Job summary
The Consultant Clinical Scientist is within the Healthcare Associated Infection, Fungal, Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Utilisation & Sepsis Division (Clinical & Public Health group) of UKHSA. The mission of the division is to protect people from healthcare-associated and antimicrobial resistant infections, through world-leading public health microbiology, outbreak response, surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, modelling, research, and interventions.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for providing leadership and expertise in Infection Control within the HCAI & AMR Division. The postholder will act as a clinical scientist specialist advisor/consultant in infection control and healthcare associated infections and serve as a member of the Divisions Leadership and Management Group.
The post holder will also be providing highly specialized consultancy service on healthcare-associated infection throughout the NHS, health-care sector, and wider public and community health setting; locally, nationally and to international partners.
The role does require the post holder to have a current UK professional registration with the Health and Care Professional Council (HCPC) and will require regular travel across our national sites.
About us
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%
- Range of health and wellbeing support
Selection process details
STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT:
You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised essential criteria - please do provide evidence of how you meet this.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
STAGE 2 - INTERVIEW
This stage will involve a Microsoft Teams Interview.
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. Candidates will also be asked to participate deliver a 10 -minute presentation to the panel. Full details will be provided prior to the interview.
Expected Timeline:
Advert close: 23:55hrs on 22nd November 2023 - unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Shortlist: w/c 4th December
Interviews: w/c 13th December
Please note these dates could be subject to change.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities, and duties, which includes:
- Deliver expert, highly specialized advice to local infection control practitioners, primary health care providers, hospital trusts, research establishments, national and international bodies on matters relating to hospital infection prevention; including control aspects of hospital infection, sterilization and disinfection methods, instrument decontamination, types of specialist ventilation, operating theatres, isolation facilities, burns units, environmental decontamination, health care laundry, and healthcare product contamination. Where required, delivery this advice at very short notice and/or in critical situations.
- Investigate outbreak of infection at the request of Directors of Infection Prevention and Control, Infection Control Doctors, Consultants in Communicable Disease Control, Regional Epidemiologists, Department of Health & Social Care and WHO.
- Form, work in and facilitate teams of people who may have been bought together at short notice and who may be of a higher grade/status than the post holder, to deal with outbreak investigations.
- Identify mechanisms of infection transmission, reporting in such a way to facilitate rectification, advise such that strategies to prevent recurrence of adverse events are developed.
- Prepare reports of scientific investigations to local, national and international bodies and submit papers for peer-review publication.
- Take part in preparing answers to Parliamentary Questions, ministerial information requests and press enquiries.
- Contribute to healthcare trust, national and international policies on infection control.
- Assist hospital trusts, national and international bodies on infection control quality standards and assurance.
- Advise hospital trusts and regional review bodies on infection control aspects of planning and up-grading healthcare facilities.
- Promote infection control good practice by writing guides, papers, book chapters and books on aspects of the subject. Undertake short-term placements with WHO and other international partners providing various infection control services, including consultancy, training and outbreak investigation, in order to raise profile of UKHSA/NHS, provide help and support to less developed health care systems and to gain knowledge of infection control issues of new and emerging diseases.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and are not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.
Please review the job description for the full list of responsibilities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The job holder will be required to carry out the following responsibilities, activities, and duties, which includes:
- Deliver expert, highly specialized advice to local infection control practitioners, primary health care providers, hospital trusts, research establishments, national and international bodies on matters relating to hospital infection prevention; including control aspects of hospital infection, sterilization and disinfection methods, instrument decontamination, types of specialist ventilation, operating theatres, isolation facilities, burns units, environmental decontamination, health care laundry, and healthcare product contamination. Where required, delivery this advice at very short notice and/or in critical situations.
- Investigate outbreak of infection at the request of Directors of Infection Prevention and Control, Infection Control Doctors, Consultants in Communicable Disease Control, Regional Epidemiologists, Department of Health & Social Care and WHO.
- Form, work in and facilitate teams of people who may have been bought together at short notice and who may be of a higher grade/status than the post holder, to deal with outbreak investigations.
- Identify mechanisms of infection transmission, reporting in such a way to facilitate rectification, advise such that strategies to prevent recurrence of adverse events are developed.
- Prepare reports of scientific investigations to local, national and international bodies and submit papers for peer-review publication.
- Take part in preparing answers to Parliamentary Questions, ministerial information requests and press enquiries.
- Contribute to healthcare trust, national and international policies on infection control.
- Assist hospital trusts, national and international bodies on infection control quality standards and assurance.
- Advise hospital trusts and regional review bodies on infection control aspects of planning and up-grading healthcare facilities.
- Promote infection control good practice by writing guides, papers, book chapters and books on aspects of the subject. Undertake short-term placements with WHO and other international partners providing various infection control services, including consultancy, training and outbreak investigation, in order to raise profile of UKHSA/NHS, provide help and support to less developed health care systems and to gain knowledge of infection control issues of new and emerging diseases.
The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and are not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.
