IPC Nurse Specialist (AfC Band 8b)

The Infection Prevention Specialist is a key member of a multi-disciplinary team providing the day-to-day acute service response. They will share responsibility with other senior members of the infection prevention and control (IPC) team to provide oversight and management of incidents and outbreaks of infections.

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 development of joint plans and system wide priorities for public health action or improvement.

The post holder will have to provide support and cover for other IPC team members to ensure service continuity.

The post holder will contribute to the strategic work of the locality/patch-based IPC team deputising if appropriate and will lead and coordinate defined complex areas of work including regional and national work streams.

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

Location

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) offers hybrid working – this means that whilst the role will be based in one of our offices, there will be opportunities for an element of working from home. UKHSA have office locations across the UK.

This role can be based at one of our UKHSA offices/locations (Leeds, Manchester, Totnes, London, Horsham, Cardiff, Bristol, Nottingham, Harlow, Liverpool, Fareham, Gloucester, Newcastle and Birmingham) with opportunities for an element of working from home.
You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.
The balance between home and workplace working is to be agreed with the line manager, determined primarily by business needs and in line with departmental policy.

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.*

Working Pattern – Full Time, Part Time, Job Share, Flexible Working

As the IPC Nurse Specialist your main responsibilities will include:

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Use expertise and knowledge to lead the management of complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases and non-infectious environmental hazards, in collaboration with the Incident Director.
• Assume management and supervision of the day-to-day acute response service within the team and complex incidents to ensure high quality safe and effective delivery, if required.
• Manage and carry out continuing responsibility for managing an outbreak or public health infectious incident 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 approaches.
• Contribute to and where required lead ongoing longer-term management of IPC issues relevant to a defined geographical area within a defined region.
• Contribute to and support the UKHSA regional input into Emergency Planning arrangements relevant to IPC.
• 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 local and national IPC and Public Health actions, policies and strategies.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

As the IPC Nurse Specialist your main responsibilities will include:

The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities and duties:

• Use expertise and knowledge to lead the management of complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases and non-infectious environmental hazards, in collaboration with the Incident Director.
• Assume management and supervision of the day-to-day acute response service within the team and complex incidents to ensure high quality safe and effective delivery, if required.
• Manage and carry out continuing responsibility for managing an outbreak or public health infectious incident 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 approaches.
• Contribute to and where required lead ongoing longer-term management of IPC issues relevant to a defined geographical area within a defined region.
• Contribute to and support the UKHSA regional input into Emergency Planning arrangements relevant to IPC.
• 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 local and national IPC and Public Health actions, policies and strategies.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

Job contact :

Name :
April Kennedy
Email :
ukhsa.recruitment@reed.com

Recruitment team :

Email :
ukhsa.recruitment@reed.com