Job summary
The Head of Specialist Operations will be responsible and accountable for ensuring the delivery of the Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) and Specialist Operations Response teams (SORT) response capability for the Trust.
The post holder will ensure the duties of the Accountable Emergency Officer (AEO) are fully met and maintained for the organisation.
The post holder will oversee and assure delivery of HART / SORT capabilities for the Trust, ensuring integration of all HART / SORT activity into core functions of the organisation whilst maintaining the highest level of standards for preparedness in line with national policies and procedures.
The post holder will engage and work closely with NARU, NHSE (national & regional), JESIP, UKHSA, National Ambulance EPRR leads to influence national policy and developments of the HART / SORT specialism. And therefore, the post holder will advise on national policy and best practice guidance and work closely with the Directors and Managers of South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) to review Specialist Operations and make improvements based on national policy and learning from incidents or events.
Main duties of the job
Ensure the provision of HART / SORT capabilities in compliance with the NHS core standards for emergency preparedness, resilience and response.The post holder must ensure as an NHS-funded organisation must meet the requirements of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, the NHS Act 2006, the Health and Care Act 2022, the NHS standard contract, the NHS Core Standards for EPRR and NHS England business continuity management framework.
To ensure that the SECAMB is prepared and equipped to respond and deal with all serious / large scale / standby and declared major incidents and planned large scale events.
To ensure the appropriate specialist guidance, action cards, rotas and communication are in place for an effective response by SECAMB and all our staff in the event of a major incident.
Provide monthly updates to Operational Management team (OMT) and quarterly updates to Executive Management Board (EMB) regarding EPRR matters via a report.
Maintain a national security clearance level of Secret (SC) enabling the post holder to receive and retain highly sensitive and complex information up to and including 'secret' as defined by the Government Protective Marking Scheme.
About us
- Option to join NHS pension scheme
- A minimum 27 days' holiday each year, increasing after 5 years' service.
- Personal and professional development and training opportunities.
- Salary Sacrifice schemes for cars or push bikes.
- Access to occupational health and counselling services.
- Award winning wellbeing hub
- Back up buddy App
- Access to NHS discounts, offering NHS employees a range of money-saving deals.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Ensure that the effective governance of service delivery and operations reflect both the Trusts policy and procedures and changes in practice taking place in the wider HART / SORT community. Ensure also that risk is managed safely and effectively in this context.To ensure that the Specialist Operations Department is prepared and equipped to respond and deal with all significant short-term emergency pressures adversely affecting service delivery in line with the strategies and plans in place, such as adverse severe weather, etc.Produce and complete the annual national EPRR assurance framework for the Trust (core standards) and complete the same process for the annual national Key Line of Enquiry for national interoperability (Via NARU). Complete a report for each process to assure the organisation of compliancy.To ensure the SECAmb incident support assets such as CBRN PPE and auxiliary equipment, Mass Casualty equipment etc are maintained in a state of operational readiness, are fit for purpose and consistent across the region. Arrange for repair, routine maintenance, and replacement as required.To ensure all SECAmb incident support assets are strategically placed across the Region to provide rapid deployment / arrival to scene when required.To ensure an annual audit of all the Ambulance Trusts incident support assets and document them accordingly.To develop and maintain a register of Risks for the Trust, relating to emergency planning and response in line with the specific duty under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Ensure that the effective governance of service delivery and operations reflect both the Trusts policy and procedures and changes in practice taking place in the wider HART / SORT community. Ensure also that risk is managed safely and effectively in this context.To ensure that the Specialist Operations Department is prepared and equipped to respond and deal with all significant short-term emergency pressures adversely affecting service delivery in line with the strategies and plans in place, such as adverse severe weather, etc.Produce and complete the annual national EPRR assurance framework for the Trust (core standards) and complete the same process for the annual national Key Line of Enquiry for national interoperability (Via NARU). Complete a report for each process to assure the organisation of compliancy.To ensure the SECAmb incident support assets such as CBRN PPE and auxiliary equipment, Mass Casualty equipment etc are maintained in a state of operational readiness, are fit for purpose and consistent across the region. Arrange for repair, routine maintenance, and replacement as required.To ensure all SECAmb incident support assets are strategically placed across the Region to provide rapid deployment / arrival to scene when required.To ensure an annual audit of all the Ambulance Trusts incident support assets and document them accordingly.To develop and maintain a register of Risks for the Trust, relating to emergency planning and response in line with the specific duty under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Educated to master's degree level or with demonstrable equivalent experience in EPRR and Specialist Operations
- Qualification in Health Emergency Planning or Business Continuity Management
- Evidence of a range of Operational, Tactical and Strategic Emergency Management Experience.
Desirable
- Management and Leadership qualification
- CBRN Command Qualified
- Multi-Agency Gold Incident Command (MAGIC) Qualified
- National Inter- agency Liaison Officer (NILO) Qualified.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and Understanding of Civil Contingencies Act and its implications.
- In depth knowledge of NHS commissioning and assurance frameworks
- In depth knowledge of national and regional CBRN and MTA capabilities and response.
- Knowledge and understanding of NHS commissioning and assurance compliance standards
Experience
Essential
- Significant NHS Management Experience of which two years undertaking operational management within a clinical setting as well as management of a resilience / specialist operations unit.
- Understanding of Health EPRR, risk management and business continuity.
- Have extensive knowledge of operationally managing incidents and events, accredited training at Strategic level
Desirable
- Previous experience of management of specialist operations units or activities.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Educated to master's degree level or with demonstrable equivalent experience in EPRR and Specialist Operations
- Qualification in Health Emergency Planning or Business Continuity Management
- Evidence of a range of Operational, Tactical and Strategic Emergency Management Experience.
Desirable
- Management and Leadership qualification
- CBRN Command Qualified
- Multi-Agency Gold Incident Command (MAGIC) Qualified
- National Inter- agency Liaison Officer (NILO) Qualified.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and Understanding of Civil Contingencies Act and its implications.
- In depth knowledge of NHS commissioning and assurance frameworks
- In depth knowledge of national and regional CBRN and MTA capabilities and response.
- Knowledge and understanding of NHS commissioning and assurance compliance standards
Experience
Essential
- Significant NHS Management Experience of which two years undertaking operational management within a clinical setting as well as management of a resilience / specialist operations unit.
- Understanding of Health EPRR, risk management and business continuity.
- Have extensive knowledge of operationally managing incidents and events, accredited training at Strategic level
Desirable
- Previous experience of management of specialist operations units or activities.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
