Health Protection Practitioner

Job responsibilities

1. Support day-to-day delivery of the acute response function to ensure a safe, effective and high-quality health protection service. Act as a first point of contact, providing specialist advice to health professionals. Undertake initial assessment and management of routine cases and non-complex incidents, escalating and contributing to the management of complex incidents and outbreaks as required.
2. Manage a defined caseload, maintaining accurate and timely records in line with [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] standards and handover procedures. Use evidence-based approaches to inform decision-making, seeking senior advice when appropriate. Participate in case reviews and contribute to the ongoing management of issues within a defined geographical area.
3. Support [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] incident response in line with Emergency Planning and Resilience Response (EPRR) arrangements and contribute to regional emergency planning, including participation in an on-call rota where required.
4. Contribute to the development and maintenance of surveillance systems for communicable diseases and environmental hazards, using outputs to inform public health action, policy and strategy, and to identify health needs, inequalities and impacts.
5. Support effective partnership working with a wide range of stakeholders through routine communication and meetings, managing challenging issues and escalating where necessary. Contribute to public health initiatives, research, teaching and training, including support for medical and public health trainees through supervision or mentorship.
6. Maintain continuous professional development through appraisal, revalidation and supervision in line with regulatory and [Employer hidden — sign up to reveal] requirements.
7. Undertake additional duties as required, with the role subject to review in line with service needs.

Essential Criteria

• Registered General Nurse or Allied Health Professional in relevant clinical discipline with current professional registration e.g. NMC - For AfC T&Cs
• First degree (Health Related) or demonstrable equivalent experience in a health related field - For CS T&Cs
• Working towards registration with an appropriate health or science related professional body
• 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
• 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
• 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

Desirable Criteria

• Professional Public Health registration e.g. Specialist Community Public Health (SCPHN) part of the NMC Register or UK PH Register for practitioners
• Evidence of relevant CPD in Health Protection with documented experience at masters level practice
• Recognised teaching experience
• Demonstrable experience in Infection Prevention and Control
• 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
• 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

Selection Process Details

This vacancy is using SuccessProfiles and will assess your Behaviours, Ability and Experience.

Stage 1: Application & Sift. You will be required to complete an application form and a 1500 word supporting statement. Longlisting and shortlisting may occur.

Stage 2: Interview. Face to face interview with a presentation. Behaviours tested: Making Effective Decisions, Changing and Improving, Working Together, Leadership, Delivering at pace.

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our core HQ in London, Canary Wharf. You will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours at our office.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass an enhanced disclosure and barring security check.

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants.

Salary Information

AFC Band 7 salary range: £49,387-£56,515 + Inner London HCAS per annum, pro rata. Senior Executive Officer salary range: £46,310 - 52,113 per annum, pro rata.

NHS Pension

This role is offered under Agenda for Change (AFC) Terms and Conditions.