Please review the job description for the full list of responsibilities.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good first degree in relevant biological science
- PhD or clearly demonstrable equivalent experience specific to the postholder's duties
- Professional registration with HCPC
- Relevant postgraduate qualification
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Nationally recognised as an expert in the field of infection control with extensive, in-depth experience of working as an infection control clinical scientist within UKHSA, NHS or similar setting including excellent knowledge of guidance on infection control
- Significant practical and theoretical experience in infection control including good knowledge of engineering aspects of infection control including ability to keep up to date with changes in theoretical and practical aspects of infection control
- High level of knowledge and understanding of the way in which infection control is managed within hospitals and community settings
- Excellent knowledge of outbreak investigation and response to adverse incidents including ability to identify adverse occurrences and develop measures to prevent them
- Good knowledge of specialist equipment used in environmental studies related infection control
- Excellent knowledge of microbial characteristics with respect to infection control
- Good knowledge of hospital and patient care procedures and the way they can impact on infection transmission and prevention
- Good knowledge of medical devices and products, and their contribution to infection transmission and control
- Must be highly skilled in relevant field testing, good general knowledge of laboratory safety requirements, procedures and other health and safety aspects relevant to the role and able to adapt information systems within laboratory to meet the needs of the research and practice of the post
Skills and capabilities
Essential
- Excellent all -round communication skills including the ability to work across organizational boundaries to: - communicate clearly and concisely what are detailed, complex, specialist, individually tailored information and advice with little or no preparation time to a variety of professional and non -professional audiences - offer expert advice and consultancy and communicate in a variety of settings, translating technical knowledge into best practice either orally or via writing practical working guidelines, scientific papers, reports, policy documents and letters
- Excellent leadership, negotiating and influencing skills including: - Evidence of high -level diplomacy, tact and persuasive skills whilst conveying expertise and authority to develop and maintain a positive relationship with customers and partners to ensure timely, efficient, effective and high - quality services standards - Ability to take on a consultant role during outbreak whilst developing, leading, facilitating and motivating multi -disciplinary teams during incident response
- Able to criticise constructively, to design and introduce improvements and to initiate changes across the NHS and healthcare sector. Evidence of using technical experience to assess new and existing systems and processes within the infection control field and be able to initiate change and innovation in infection control practice
- Ability to think clearly in adverse circumstances and whilst under pressure, and analyse and evaluate evidence to make timely and pertinent decisions and judgements and back those judgements up
- Ability to transfer skills and experience of healthcare associated infection control to wider public health setting including via teaching and lecturing at specialist and postgraduate level and representing UKHSA in national and international settings including public speaking and conference presentation skills
Equality and diversity
Essential
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Good first degree in relevant biological science
- PhD or clearly demonstrable equivalent experience specific to the postholder's duties
- Professional registration with HCPC
- Relevant postgraduate qualification
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Nationally recognised as an expert in the field of infection control with extensive, in-depth experience of working as an infection control clinical scientist within UKHSA, NHS or similar setting including excellent knowledge of guidance on infection control
- Significant practical and theoretical experience in infection control including good knowledge of engineering aspects of infection control including ability to keep up to date with changes in theoretical and practical aspects of infection control
- High level of knowledge and understanding of the way in which infection control is managed within hospitals and community settings
- Excellent knowledge of outbreak investigation and response to adverse incidents including ability to identify adverse occurrences and develop measures to prevent them
- Good knowledge of specialist equipment used in environmental studies related infection control
- Excellent knowledge of microbial characteristics with respect to infection control
- Good knowledge of hospital and patient care procedures and the way they can impact on infection transmission and prevention
- Good knowledge of medical devices and products, and their contribution to infection transmission and control
- Must be highly skilled in relevant field testing, good general knowledge of laboratory safety requirements, procedures and other health and safety aspects relevant to the role and able to adapt information systems within laboratory to meet the needs of the research and practice of the post
Skills and capabilities
Essential
- Excellent all -round communication skills including the ability to work across organizational boundaries to: - communicate clearly and concisely what are detailed, complex, specialist, individually tailored information and advice with little or no preparation time to a variety of professional and non -professional audiences - offer expert advice and consultancy and communicate in a variety of settings, translating technical knowledge into best practice either orally or via writing practical working guidelines, scientific papers, reports, policy documents and letters
- Excellent leadership, negotiating and influencing skills including: - Evidence of high -level diplomacy, tact and persuasive skills whilst conveying expertise and authority to develop and maintain a positive relationship with customers and partners to ensure timely, efficient, effective and high - quality services standards - Ability to take on a consultant role during outbreak whilst developing, leading, facilitating and motivating multi -disciplinary teams during incident response
- Able to criticise constructively, to design and introduce improvements and to initiate changes across the NHS and healthcare sector. Evidence of using technical experience to assess new and existing systems and processes within the infection control field and be able to initiate change and innovation in infection control practice
- Ability to think clearly in adverse circumstances and whilst under pressure, and analyse and evaluate evidence to make timely and pertinent decisions and judgements and back those judgements up
- Ability to transfer skills and experience of healthcare associated infection control to wider public health setting including via teaching and lecturing at specialist and postgraduate level and representing UKHSA in national and international settings including public speaking and conference presentation skills
Equality and diversity
Essential
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
