Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a small, friendly Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) team as a Clinical Nurse Specialist IPC. This role has become available due to the previous post holder progressing to a new opportunity. We are looking for a dedicated nurse with existing IPC experience, who is either qualified in the specialty or nearing completion of an approved IPC course.
The Infection Prevention and Control Service (IPCS) provides expert specialist advice, proactive and reactive support, and contributes to the surveillance, prevention, and control of infections and outbreaks. The service plays a vital role in delivering training, conducting audits, and driving improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and care quality.
The successful candidate will be responsible for infection surveillance, audits, and quality improvement (QI) projects, supporting governance functions within IPCS. Building effective relationships with medical staff, senior nurses, allied health professionals, and managers will be key in delivering education and training across the site.
In this role, you will be supported in developing leadership and management skills while being part of a broader IPC network across Kent and Medway. This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a high-impact service and grow within a specialist field.
Interviews to be held 27th March 2025.
Main duties of the job
The role will entail being a clinically focused practitioner who will strengthen the IPC contribution to patients and service users across DGT. A key priority for the post holder will be to develop and ensure practice compliance across the Trust is in accordance with National Standards and policies through policies, protocols, guidelines, participating in patient safety incident framework approach to incidents, identification of learning.
About us
We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer. We strive to employ people who reflect the communities we serve, and aim to create an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Whatever your race, ethnicity, belief, generation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or experience, you'll appreciate the opportunities we give you to work in an inclusive atmosphere. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build on the progress we've achieved to make our Trust diverse and the best place to work. We celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that help us overcome challenges and embrace new possibilities. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge and have a commitment to the Armed Forces Community.
We are dedicated to using our Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach as our shared organisation model of change to enhance our services and ensure excellence in patient care.
If you are considering applying for a role, please be aware that as an NHS Employee you may have contact with vulnerable service users. We strongly encourage that all our staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 and are vaccinated annually against Flu, in order to protect the health and safety of our staff and patients. Your commitment will help us to put the safety and care of our patients first, as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical responsibilities:
Produce and maintain surveillance information on new MRSA and Clostridium difficile isolates, GNBSI organisms, other mandatory surveillance system pathogens, notifiable infections, ensuring reporting is prompt and within agreed time deadlines i.e., daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly.
Lead on representing IPC at MDTs, incident meetings, outbreaks along with divisional colleagues, utilise this data against infection data and develop prevention strategies with the Governance lead, represent at national networks.
Work under the direction of but without supervision of the Matron Infection Prevention and Control (MIPC), to ensure health care associated infections data is kept, be involved in the analysis and reporting to relevant teams
In line with national mandatory targets and reporting requirements, assist and work closely with IPCSC, Matron, in production of graphs and charts towards the preparation and provision of reporting of MRSA, Clostridium difficile, and GNBSI rates to UKHSA, and internal reports to Infection Prevention and Control Committee, Quality Committee, development of report writing skills, & cross cover with the Matron IPC to develop draft reports, contributing to the accurate data, and drawing on themes, trends around patient safety, clinical effectiveness and clinical quality.
Utilise the Trust software such as Datix to record, and pull out incident information, actions, bring these to closure.
Collate all the relevant information from a variety of sources to enable accurate and timely submissions of data in accordance with national mandatory targets.
Lead in delivering an annual schedule for the various audit programmes undertaken. This includes environmental/clinical practice audits. Undertake follow up actions as directed post audit/ site visits.
Input data from completed audits and prepare accurate draft reports. Distribute completed audits to the relevant Divisional Leads, and
Departments/Wards filing these and related evidence.
Represent the team at webinars and local learning exercises and events; CBRN tests, EPRR drills, Kent and Medway ICB meetings, conferences.
Please see attached job description for further information.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Clinical responsibilities:
Produce and maintain surveillance information on new MRSA and Clostridium difficile isolates, GNBSI organisms, other mandatory surveillance system pathogens, notifiable infections, ensuring reporting is prompt and within agreed time deadlines i.e., daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly.
Lead on representing IPC at MDTs, incident meetings, outbreaks along with divisional colleagues, utilise this data against infection data and develop prevention strategies with the Governance lead, represent at national networks.
