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Job summary

Main area
Field Services/Regions
Grade
NHS Medical and Dental Consultant pay scale or Agenda for Change Band 8d
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
  • Job share
  • Flexible working
10 sessions per week (40 hours per week (NHS Medical and Dental Consultant pay scale), 37.5 hours per week (NHS Agenda for Change). Applications from those wanting 5 PAs or similar are encouraged.)
Job ref
919-KP-35114933-EXT
Employer
UK Health Security Agency
Employer type
Public (Non NHS)
Site
Forvie Site, Cambridge, East of England / Hybrid
Town
Cambridge
Salary
£83,571 - £131,964 per annum, pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
08/07/2024 23:59
Interview date
14/08/2024

Employer heading

UK Health Security Agency logo

Consultant in Public Health Infection

NHS Medical and Dental Consultant pay scale or Agenda for Change Band 8d

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 Field Services Directorate (FSD) was established to provide a national comprehensive service which is geographically dispersed and integrates epidemiological, public health microbiological, infectious diseases and data sciences capacity and skills delivering surveillance and outbreak investigations consistently of the highest quality.

In each UKHSA region, FS and health protection teams work closely with the consultant in public health infection (CPHI) to deliver a high-quality health protection service. CPHIs in collaboration with FS, HPTs and regional laboratories play an important role in supporting outbreak and incident responses, providing public health microbiology advice including interpretation of test results and overseeing public health microbiology laboratory regional services.

This role requires maintaining active links and relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, both within UKHSA (e.g., Health Protections Teams, reference and specialist microbiology laboratories) and outside of UKHSA (e.g., NHS Trusts, Local Authorities, infection prevention and control (IPC) networks, and commissioners of healthcare services). Together the regional CPHIs form the national CPHI network.

The CPHI network promotes positive collaboration and peer support to encourage enhanced working practices and ensure that public health microbiology has national consistency and resilience.

Main duties of the job

The main duties of the job are as follows:

• Act as a key member of UKHSA’s multidisciplinary team

 • Provide strategic leadership for determining the requirements and priorities for the provision and commissioning of PHM and infection services from the budget allocated to the region. This will be undertaken in conjunction with colleagues in Health Protection Operations Group, Chief Scientific Advisor Group, the NHS, and Local Authority public health teams, to reflect the aims and objectives of the health protection system.

 • Act as the scientific and clinical interface between UKHSA and other providers of laboratory services in the region, including both the NHS and Independent Sector. This involves expertise in diagnostic microbiology, having strong clinical infectious diseases expertise, understanding data and analytical capacity and experience in providing advice/services in this regard. 

• Provide specialist and impartial advice for all infections of public health interest in the region, such as gastrointestinal infections, vaccine-preventable diseases, respiratory infections, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and others as required.

Please see attached JD outlining full responsibilities of the CPHI role 

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.  

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

This is a senior role within FS and provides strategic leadership, operational management, oversight and advocacy for developing, shaping and assuring the public health microbiology (PHM) function.

The post holder(s) will be the CPHI within the East of England Region and will be responsible for the provision of PHM response to incidents and outbreaks and responsibility for the day-to-day operational delivery of this function in community, institutional and healthcare settings.

The post holder will provide an expert opinion on the quality, analysis and interpretation of microbiology diagnostic test results, including interpretation of genomic sequence data and associated meta-data. They will also advise on the appropriate microbiological testing and screening initiatives, appropriate communicable disease control measures and liaise with stakeholders to improve joint delivery of local public health microbiology services.

They will support the liaison with the NHS and other partners to deliver and continuously improve UKHSA laboratory surveillance functions, support the interpretation and delivery of field service public health intelligence outputs and contribute to the national services of the wider FS.

The post holder will have responsibility for developing and maintaining close working relationships both internally and with partner organisations. In addition, they will contribute and lead on regional and national priorities, including contribution to wider public health microbiology initiatives consistent with the regional delivery model and integrated working. 

To reflect the possibility for continued professional exposure to laboratory-based microbiology / virology clinical services, this role could be a joint post with another organisation with the role attracting further PAs with funding from another organisation (e.g., NHS Trust, academic institution) for the other elements of the job plan. Therefore, there may be a requirement to participate in on-call rotas for a host trust but that will vary depending on local arrangements and will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis. The CPHI role therefore, could be taken on part time role alongside a frontline NHS service role. Candidates looking for a part time / job share role are encouraged to apply.  

•    Option 3 – External - Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants)
Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the Person Specification of the Job Description as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria. 

The successful candidate will be appointed to the point of the Consultant salary scale appropriate to their years of seniority or if from a background other than medicine to NHS Agenda for Change Band 8d.


FRCPath and/or MRCP (on the specialist register in infection-related specialty) or equivalent training and experience AND MBBS or equivalent (Medical Applicants). 


Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register for an infection related speciality with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview).


Registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview; all other applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the GMC.


FRCPath and/or PhD or equivalent qualifications and experience commensurate with an Agenda for Change Band 8d Clinical Scientist of equivalent standing, or be eligible within 6 months.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • FRCPath and/or MRCP (on the specialist register in infection-related specialty) or equivalent training and experience AND MBBS or equivalent (Medical Applicants) OR FRCPath and/or PhD or equivalent qualifications and experience commensurate with an Agenda for Change Band 8D Clinical Scientist of equivalent standing
  • Full and specialist registration (and a license to practice) with the GMC (or eligible for registration within 6 months of interview). OR HCPC registration as Clinical Scientist in Clinical Microbiology
  • Medical applicants that are UK trained, must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or be within six months of aware of CCT by date
  • Medical applicants that are non-UK trained, will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT
Desirable criteria
  • MRCP or evidence of equivalent training and experience (if a microbiologist/virologist)
  • Appropriate management qualification
  • Postgraduate qualification in Public Health

Knowledge and experience

Essential criteria
  • Evidence of continuing medical/clinical education (existing consultants must be able to demonstrate active participation in a recognised CPD scheme, e.g., RCPath)
  • Recent experience of working in an acute hospital environment and delivery of specialist and diagnostic microbiology/infection and/or virology service
  • Experience of Infection Prevention & Control
  • Experience in the management of microbiology and/or virology services
  • Demonstrable success in leadership of teams
  • Experience of policy development, planning and management
  • Understanding of roles and inter-relationships between Government Agencies and UKHSA
  • Understanding of Workforce Development, including changes and developments within occupational categories and related training and development issues
  • Experience in teaching undergraduates, junior staff, postgraduates, nurses and other staff
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of Public Health Microbiology/Virology
  • Experience of working at a regional and/or national level on guidelines, policies and other matters that influence microbiology/virology practice
  • Understanding of European and International contexts
  • Research experience and a good record of publications

Skills / capabilities / behaviours

Essential criteria
  • Excellent communication skills and partnership working skills with health and local authority professionals
  • Well-developed networking, strategic influencing, and decision-making skills
  • Ability to build rapport, working in a multi-disciplinary team and maintain good relations with professional contacts both within and outside UKHSA
  • Ability to negotiate and persuade
  • Active interest in research and developments in medical microbiology/virology and infection prevention and control
  • Ability to take responsibility, show leadership, prioritise, and make decisions
  • Sense of responsibility
  • Ability to work under pressure and to deadlines and to be punctual
  • Have a high motivation to succeed and to progress
Desirable criteria
  • Evidence a track record of partnership working

Equality and diversity

Essential criteria
  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.

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
Dr Ellen Heinsbroek
Job title
Head of East of England Field Services
Email address
[email protected]
Additional information

Dr Derren Ready, CPHI South West England Field Services – [email protected] 

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