Lead Infection Prevention and Control Nurse

Oxford Health NHS Trust

The closing date is 09 April 2025

Job summary

The importance of infection prevention and control has never been greater, and we are seeking an experienced Lead Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Nurse to join our growing team.

At Oxford Health, we foster a passionate, ambitious, and supportive workforce, committed to delivering outstanding care in a respectful and nurturing environment. This role presents an exciting opportunity to lead a specialist service that positively impacts patients, visitors, and carers through high standards of clinical practice.

As our Lead IPC Nurse, you will oversee and enhance IPC measures across the Trust. Your leadership will be instrumental in developing and implementing systems that improve IPC management, aligning with national directives to enhance quality, patient safety, and safe working practices. Your work will involve risk assessment, surveillance, audits, intervention, and education, helping to reduce infection rates.

You'll guide the IPC Team, ensuring best practices are upheld across our community and mental health settings in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire, and beyond.

Strong project management skills are essential, enabling you to plan and deliver services within set timeframes, anticipate challenges, and develop effective solutions. Naturally, you will be approachable, a dedicated team player, and an excellent communicator.

If you are ready for this exciting next step in your career, we would love to hear from you!

Main duties of the job

Leadership, Development and Management

Provide clinical expertise, leadership and advice relating to infection prevention and control issues.
Responsible as line manager with on-going management of a group of staff.
Support the infection prevention & control team including provision of clinical leadership/mentorship and supervision.
Carry out regular appraisals for staff, ensuring goals are clearly communicated and linked to objectives.
Support the Infection Prevention & Control Service to ensure the infection prevention agenda is achieved in line with The Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice for the control and prevention of infection and related guidance within own department/area of responsibility.

Clinical

To organise, lead and contribute to new health care initiatives in the management ofhealthcare associated infections.
The application of microbiological, immunological and epidemiological knowledge to promote health prevention and control infections and communicable disease.
The application of the principles of cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation to promote a safe environment.

Education & Training

Identify, plan, deliver, evaluate and update programmes of education for all staff within the Trust
Initiate new and innovative programmes of education and training for all grades of staff to facilitate changes in practice.

Please refer to the job description attached for a comprehensive list of duties

About us

Oxford Health is a great place to work and to be able to showcase the best of yourself when making an application please read the "candidate guide to making an application" and ensure your supporting statement is tailored to the role you are applying for and addresses any essential criteria.

As a Trust we provide physical, mental health and social care for people of all ages across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and Northeast Somerset. Our services are delivered at community bases, hospitals, clinics and people's homes, delivering care as close to home as possible. Our vision is that no matter who you are or where you are, you will tell us that you receive: "Outstanding care delivered by an outstanding team"

Our values are:"Caring, safe and excellent"

We offer a wide range of benefits designed to support your career and wellbeing. These include:

o Excellent opportunities for career progressiono Access to tailored individual and Trust wide learning and developmento 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days with continuous serviceo NHS Discount across a wide range of shops, restaurants and retailerso Competitive pension schemeo Lease car schemeo Cycle to work schemeo Employee Assistance Programmeo Mental Health First Aiderso Staff accommodation (please note waiting lists apply)o Staff networking and support groups hosted by our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion team

Date posted

19 March 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£53,755 to £60,504 a year per annum | pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

267-CS7052847

Job locations

1 Manzil Way

Cowley

Oxford

OX4 1XD

Job description

Job responsibilities

Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). We are a responsive and innovative Foundation Trust that places our values of Caring, Safe and Excellent at the heart of everything we do. We take great pride in our staff and believe that investing in you is key to us achieving our vision of outstanding care delivered by outstanding people.We work with a wide range of partner organisations to deliver care and support to people in their own homes and from a number of hospitals and community bases. We focus on delivering care as close to home as possible.

We hope that the advert has given you a clear understanding of the skills we are seeking and the opportunity at hand. You will need to use the supporting statement element of your application form to demonstrate your suitability for this role and you should refer to the job description, person specification and the guidance notes attached to this role to help you tailor your application.

The essential and desirable criteria will be used to shortlist for interview and you should ensure that you refer to these within your application to increase your chances of being selected for interview.

Please note if you are based outside of the UK you will need to be fully qualified, have already passed your OSCE and have an NMC pin number in order to be considered for this role

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please note if you are based outside of the UK you will need to be fully qualified, have already passed your OSCE and have an NMC pin number in order to be considered for this role

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Current NMC qualification
Post Graduate certificate Infection Control
Relevant teaching qualification e.g. C&G 730/ENB 998

Desirable

Educated to Master's level qualification or equivalent

Experience

Essential

Experience in managing staff, resources and budgets
Extensive experience practice as an Infection Control Nurse
Evidence of undertaking Risk assessments and risk management in relation to IPC
Experience of carrying out clinical incident learning reviews and working to developing learning plans

Knowledge

Essential

Understanding of current healthcare issues i.e. clinical governance, risk management and quality controls assurance
Proven clinical leadership and change management skills

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Current NMC qualification
Post Graduate certificate Infection Control
Relevant teaching qualification e.g. C&G 730/ENB 998

Desirable

Educated to Master's level qualification or equivalent

Experience

Essential

Experience in managing staff, resources and budgets
Extensive experience practice as an Infection Control Nurse
Evidence of undertaking Risk assessments and risk management in relation to IPC
Experience of carrying out clinical incident learning reviews and working to developing learning plans

Knowledge

Essential

Understanding of current healthcare issues i.e. clinical governance, risk management and quality controls assurance
Proven clinical leadership and change management skills

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.