UK Health Security Agency
Senior Health Protection Practitioner
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Hybrid Senior Health Protection Practitioner
This role is being offered as hybrid working based at our site in Horsham or Ashford, Kent.
We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, 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 office.
Job Summary
The Senior Health Protection Practitioner is a key member of a multi-disciplinary team who will provide and at times lead, the day-to-day acute service response. They will play a lead role under supervision in the provision of a health protection service in relation to infectious and non-infectious environmental hazards.
The post holder will require demonstrable generic public health skills and will have specific lead areas of work involving partnership working with external organisations, and assisting in the development of joint plans and system-wide priorities for public health action or improvement. The post holder will contribute to the strategic work of the locality/patch-based health protection team and deputise where appropriate.
The post holder may be expected to work across regional sites, providing leadership and development to the service.
We are currently seeking a NMC registered Senior Health Protection Practitioner (AfC Band 8a) or a Senior Health Protection Practitioner (Grade 7).
AfC Band 8a: £57,528 - £64,750 per annum pro rata
Grade 7 (Outer): £58,340 -£68,574 per annum pro-rata
Candidates holding NMC registration will be appointed on NHS Terms & Conditions at NHS AfC Band 8a. Candidates without NMC registration will be appointed on Civil Service Terms and Conditions at Grade 7 grade.
Job Description
Main duties of the job
- Management and supervision of the day-to-day acute response service to ensure high-quality, safe, and effective delivery.
- Use expertise and knowledge to support and where required lead under supervision the management of routine and complex incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases and non-infectious environmental hazards.
- 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 UKHSA’s standards for record keeping.
- To utilise an evidence-based approach to manage clinical/professional advice and discussions within the team and support and participate in the team’s formal case review process.
- To monitor standards, ensuring quality and consistency and to escalate to senior manager and/or take action where any shortfall occurs as appropriate to role.
- Contribute to and where required lead under supervision of the Principal/Advanced Practitioner/Consultant in HP the ongoing longer-term management of issues relevant to a defined geographical area within their region.
- Contribute to the UKHSA response during incidents in line with UKHSA’s Emergency Planning and Resilience Response (EPRR) arrangements as part of the region’s responsibilities under the Civil Contingencies Act.
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Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Master's degree in Public Health or a related discipline, or equivalent postgraduate-level knowledge and experience in health protection
- Registration with an appropriate health or science-related professional body (For CS Ts & Cs) OR current professional NMC registration. (For AfC Ts & Cs)
- Significant experience in a senior health protection role, including the management of communicable disease incidents, outbreaks, and environmental hazards.
- Specialist knowledge of health protection principles, public health practice, epidemiology, and surveillance.
- Experience of providing expert advice and risk assessment to healthcare professionals, partner organisations, and the public.
- Proven experience of leadership, line management, supervision, performance management, and staff development.
- Experience of leading quality improvement, audit, governance, and service development activities.
Desirable Criteria
- Professional Public Health registration e.g. Specialist Community Public Health (SCPHN) part of the NMC Register or UK PH Register for practitioners
- Applied experience or CPD in Infection Prevention and Control
- Experience of teaching, mentoring, coaching, or supervising healthcare or public health professionals and trainees.
- Knowledge of health inequalities and approaches to reducing their impact on population health.
- Experience of media handling, stakeholder engagement, or public communications relating to health protection incidents.
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Selection process details
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge, and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed (7) essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:
Application form (Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application) 1,500 word supporting statement.
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.
You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a single face-to-face interview at Horsham OR Ashford, Kent. (In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview)
Knowledge, experience, skills, & abilities will be tested at the interview.
There will be a presentation which will assess the following:
- Substantial experience in a health protection role at a senior level with specialist knowledge and expertise in Health Protection.
The full topic will be shared at the interview stage.
Interview dates are yet to be confirmed.
Salary Information
If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.
Please be aware that the salary is based on the office location.
AfC Band 8a: £57,528 - £64,750
Grade 7 (Outer): £58,340 - £68,574
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
Name : Gurkamal Bhambra
Email : gurkamal.bhambra@ukhsa.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Email : recruitment@ukhsa.gov.uk
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