Work under the direction of but without supervision of the Matron Infection Prevention and Control (MIPC), to ensure health care associated infections data is kept, be involved in the analysis and reporting to relevant teams
In line with national mandatory targets and reporting requirements, assist and work closely with IPCSC, Matron, in production of graphs and charts towards the preparation and provision of reporting of MRSA, Clostridium difficile, and GNBSI rates to UKHSA, and internal reports to Infection Prevention and Control Committee, Quality Committee, development of report writing skills, & cross cover with the Matron IPC to develop draft reports, contributing to the accurate data, and drawing on themes, trends around patient safety, clinical effectiveness and clinical quality.
Utilise the Trust software such as Datix to record, and pull out incident information, actions, bring these to closure.
Collate all the relevant information from a variety of sources to enable accurate and timely submissions of data in accordance with national mandatory targets.
Lead in delivering an annual schedule for the various audit programmes undertaken. This includes environmental/clinical practice audits. Undertake follow up actions as directed post audit/ site visits.
Input data from completed audits and prepare accurate draft reports. Distribute completed audits to the relevant Divisional Leads, and
Departments/Wards filing these and related evidence.
Represent the team at webinars and local learning exercises and events; CBRN tests, EPRR drills, Kent and Medway ICB meetings, conferences.
Please see attached job description for further information.
Person Specification
Education and Training
Essential
- Registered General Nurse
- Part way through or completed IPC qualification at minimum undergraduate level modules in infection control, or can demonstrate they possess this
- Qualification in teaching, ENB 998 or equivalent, Student nurse mentorship qualification
- Course completion in Facilitation skills, and presentation skills.
- Evidence of CPD
Desirable
- Clinical Audit training
- Outbreak management UKHSA
- SSIS UKHSA module
- Relevant IT Qualification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Excellent IT skills.
- Understanding of current healthcare issues i.e. clinical governance, risk management and quality controls assurance
- Highly developed interpersonal skills, particularly negotiation and persuasion skills
- Able to deal with patients and service users sensitively.
- Presenting at meetings, education forums, delivering training to wide audience
- Able to work autonomously or as part of a team.
- Able to work to deadlines.
- Able to take meeting notes and actions at draft level.
- Ability to organize own time and prioritise work whilst also meeting service priorities.
- Knowledge and experience in the application of audit
- Ability to work with minimal supervision.
- Ability to travel to Trust sites, work in different locations, bases.
Desirable
- Report writing skills
- Participation in policy development and standard setting
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in an acute NHS organisation recently
- Experience of infection control roles in health/social care setting.
- Experience of working in clinical health setting caring for patients.
- Experience in managing staff, resources
Desirable
- Experience of surgical site surveillance programme
- QI methodology experience
- Representing Trust at external forums
Person Specification
Education and Training
Essential
- Registered General Nurse
- Part way through or completed IPC qualification at minimum undergraduate level modules in infection control, or can demonstrate they possess this
- Qualification in teaching, ENB 998 or equivalent, Student nurse mentorship qualification
- Course completion in Facilitation skills, and presentation skills.
- Evidence of CPD
Desirable
- Clinical Audit training
- Outbreak management UKHSA
- SSIS UKHSA module
- Relevant IT Qualification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Excellent IT skills.
- Understanding of current healthcare issues i.e. clinical governance, risk management and quality controls assurance
- Highly developed interpersonal skills, particularly negotiation and persuasion skills
- Able to deal with patients and service users sensitively.
- Presenting at meetings, education forums, delivering training to wide audience
- Able to work autonomously or as part of a team.
- Able to work to deadlines.
- Able to take meeting notes and actions at draft level.
- Ability to organize own time and prioritise work whilst also meeting service priorities.
- Knowledge and experience in the application of audit
- Ability to work with minimal supervision.
- Ability to travel to Trust sites, work in different locations, bases.
Desirable
- Report writing skills
- Participation in policy development and standard setting
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in an acute NHS organisation recently
- Experience of infection control roles in health/social care setting.
- Experience of working in clinical health setting caring for patients.
- Experience in managing staff, resources
Desirable
- Experience of surgical site surveillance programme
- QI methodology experience
- Representing Trust at external forums
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).
