Job summary
- Main area
- Infection Prevention and Control
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 197-HF6666
- Employer
- Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- University Hospital Lewisham
- Town
- Lewisham
- Salary
- £46,148 - £52,809 per annum plus HCA
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 29/04/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Specialist -UHL
Band 7
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust, (LGT), is a community-focused provider of local and acute care, delivering high-quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich, and Bexley. We provide whole-life care and are here to support our communities to live healthier lives as well as taking care of them when they need us the most.
Employing almost 7,500 colleagues, affectionately known as Team LGT, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham, and at over a dozen community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup.
We have recently launched our new vision and values to mark the LGT10 – the tenth anniversary of our Trust forming in 2013. Our trust vision is to be exceptional. In the quality of our patient care; our support for colleagues; and in the difference we make through our partnerships and in our communities.
To achieve this we value Respect, Compassion, and Inclusion; Being accountable over staying comfortable; Listening over always knowing best; and Succeeding together over achieving alone. You can read more about our visions and values here
Our hospitals and community sites provide a wide range of inpatient and outpatient services, as well as emergency and planned care. The Trust is rated as “good” or “outstanding” in over three-quarters of the services inspected by the Care Quality Commission.
Every year our work includes performing 10,000 procedures in our theatres; bringing seven and a half thousand new lives into the world; carrying out 570,000 visits to patients in their homes or communities and providing emergency care for more than 300,000 patients arriving in our busy Urgent and Emergency Departments.
LGT is a centre for the education and training of medical students enrolled with King’s College London’s GKT School of Medical Education. We are a training centre for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. We are pioneering new roles that will support the changing needs of our patients and are one of the largest employers of physician associates in the country.
We are committed to working with our partners to deliver the best outcomes for our local communities. This means playing an active role in the South East London Integrated Care System (ICS), and in formal partnerships including the South East London Acute Provider Collaborative, provider partnerships with our local mental health trusts and borough-based boards of the ICS in Bexley, Greenwich and Lewisham.
Job overview
We are looking for a highly motivated nurse to join our experienced and dynamic Team at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust. You will be a registered nurse with at least 5 years post registration experience of which 2 years must have been in an infection control role. You must have the ability to work with people to empower and facilitate effective infection control practice within the Trust.
Excellent communication skills are vital, as well as the ability to work effectively as part of a small team. A working knowledge of computers and information technology with willingness to develop further skills as required for the post.
The Infection Prevention and Control Team (IPCT) provide a service across the Trust and the Lewisham community sites. We also have service level agreements with both local hospices, St Christopher’s in Bromley and Greenwich and Bexley hospice for Infection Prevention support.
We are committed to improving our standards on infection control and continue to take a full and active part in a range of initiatives and awareness campaigns.
Preventing healthcare associated infection remains a high priority within the Trust and the public domain
Main duties of the job
To work autonomously as a qualified specialist infection prevention and control practitioner responsible, within the operational scope of the Infection Prevention and Control team, for facilitating the prevention, surveillance, investigation and control of infection within the Trust, based at the University Hospital Lewisham site but being able to work on the Queen Elizabeth Hospital site if required.
The post will involve five days working including a weekend day on a rota basis in order to provide a seven-day service.
The role will require you to provide specialist nurse advice and teaching to all staff on matters relating to infection control under direction of the site matron.
The post holder will also be required to operate flexibly within the infection prevention and control team structure to ensure that a comprehensive service is provided to the Trust, and when necessary to act up and deputise for senior team members.
Working for our organisation
Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:
- Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
- Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
- Improving the experience of staff with disability
- Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
- Making equalities mainstream
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
CLINICAL MANERGRIAL
• Participate in delivering an effective clinical service to the Trust, including providing specialist nursing input within the infection prevention and control team in the identification, prevention, monitoring and control of infection within the Trust.
• To act up for senior members of the team as appropriate in their absence
• Provide expert clinical knowledge, skills and experience in infection control, acting as a resource and facilitator as required.
• To provide effective communication with patients, their relatives and relevant others to impart information and support, which may be of a sensitive and emotive nature.
• To explain the significance of microbiology data to senior members of staff to enable them to prevent and control infection.
• To work in conjunction with managers, infection prevention and control team, matrons, bed managers and ward sisters regarding movement and isolation of patients with infection or infectious diseases, ensuring the correct techniques are implemented and reviewed.
• Review microbiological data to evaluate the efficiency of the intervention and plan future practice.
• Assist in the formulation and initiation of appropriate strategies to minimise the risk of infection.
