Infection Prevention and Control Lead

Job description

Job responsibilities

Management and Leadership

• Lead and manage the team of Infection Prevention and Control Specialist Nurses. This includes: recruitment and appraisal; agreement and monitoring of personal development plans; supervision, training and application of Trust policies associated with individual performance, sickness and conduct.
• To make a major contributory role in defining the infection prevention and control strategy and evaluating activities to improve the infection prevention and control service, utilising guidance from the Department of Health, NHS England, Public Health England and the Care Quality Commission.
• Lead, maintain, develop and evaluate the Infection Prevention and Control Link practitioner network.
• Support and provide expert advice to all divisions in the implementation of the Hygiene Code and other evidence based practice.
• Lead and participate in working groups to improve infection prevention and control.

• Attend meetings, taking forward the organisation's views and provide formal feedback and reports, as appropriate.
• Develop and review the Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Specialists work plan -setting priorities and deadlines.

• To act as a change agent utilising the principals of evidence based practice.
• Represent the Trust and deputise for the Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control in this specialised field at professional meetings and conferences.
• To provide expert advice in tender assessment groups in matters pertaining to infection prevention and control including soft services facilities management.

• Be responsible for ensuring that the infection prevention and control service remains used to maximise safe and effective patient care.

• To work with clinical staff to ensure patients with infections or at risk of acquiring an infection have a positive experience.

Specialist Practice

• Use highly specialist knowledge and initiative to change and challenge practice and to reduce the risk of healthcare associated infections, improving performance across the organisation.
• To plan, implement and evaluate programmes of surveillance related to infection prevention and control.
• To Lead on the development, monitoring and evaluation of the of the annual audit program for infection prevention and control.
• To develop performance improvement programmes for reduction of key infections, such as MRSA bacteraemia, C. difficile and CRE/CPE etc.
• Contribute to national research programmes to determine the value and efficacy of infection prevention and control interventions/ strategies.
• To ensure a knowledge base which reflects current research, developments and statutory provision and disseminate information where appropriate to develop practice.
• Using expert knowledge to investigate infection- related critical incidents using analysis such as root cause analysis (RCA) and post infection review (PIR) processes ensuring any necessary change in practice, procedure or knowledge is established.
• To identify, investigate, monitor and provide management advice for the prevention and control of healthcare associated infections, hazardous practices/procedures and outbreaks/ serious incidents, and ensure shared learning is disseminated.
• To provide highly specialist advice on the selection and purchase of equipment, together with guidance on appropriate building design and alterations to ensure compliance with appropriate infection prevention and control practice.
• To act as a role model for implementing evidenced based practice in infection prevention and control.
• To analyse complex issues and make judgements in relation to infection prevention and control.
• Instigate and formulate the development of policies; reports; plans and business cases for infection prevention and control across the organisation.
• Reformulate plans and strategies in line with local and Government directives and changes in service needs with support from ADIPC.
• Have expert knowledge and experience of the processes of cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation of patient equipment and ensure appropriate processes are implemented within the Trusts acute and community services. This is in liaison with the designated Trust Decontamination Lead and members of the Decontamination Committee.
• Have knowledge and experience of occupational health issues liaising on matters relevant to infection prevention and control and ensuring confidentiality.
• Ensure compliance with up to date legislation/guidance is implemented and monitored.
• Using specialist knowledge to clarify and explain relevant microbiological results with implications for infection prevention and control to ward/department nursing/medical staff/patients and visitors as required.
• To work with the medical microbiologists and antibiotic pharmacist to promote appropriate antibiotic prescribing practices.
• To develop infection prevention and control policies and associated patient information.
• To prepare the Trust to meet the threat of new and emerging infections, such as Pandemic Influenza and Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers.
• To work with colleagues from Estates and Facilities and subcontractors to ensure plans for building works and their implementation meet the necessary infection prevention and control standards.
• As part of advising on practice, the post holder will be a key link with professional bodies and associations for the specialist area and will review and translate evidence-based recommendations and guidance into daily patient care. They will proactively keep up to date with new developments in research and best practice. Internally, the post holder will lead on internal policy and guideline development with support from ADIPC.
• Create and deliver formal and informal teaching sessions across multi-disciplinary staff. The post holder will collaborate with the post graduate medical education department to ensure junior medical staff have the necessary training and education to provide evidence based practice.

