Senior Infection Prevention & Control Lead

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Summary

• The postholder will have responsibility for service and policy development, implementation and surveillance for the system, in support of and providing assurance to the Integrated Care Board (ICB) Chief Nurse.
• The post holder will be responsible for the oversight of the Integrated Care Systems IPC strategy.
• The postholder will provide specialist advice and quality improvement relating to Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) systems in the ICS and work collaboratively alongside Public Health colleagues in accordance with Local Outbreak Plans in response to major outbreaks of infectious diseases.
• The postholder will work as part of a dynamic team, adopting a matrix-style of working in delivering an effective service supporting managers and staff across the system including the ICB, partners and Local Authorities, to deliver safe, patient-focused and effective commissioning and care in accordance with national and local commissioning strategies.
• The postholder will work with partner organisations IPC teams and be flexible to the requirements of the role as the ICS establishes and the structure of IPC across Shropshire Telford and Wrekin emerges.
• The postholder will support the business in driving quality improvement as well as value for money in planning, commissioning and service, building a combination of subject matter expertise and technical skills to develop a strong service delivery.
• The postholder will ensure there is a system training plan in evidence to support strategic aims.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure robust quality oversight, monitoring process and transformation of contracted services, ensuring these are compliant with statutory and regulatory requirements relating to IPC and the Hygiene Code.
• Be the immediate point of contact for the portfolio areas reporting on progress, risks and mitigation.
• Ensure there is an effective process for responding to national, regional and system IPC matters, including and providing data and report returns.
• Lead and/or support system quality improvement initiatives relating to IPC.
• Develop effective working relationships between ICB operational teams to ensure that the IPC quality and safety implications of commissioning decisions and system working are appropriately reflected in contracts and agreements.
• Interpret and implement complex national guidance and development of associated policies and guidelines, as necessary.
• Contribute to the development of service specifications and contribute to the development and redesign of care pathways to ensure services commissioned provide quality and value for money.
• Contribute to the setting of CQUIN schemes and quality schedules for respective areas.
• Have full awareness of the budgetary implications of activity.
• Manage and proactively promote relationships with key stakeholders.

Improving quality and outcomes

• Deliver excellent quality of care for the area, including identifying needs, contracting development, assurance, and interventions across the variety of services.
• Ensure the performance management of delivery against such programmes to ensure improvements in outcomes and quality, intervening where necessary to ensure improvement aligned to the ICB pledges and strategic plans.
• Be knowledgeable on, lead and/or contribute to quality improvement initiatives.

Enabling clinical leadership

• Work collaboratively across the teams both within the ICB and across the system to develop appropriate and comprehensive systems and processes.
• As a senior clinician, provide professional advice and support, supervision to students and colleagues.
• Deputise for colleagues as requested and ensure cover arrangements are in place within the IPC team.

Enabling patient and public involvement

• Act as a champion for patients and their interests and involve the public and patients in the policy development and decision-making of the ICB.

Promoting equality and reducing inequalities

• Uphold organisational policies and principles on the promotion of equality.
• Create an inclusive working environment where diversity is valued, everyone can contribute, and everyday action ensures NHS Shropshire Telford and Wrekin (NHS STW) meet its duty to uphold and promote equality.
• Promote effective partnership and cross-boundary working.
• Work with key stakeholders in the development of services and strategies.
• Model a collaborative and influencing style of working, negotiating with others to achieve the best outcomes.
• Support the organisations ways of working, model its values and champion the NHS Constitution

Functional Responsibilities

Operational

• Operate in a politically sensitive environment.
• Manage the delivery of IPC assurance processes across the system, under the direction of the Chief nurse or deputy.
• Support the contracts team to manage the IPC quality aspects of all contracts.
• Monitor infection outbreaks, attend outbreak meetings and partner IPC governance committees, providing expertise and guidance and seeking assurance that appropriate measures are in place to contain and manage situations.
• Provide expert review of IPC serious incident reports, ensuring lessons are learned and embedded into practice.
• Carry out planned and unannounced quality visits to partner organisations to gain real-time assurance of practice, completing reports on findings within given timelines.
• Act and contribute within the wider quality team and to deputise for colleagues as required.

Project Management

• Where required, undertake the delivery of project plans, allocating tasks as appropriate, identifying risks, issues and dependencies, considering best practice and current options and ultimately making decisions in the best interest of the project.
• Pro-actively manage stakeholders, respond to and resolve conflict between different stakeholders when this arises through facilitation or other appropriate mechanisms.
• Be responsible for a high standard of work supporting the delivery of work to time, quality standards and in a cost-effective manner.
• Ensure the flexibility of all work if required to meet conflicting/changing requirements.
• Be responsible for the planning and organisation of numerous events/meetings, ensuring communication tools are used to their maximum value for circulating the minutes, agenda and presentations in a timely manner.
• Support other managers as and when required.
• Be responsible for making recommendations, providing advice and able to prepare strategic reports/briefings for the Executive Director, Board Sub-Groups and others as required.

Information Management

• Draft assurance reports summarising status on issues, appraising outcomes, and providing progress reports for the Executive Director.
• Collate as required, qualitative and quantitative information and lead appropriate analysis.
• Analyse, interpret and present data to highlight issues, risks and support decision making.

Policy and Service Development

• Be responsible for proposing and drafting changes, implementation and interpretation to policies, guidelines, and service level agreements (SLAs) which may impact service.
• Maintain a good knowledge of emerging policies from government departments, along with High Level enquiries and national best practice. This will assist in the thinking and definition of the strategy.
• Lead policy discussions for the system where required and co-ordination of the communication with stakeholder

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Considerable post registration experience, which must be at band 7 or equivalent in an Infection Prevention & Control capacity within a health / social care environment.
• Experience of influencing change at local and organisational level.
• Experience of working across professional and organisational boundaries.
• Experience of working within a multi- agency setting.
• Experience of risk management and contributing to quality assurance frameworks.
• Experience of dealing with highly complex, sensitive and difficult situations.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Health Care Professional/ Nurse.
• First level degree in health-related subject.
• Specialist Qualification in Infection Prevention & Control.
• Educated to Masters level; in the process of doing so or have equivalent experience.

Skills, Knowledge & Competencies

Essential

• Ability to challenge effectively to drive improvement.
• Credible clinician with knowledge of best practice in quality assurance processes.
• Ability to write reports for Board level.
• Ability to chair and actively participate in meetings.
• Ability to support others professionally.
• Lead the audit processes aligned to portfolio area.
• Effective skills with IT utilising programmes to deliver a range of presentations.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children agendas.
• Knowledge of contemporary NHS issues.
• An understanding of independent contractors and expertise in NHS contractual requirements aligned to quality.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to inspire, lead and motivate others.
• Use communication skills to effectively influence and negotiate with a wide range of patients, carers and staff at all levels within the NHS and partner organisations.
• Ability to absorb and interpret new information quickly as well as interpret data in a variety of formats.
• Ability to prioritise and self-manage.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills - both written and verbal.
• Skills in research, audit and evaluation.
• Demonstrates continuous self- development.

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

NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board

Address

Halesfield 6 or Ptarmigan House, Shrewsbury

Halesfield

Telford

TF7 4QQ

Employer's website

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