge to lead the management of complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases, in collaboration with the Incident Director/management team.
  •  Manage and carry out continuing responsibility for managing specific workstreams or project’s ensuring accurate, up to date records of contacts/action by completion of relevant records and compliance with team handover procedures, in line with UKHSA’s standards for record keeping and governance.
  • To utilise an evidence-based approach to manage clinical/professional advice and discussions within the team and support and participate in the team’s formal case review process.
  •  To monitor IPC and public health standards, ensuring quality and consistency and to take action to improve the service where any shortfall occurs using quality improvement approach.
  •  Contribute to and where required lead ongoing longer-term management of IPC issues relevant to a defined projects or programmes.
  •  Contribute to and support the UKHSA national input into Emergency Planning arrangements relevant to IPC.
  •  May be required to participate in a local on call rota at national level as required.

 

Working for our organisation

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.   

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.  

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  •  There will be a need to travel to a range of locations/sites and occasional overnight stays
  •  Contribute proactively and where required lead the development and maintenance of effective systems for the surveillance of communicable disease and infection for a designated area of work.
  • Proactively use surveillance outputs to inform and influence national IPC and Public Health actions, policies and strategies.
  • Contribute to health needs, health inequalities, health impact assessments and influencing both national and local priorities.
  • Develop and nurture key relationships with a wide range of individuals and stakeholders and take responsibility for the maintenance of professional networks relevant to UKHSA role.
  • Contribute actively to the development and implementation of system wide priorities and programmes for public health action or improvement.
  • Identify training and learning gaps to develop and deliver appropriate teaching resources and activities across a range of audiences.
  • Ensure day-to-day delivery of the IPC function, responsibilities and resources, planning and managing the physical resources that ensure the IPC function is fully equipped and fit for purpose.
  •  Direct, design and undertake audit/quality improvement as part of a wider programme of governance and quality/service improvement activity across the UKHSA.
  • Participate in organisational and professional appraisal and revalidation as appropriate.
  • Pursue a programme of CPD, including statutory and mandatory training, in accordance with the relevant regulatory body and UKHSA requirements

Essential criteria - you will be assessed on the below (7 ) essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description Document.

Selection Process:  

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your Qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and capabilities outlined in the essential criteria.  

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed (7 number) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of   

  • Application form (Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) 

  • a (1000 number of words) word Statement of Suitability.  

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.  

 Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment  

Please do not exceed 1000 words.  We will not consider any words over and above this number. 

Feedback will not be provided at this stage. 

Stage 2: Interview 

You will be invited to a single remote interview

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview   

Interviews will be held week commencing 18th November, 2024. Please note, these dates are subject to change. 

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Eligibility Criteria  

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).  

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working. We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, (averaged over a month) working at one of UKHSA's core HQ’s (Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and London)

Security Clearance Level Requirement

  Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Registered Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration e.g., NMC, HCPC
  • Educated to Maters or higher level degree in a related subject, or equivalent evidence of CPD in infection prevention and control and or health protection with documented experience at master’s level practice
  • Recognised qualification in Infection Prevention and Control or demonstrable equivalent experience

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria
  • Recent experience in an IPC role at a senior level and leading a team with specialist knowledge and expertise in infection prevention and control
  • Ability to identify areas for development and delivery of training programmes ensuring national and strategic objectives
  • Incident and outbreak investigation and management
  • Ability to undertake on call responsibility for IPC

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Purple SpaceApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerThe Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion (enei) is the UK's leading employer network covering all aspects of equality and inclusion issues in the workplace.Carer Confident -AccomplishedHappy to Talk Flexible Working

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Rosie O'Grady
Job title
Resourcing Officer
Email address
[email protected]
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