Clinical Governance

• To be responsible, with the Associate Director of Infection Prevention and Control, for the development of infection prevention and control standards and policies across the Trust.
• Provide leadership, support and training in the development and delivery of specialist training packages and education initiatives for all staff groups.
• To critically appraise and evaluate infection prevention and control practice by means of a structured audit program, subsequently implementing service changes or advising on required developments in clinical practice.
• Identify and manage risks using Trust risk management processes.
• Initiate policy and practice change as a result of incidents, audits and complaints, facilitating this across the organisation.
• Identify educational needs for the Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Specialists.
• To ensure appropriate clinical supervision arrangements for the Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Specialists are in place.
• To be responsible for ones own continuous education and development needs.

Communication

• Maintain effective communication with all disciplines within the organisation, external partners and the public.
• Provide and receive highly complex information which can be sensitive or contentious in relation to infection prevention and control. Managing conflict and de-escalating hostile situations.
• Ensure all communication is presented appropriately to the different recipients, according to levels of understanding, type of communication being imparted and possible barriers such as language, culture, understanding or physical or mental health conditions.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with others across and within professional boundaries to promote effective and high quality care both within the Trust and outside.
• To use influencing and negotiation skills to promote good practice and implement policies/ procedures with regards to infection prevention and control.
• Ensure confidentiality is respected at all times and the service provided is non-judgmental.
• Maintain clear, concise and contemporaneous records both written and electronic, of advice and information given and action taken in accordance with NMC standards.
• Be involved in developing specific infection prevention and control systems and databases for patient caseload management, alert organism management and outbreak reports.
• Raise the profile of specialist area and its work within and outside the Trust.

Service Development and Research

• The role may include a significant research element, and the post holder will be actively involved in research locally and nationally, collaborating with research partners and robust evaluation. They will develop an effective model of multidisciplinary management across the pathway.
• Regularly evaluate the service through audit, reviews and soliciting feedback to further the development of good practice and clinical effectiveness of the service. They will collaborate with other professionals to initiate and promote research which will form the Trusts research and development strategy.
• The post holder will develop and utilise benchmarking to internally appraise and externally compare the service. They will identify and implement practice developments in response to incidents, reviews and complaints.
• The post holder will report service information to observatories and regulators as required.

Person Specification

Essential

Essential

• The post holder must possess 1st level Registered Nurse/midwife with extensive post registration experience.
• IPC Qualification or equivalent. Expert knowledge in current infection prevention and control issues
• Prevention and Control or equivalent experience. On-going evidence of professional and personal development. Appropriate teaching qualification.
• Leadership development qualification. Evidence of effective leadership, practice development, expertise and innovation in clinical practice
• Management of staff including addressing sickness and performance.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and proven ability to work across professional healthcare boundaries.
• Ability to anticipate problems, appraise risks and consider overall implications and make effective decisions.
• Ability to analyse data, present findings and make recommendations in a manner that is appropriate to the target audience.
• Ability to produce reports, documents and business cases for varied audiences (e.g. infection prevention and control committee, Nursing and Midwifery Executive Committee, Health and Safety Committee)
• Excellent facilitation skills. Expert teaching skills both formal and informal.
• Good insight into current and relevant health policy developments.
• Ability to initiate, manage and sustain change. Leading quality improvements
• Experience of working as an infection prevention and control nurse/practitioner at band 7 or above
• Manage own workload and set priorities for junior team members, ensuring work equity.
• Demonstrable ability to meet Trust values

Desirable

• Strong management and leadership skills with a proven record of leading teams
• Working towards a Masters degree or equivalent in the relevant subject area Management qualification

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust

Address

North Middlesex University Hospital

London

N18 1QX

Employer's website

https://www.northmid.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)