• To identify potential infections hazards and suggest appropriate remedial action to relevant personnel. Initiate appropriate strategies to minimise the risk of infection.
• To identify, investigate and assist in managing outbreaks involving multidisciplinary teams, seeking advice from those with expertise outside the Trust where necessary and report to the Infection Prevention and Control team, the Trust Infection Prevention and Control committee and others where relevant.
• To visit wards/departments regularly to manage alert organisms and implement appropriate action, ensuring correct techniques are implemented and reviewed.
• To liaise with Infection Prevention and Control team on matters relating to infection control.
• To use relevant information technology to collect and interpret data, review critical incidents and produce written reports with recommendations where necessary.
• To maintain complete records of patient management consultations and advice given.
• To be an active member of the Infection Prevention and Control team and relevant committees.
• To participate in the development and implementation of the annual infection control programme and contribute to the annual infection control report.
• To revise and develop Trust policies/protocols relating to infection control.
• To work autonomously and seek collaborative relationships with others across and within professional boundaries to access and manage infection risk.
• To establish and maintain professional networks within the healthcare organisation inclusive of doctor, microbiologist, matron, ward sister/charge nurse, link practitioner, contracted services for soft and hard FM and nursing staff.
• To formulate and initiate strategies to reduce infection risk, taking into account relevant legislation, published guidelines and local policies.
• To act as an expert resource for staff at a clinical level in infection control, distinguishing levels of risk presented by individuals, equipment and the environment.
• Review critical incidents and produce written reports with recommendations as necessary.
• Investigate causes and develop solutions to complex infection control problems that may require root cause analysis, investigation, negotiation and advanced change management skills. This may involve conflict resolution and mediation.
• To prioritise own workload taking into account varying demands and resources.
To support service level agreements for the provision of infection control services where applicable.
• To support the organisation to implement and monitor strategies to prevent and control infection both locally and nationally.
• To inspire others with values and vision through support in daily activities by communicating infection control data to ward areas and visiting clinical areas for the purpose of support, audit and observation.
• Develop clinical guidelines that are evidence based to promote good infection control practice with other members of the Infection Prevention and Control team.
EDUCATION
• To formulate and implement teaching and learning strategies for different groups of clinical and non-clinical staff. This will include pre-registration and postgraduate education, formal and informal teaching.
• To identify, assess and meet the educational needs of the patient and their family.
• To maintain a high profile at ward level to ensure attitudes and working practices reflect the Infection Prevention and Control team commitment to a continual improvement in the quality of its service.
• To prepare and use a variety of methods to deliver appropriate information effectively.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of strategies used to facilitate the learning of others.
• To recognise and use opportunities to facilitate learning, providing situational support as necessary.
Person specification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- Proven advanced clinical knowledge and skills in relation to infection control.
- Demonstrable managerial and leadership skills, including their application to infection control.
- Ability to manage complex clinical and operational situations that involve staff from all levels of the organisation.
- Awareness of current targets and recent legislation relating to infection control.
- Excellent verbal and written skills, e.g., report writing
- Ability to work within multidisciplinary team and to lead, manage and motivate all staff within sphere of responsibility.
- An understanding of organisational management issues
- Be computer literate and information technology with willingness to develop further skills. For example, laboratory databases, electronic healthcare records and MS 365
- Committed to achieving corporate objectives.
- Experience of investigating incidents/outbreaks and carrying out surveillance
- Understanding of current professional nursing issues.
- Demonstrate a desire to work in infection prevention and control
Desirable criteria
- Developed skills in research and evidence of publication.
- Developed IT skills e.g., with Excel and Access.
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NMC Level 1 Registration.
- Evidence of post registration professional education at degree level or equivalent.
- Specialist qualification in Infection prevention and control equivalent to diploma or above e.g., SSSA, ENB 329, Diploma, Degree, MSc.
- Mentorship/Teaching qualification.
Desirable criteria
- Masters (or working towards) degree in a health-related subject
Experience
Essential criteria
- At least 5 years experience post registration of which 2 years must have been spent in an infection control role.
- Current consolidated experience in infection control in an acute healthcare environment.
- Experience of teaching within an infection control education programme.
- Experience of monitoring environmental factors within infection control, e.g., the built environment.
Desirable criteria
- Experience at ward/department management level
Employer certification / accreditation badges
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Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Lily Odame
- Job title
- Interim IPCT Matron
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07765898481
- Additional information
Monday - Friday
09.00 - 17.00
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