Public Health Principal (Health Protection)

Job description

Job responsibilities

In order to contribute to efforts to protect the publics health, improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities, the post holder will:

Provide highly specialist advice and leadership in health protection, including the prevention, investigation and control of communicable diseases;

Provide local leadership as a part of a senior multi-agency response to health protection incidents and public health emergencies when required;

Develop and maintain effective working relationships at a senior level with partnership organisations, including Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB, NHS England and UK Health Security Agency, to ensure cohesive and effective commissioning and provision of services pertaining to health protection;

Monitor the local epidemiology of communicable diseases and uptake of screening and immunisation programmes and provide local oversight of screening and immunisation programmes;

Lead public health input to emergency preparedness, resilience and response planning and scrutinise local health protection plans;

Support the commissioning of evidence based services for communicable diseases, including HIV, TB and Hepatitis;

Provide leadership on health inequalities related to health protection issues experienced by disadvantaged groups, identify priorities for public health action and work strategically with stakeholders to identify and implement appropriate actions;

Manage the health protection budget for Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes;

Deputise for the Chief Officer for Public Health (Health Protection) where appropriate;

Line manage the Public Health Practitioner (Health Protection), providing work allocation, regular supervision, annual Personal Development Reviews and meeting disciplinary and grievance responsibilities;

Manage a complex and demanding work programme, prioritising their workload and that of their direct report; meeting tight deadlines.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Knowledge and experience of working in a health protection or related context, including responding to outbreaks or incidents.

Selection Criteria

Essential

• Knowledge of public health practice in relation to identifying and reducing inequalities, tackling wider determinants of health and working with disadvantaged groups.
• Experience of line management and/or supervision of junior colleagues, able to demonstrate how line management/supervision has delivered outcomes for the organisation and supported the professional development of the individual team member(s).
• Proven ability to report and advise on the implications of the evidence base for the most effective practice and the delivery of value for money (A4.4).
• Proven ability to influence and co-ordinate other organisations and agencies to increase their engagement with health and well-being, ill health prevention and health inequalities (B2.1).
• Proven ability to collaborate to create new solutions to complex problems by promoting innovation and the sharing of ideas, practices, resources, leadership and learning (B2.4).
• Strong interpersonal skills to engage others, build relationships, manage conflict, encourage contribution and sustain commitment to deliver shared objectives (C1.2).
• Ability to communicate sometimes complex information and concepts (including health outcomes, inequalities and life expectancy) to a diversity of audiences using different methods (C2.2).
• Ability to adapt to change, manage uncertainty, solve problems and align clear goals with lines of accountability in complex and unpredictable environments (C1.3).
• Proven ability to manage a complex and demanding work programme, prioritising workload and meeting tight deadlines.
• Proven ability to work independently as well as a member of a team, with a high level of self-motivation and ability to motivate others, with a flexible approach to work.
• Able to attend meetings throughout Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes and the local region on a daily basis.
• Please click on the job description for the mapping the role to the UK Public Health Skills and knowledge framework.

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters-level education and/or relevant professional qualification or equivalent demonstrable experience in public health or closely related area with a good understanding of the principles and practice of public health and health protection.

Employer details

Employer name

Bedford Borough Council

Address

Borough Hall

Cauldwell Street

Bedford

Bedfordshire

MK42 9AP

Employer's website

https://www.bedford.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)