Job summary

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.

At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our mission is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards.  We are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We will work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work.

Creating our working culture is an ongoing process which we are developing by listening and learning together, hearing and acting upon diverse voices and opinions to develop a common sense of identity and effective ways of working.

We are seeking to appoint a Senior Health Protection Practitioner (SHPP) to join the Rapid Investigations team. The SHPP) will be a key member of the Rapid Investigation Team, as a member of the Field Services and will be supported by consultant, scientific and administrative staff within the Team and throughout the national Field Services

This role can be based in any UKHSA Base with regular travel nationally . 

Job description

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 may be asked to contribute to the strategic work of the Service and deputise for the AHPP where appropriate. 

The key objectives: 

• DEPLOYMENTS: Provide initial rapid response, investigation, and sampling:
  • Undertake on-site outbreak and incident investigation, including the collection of qualitative and quantitative data
  • Undertake the procurement of sampling
• SUPPORT AND SURGE: Support outbreak and incident investigations and response:
  • Support and/or lead investigations of geographically dispersed clusters, outbreaks, or incidents
  • Provide surge capacity (ie. epidemiological and/or operational support) where local management capacity may be overwhelmed
• RESEARCH:
  • Undertake operational research and data collection to aid outbreak preparedness and response
  • Contribute to academic research collaborations to help generate an evidence base for best practice in outbreak and incident investigations
• TRAINING:
  • Contribute to training and teaching and share lessons learnt to strengthen health protection function
  • Support the FETP training and provide other training opportunities

Please see the  attached Job description for full vacancy details 

Person specification

RESPONSE

1. Management and supervision of the day-to-day RIT functions and deployments to ensure high quality safe and effective delivery.
2. Use expertise and knowledge to support and where required lead with support/supervision by AHPP/Consultant Epidemiologist for management of routine and complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious disease and non-infectious environmental hazards.
3. Manage and take responsibility for a 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.
4. 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/incident review process.
5. Monitor standards, ensuring quality and consistency and escalate to senior manager and/or take action where any shortfall occurs as appropriate to role.
6. Contribute to and where required lead alongside the Principal/Advanced Practitioner/Epi Consultant the ongoing longer-term management of workstreams or RIT activities
7. Contribute to the UKHSA response during incidents in line with UKHSA’s Emergency Planning and Resilience Response (EPRR) arrangements as part of the UKHSA’s responsibilities under the Civil Contingencies Act.
8. Where required, contribute to and support UKHSA input into Emergency Planning arrangements.
9. Participate in an on-call rota at regional or national level as/if required.

SURVEILLANCE

1. Contribute proactively to the development and maintenance of effective systems for the surveillance of communicable disease and environmental hazards.
2. Proactively use surveillance outputs to inform and influence local and national Public Health actions, policies and strategies.
3. Contribute to health needs, health inequalities and health impact assessments.

PARTNERSHIP WORKING

1. Support the development of key relationships with a wide range of individuals and stakeholders and take responsibility for the maintenance of professional networks relevant to role.
2. Employ effective communication and influencing skills to support stakeholder relationships to deliver objectives with:

• NHS and other external stakeholders to ensure collaboration as required in order to achieve the objectives for RIT
• Internal leaders and other staff to gain input to the development of systems, processes and activities

1. Deal with at times, highly challenging and/or conflicting subject matter problems or in day workload in workshops, meetings, one to one communications and other events, comprising various parts of the business, referring/escalating to senior manager(s) as appropriate.
2. Contribute actively to the development and implementation of system wide priorities and programmes for public health action or improvement

 RESEARCH, TEACHING AND TRAINING 

1. Contribute to research activity to complement the health protection evidence base.
2. Develop and deliver appropriate teaching resources and activities across a range of audiences with support from senior manager(s) as appropriate.
3. Contribute to training programmes for Foundation Year Doctors and Specialist Trainees in the Faculty of Public Health training scheme as appropriate, and to the training of public health and health care professionals and practitioners within the locality.
4. Ensure appropriate clinical supervision and mentorship systems are in place.
5. Provide clinical/professional supervision and mentorship as appropriate.

 MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP

1. To be a visible, positive and competent role model and motivator monitoring team professional standards.
2. Support senior managers to ensure day-to-day operational delivery of the RIT function, responsibilities and resources, planning and managing the physical resources that ensure the RIT function is fully equipped and fit for purpose.
3. Undertake line management responsibilities as agreed.
4. Develop policies and protocols for a wide range of health protection issues in conjunction with team members.
5. Support the development of joint plans and system wide priorities for public health action or improvement.
6. Contribute to and undertake audit as part of a wider programme of quality/service improvement activity within RIT and wider Field Services directorate.
7. Support defined areas of work as agreed with line manager e.g. on specific communicable diseases, non-infectious environmental hazards, quality and training issues.
8. Contribute to proactive and responsive media issues.
9. Contribute to and lead on specified quality improvement and governance initiatives as agreed.
10. Ensure compliance with all confidentiality and governance requirements within the Team.
11. Proactively contribute to wider organisational development.
12. Contribute to the strategic work of the RIT and deputise where appropriate, using leadership approaches and skills.
13. Contribute pro-actively to the development and testing of the RIT business continuity plan.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

1. Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attend internal / external training events.
2. Participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.
3. Participate in organisational and professional appraisal and revalidation as appropriate.
4. Pursue a programme of CPD, including statutory and mandatory training, in accordance with the relevant regulatory body and UKHSA requirements.
5. Actively manage and support the development of individuals and the team through appraisal, personal development planning and mentoring.
6. Agree individual clinical / professional supervision or mentorship arrangements with line manager.
7. 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, for example developing and maintaining clinical competencies for biological sampling.
8. To be aware of CS and KSF competencies and to be working to them as appropriate.

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.

People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

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 average employer contribution of 27%