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Job summary

Main area
Health Protection Operations
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
  • Full time
  • Part time
  • Job share
  • Flexible working
37.5 hours per week
Job ref
919-LO-5204122-EXT
Employer
UK Health Security Agency
Employer type
Public (Non NHS)
Site
Newcastle Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH
Town
Newcastle
Salary
£43,742 - £50,056 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
12/05/2024 23:59

Employer heading

UK Health Security Agency logo

Health Protection Practitioner

NHS AfC: Band 7

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

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Health Protection Practitioner to join the North East Health Protection Team. The post is substantive and based in our Newcastle City Centre office.

The post holder will be part of the multi-disciplinary team contributing to the day-to-day provision of the health protection function, including management of communicable diseases and environmental, chemical and radiological threats, and contributing to major incidents, including enhanced incident response.

The post holder will undergo a programme of on-going development and education to build on existing knowledge and to develop skills to provide specialist health protection advice, and meet competencies required to undertake the role. Once a period of training and induction has been completed, they will be expected to actively contribute to the development, training, and supervision of others within the team, and participate in the out of hours on-call rota.

 

Main duties of the job

Job description

  • Under supervision, contribute to the day to day running of the acute response function to ensure high quality, safe and effective delivery of the health protection service.
  • Provide first point of contact for specialist knowledge, support and advice to health professionals on health protection matters.
  • Undertake initial assessment and management of routine acute response work and non-complex incidents.
  • Escalate and refer challenging or complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases and non-infectious environmental hazards to senior colleagues as appropriate.
  • Manage and carry out continuing 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 UKHSAs standards for record keeping.
  • To utilise an evidence based approach to manage clinical/professional advice and discussions within the team, seeking senior advice as/when appropriate.
  • Contribute to the UKHSA response during incidents in line with UKHSAs Emergency Planning and Resilience Response (EPRR) arrangements as part of the region’s responsibilities under the Civil Contingencies Act.
  • Participate in a local on call rota at regional level as required.

Please review the attached Job Description for full list of responsibilities.

 

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

The post holder will be part of the multi-disciplinary team contributing to the day to day provision of the health protection function, including the management of infectious and environmental hazards and contributing to the response to major incidents. They will use specialist knowledge and skills to undertake case management, liaise with, and provide health protection advice and response across a range of partner organisations, professionals and the public. They will actively contribute to the wider provision and development of the health protection function, including the development, training and supervision of others within the team. The post holder will also develop areas of expertise within regional programmes, working with relevant leads to take this work forward.

The post holder will undergo a programme of on-going development and education to build on existing knowledge and develop skills to provide specialist health protection advice and meet competencies required to undertake the role.

Essential Criteria

  • First degree (Health Related) or demonstrable equivalent experience
  • Registration with an appropriate health or science related professional body (e.g., NMC)
  • Post registration experience as a practitioner in a related field
  • An understanding of and ability to work under the current Health and Social Care Act (e.g. safe guarding vulnerable adults; data protection, information governance)
  • Experience of building and developing effective stakeholder relationships
  • Effective verbal and written communication skills including report writing and presentations
  • Ability to work independently, manage and prioritise own workload and cope with competing demands
  • Ability to problem solve whilst working in an unpredictable environment, often under pressure and to tight timescales

Desirable Criteria 

  • Professional Public Health qualification and registration e.g. Specialist Community Public Health (SCPHN) part of the NMC Register or UK PH Register for practitioners
  • Recognised teaching qualification, e.g. ENB 998/PGCE or NVQ Level 4 Certificate in education or equivalent experience

• Recognised qualification in Infection Prevention and Control or demonstrable equivalent experience

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a: 

  • CV/ Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) 
  • 1000 words Statement of Suitability.   

This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.  

The CV and Statement of Suitability will be marked separately, and you must pass both to move forward to interview.

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

Interviews will be held at our Newcastle upon Tyne site (Newcastle Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH).

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.

Interviews will be held week commencing 20th and 21st May. Please note, these dates are subject to change.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).   

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.

Working for the Civil Service:  

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.   
   
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.   

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.   

It’s important to note that there are currently exceptions to applications being considered if your conviction relates to any of the following:   

  • life sentences   
  • arson   
  • sexual offences   
  • hate and terror offences   

Some departments will also consider the specific offence against the nature of the business, i.e., a conviction for fraud may rule you out for a finance role.    

If you are interviewed for the post and do not meet the required threshold for the specified grade, your application may be assessed against a similar, lower grade role and you may be offered the post should one be available   

Starting salary  

If you are currently employed on Agenda for Change (AfC) terms you will be offered AfC Band 7 £43,742 – £50,056.

Civil Service candidates will join on our SEO salary £37,056 - £42,481.

Entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band.    

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase.    

Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.   

For further details please refer to the Information Sheet- Starting Salaries & Benefits attachment  

Location information   

UKHSA operates a hybrid working model where business needs allow. 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 at our Newcastle City Centre office based in the Civic Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QH.

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

Person specification

Qualification

Essential criteria
  • Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration e.g. NMC
  • Working towards registration with an appropriate health or science related professional body
Desirable criteria
  • Professional Public Health qualification and registration e.g. Specialist Community Public Health (SCPHN) part of the NMC Register or UK PH Register for practitioners
  • Master’s in Public health, or higher degree in a related subject, or evidence of relevant CPD in Health Protection with documented experience at master’s level practice
  • Recognised teaching qualification, e.g. ENB 998/PGCE or NVQ Level 4 Certificate in education or equivalent experience
  • Recognised qualification in Infection Prevention and Control or demonstrable equivalent experience

Knowledge and experience

Essential criteria
  • Post registration experience as a practitioner in a related field
  • An understanding of and ability to work under the current Health and Social Care Act ( e.g. safe guarding vulnerable adults; data protection, information governance)
  • Experience of building and developing effective stakeholder relationships
  • Experience of risk management and associated reporting
Desirable criteria
  • Sound knowledge of the principles of health protection
  • Proven experience of undertaking and completing projects on time and within complex and challenging environments
  • Experience of working in community settings and with health care providers
  • Experience of designing and implementing internal processes and procedures for service improvement e.g. governance standards, audit etc
  • Experience of managing others in a managerial or supervisory role including performance management and appraisal and development
  • Experience of business planning including budget management and financial processes
  • Knowledge of project principles, techniques and tools such as Prince 2 and Managing Successful Projects

Skills and capabilities

Essential criteria
  • Effective verbal, written and presentation communication skills; capable of constructing and delivering clear messages accurately for a range of audiences
  • Excellent planning and prioritisation skills and ability to manage competing demands
  • Proven ability to problem solve whilst working in an unpredictable environment, often under pressure and to tight timescales
  • Ability to demonstrate initiative and work independently with minimum supervision
  • Ability to work collaboratively across teams, disciplines and organisations demonstrating respect and consideration for the role/ skill(s) of others
  • Ability to analyse and interpret information in an effective manner to recommend an appropriate course of action to address the issue(s)
  • Proven ability to work with quality improvement and governance frameworks
  • Ability to effectively engage with others to influence and negotiate for positive outcomes
  • Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office including Word, and Excel
  • Evidence of ongoing CPD and committed to self-development
Desirable criteria
  • Able to develop, interpret, implement and evaluate policies
  • Proven capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly

Equality and diversity

Essential criteria
  • An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, and in relation to management systems

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
Lami Olayiwola
Job title
Resourcing
Email address
[email protected]
Additional information

For enquires about your application please contact recruitment team [email protected] , for enquiries about the role please contact vacancy holder email address  [email protected]

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