Senior Health Protection Practitioner
UK Health Security Agency
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 6th January 2025
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About the job
Job summary
Please note: NHS AfC: Band 8a (Individuals who are a Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional with current professional registration will be appointed as NHS AFC Band 8a. Individuals who are registered with an appropriate health or science related professional body e.g. UKPHR/CIEH will be appointed as Civil Service Grade 7)
This role is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, with regular travel within the geographical area of responsibility and travel elsewhere/nationally as maybe required by the post.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Senior Health Protection Practitioner to join the North East Health Protection Team. The post is full time, substantive and based in our Newcastle City Centre office.
The Senior Health Protection Practitioner is a key member of a multi-disciplinary team who will provide and at times lead, the day to day acute service response. They will play a lead role under supervision in the provision of a health protection service in relation to infectious and non-infectious environmental hazards.
The post holder will require demonstrable generic public health skills and will have specific lead areas of work involving partnership working with external organisations, and assisting in the development of joint plans and system wide priorities for public health action or improvement. The post holder will contribute to the strategic work of the locality/patch-based health protection team and deputise where appropriate.
Job description
RESPONSE
- Management and supervision of the day to day acute response service to ensure high quality safe and effective delivery.
- Use expertise and knowledge to support and where required lead under supervision the management of routine and complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases and non-infectious environmental hazards.
- Manage and carry out continuing responsibility for a geographical patch caseload 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.
- To monitor standards, ensuring quality and consistency and to escalate to senior manager and/or take action where any shortfall occurs as appropriate to role.
- Contribute to and where required lead under supervision of the Principal/Advance Practitioner/Consultant in HP the ongoing longer-term management of issues relevant to a defined geographical area within their region.
- Participate in a local on call rota at regional or national level as required.
SURVEILLANCE
- Contribute proactively to the development and maintenance of effective systems for the surveillance of communicable disease and environmental hazards.
- Proactively use surveillance outputs to inform and influence local and national Public Health actions, policies and strategies..
PARTNERSHIP WORKING
- Support the development of key relationships with a wide range of individuals and stakeholders and take responsibility as delegated line manager for the maintenance of professional networks relevant to role.
- Employ effective communication and influencing skills to support stakeholder relationships to deliver objectives with:
1. External organisations and wider NHS stakeholders to ensure collaboration in the strategy in the Sector
2. Internal leaders and staff to gain input to the development of systems, processes and activities
- Deal with at times, highly challenging and/or conflicting subject matter problems or in day work load in workshops, meetings, one to one communications and other events, comprising various parts of the business, referring/escalating to senior manager(s) as appropriate.
RESEARCH, TEACHING AND TRAINING
- Contribute to research activity to complement the health protection evidence base.
- Develop and deliver appropriate teaching resources and activities across a range of audiences with support from senior manager(s) as appropriate.
- Ensure appropriate clinical supervision and mentorship systems are in place.
MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP
- To be a visible, positive and competent role model and motivator monitoring team professional standards.
- Support senior managers to ensure day-to-day operational delivery of the region’s health protection function, responsibilities and resources, planning and managing the physical resources that ensure the regional HP function is fully equipped and fit for purpose.
- Undertake line management responsibilities as agreed.
- Develop policies and protocols for a wide range of health protection issues in conjunction with team members.
- Contribute to and undertake audit as part of a wider programme of quality/service improvement activity across the UKHSA region.
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
- 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.
- Actively manage and support the development of individuals and the team through appraisal, personal development planning, coaching and mentoring.
- Agree individual clinical / professional supervision or mentorship arrangements with line manager.
- Undergo a programme of on-going development and education to build on existing knowledge and develop skills to meet competencies required to undertake the role.
- To be aware of CS and KSF competencies and to be working to them as appropriate.
Person specification
Please Note: Individuals who are not currently a Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional with current professional registration eg. NMC, will be appointed as Civil Service Grade 7.
You must either be a Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration e.g. The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) or Hold current registration with an appropriate health or science related professional body e.g. UKPHR/CIEH
You will be assessed on the below 5 essential criteria, which have been selected from the Job Description:
- Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration e.g. The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) or Current registration with an appropriate health or science related professional body e.g. UKPHR/CIEH
- Master’s in Public health, or higher degree in a related subject, or evidence of CPD in health protection and documented experience at master’s level practice
- Substantial experience in a health protection role at a senior level with specialist knowledge and expertise in Health Protection
- Proven experience and ability to prioritise own work effectively and be able to direct activities of/to others including managing and motivating a team and reviewing individual standards
- Experience Incident and outbreak investigation and management.
Benefits
- 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 employer contribution of 28.97%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your Qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
Competency-based assessments
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the above listed 5 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
- Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- 1000 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.
The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
- Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration e.g. The Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) or Current registration with an appropriate health or science related professional body e.g. UKPHR/CIEH
- Master’s in Public health, or higher degree in a related subject, or evidence of CPD in health protection and documented experience at master’s level practice
- Substantial experience in a health protection role at a senior level with specialist knowledge and expertise in Health Protection
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and 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 (competency based)
You will be invited to a single face to face interview which will be held at our Newcastle upon Tyne site (Newcastle Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH).
Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.
There will be a Presentation, details will be confirmed to those successful at gaining an interview.
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne- With regular travel within the geographical area of responsibility and travel elsewhere/nationally as maybe required by the post.
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our Newcastle Upon Tyne office. 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 onsite at our Newcastle Upon Tyne location.
Eligibility Criteria
External: Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including internal applicants).
Reasonable Adjustments
The Civil Service is committed to making sure that our selection methods are fair to everyone.
To help you during the recruitment process, we will consider any reasonable adjustments that could help you.
An adjustment is a change to the recruitment process or an adjustment at work.
This is separate to the Disability Confident Scheme.
If you need an adjustment to be made at any point during the recruitment process you should:
Contact the recruitment team in confidence as soon as possible to discuss your needs.
You can find out more information about reasonable adjustments across the Civil Service here: https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/reasonable-adjustments/
International Police check
If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and it could be time accrued over that period.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Your application may be rejected and/or you may be subject to disciplinary action if evidence of plagiarism is detected. Examples of plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own.
Face to Face interviews
If face to face interviews are planned, in exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview
Careers website
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Lisa Tweedie
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
Further information
