Job summary
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for protecting every member of every community from the impact of infectious diseases, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents and other health threats. We provide intellectual, scientific and operational leadership at national and local level, as well as on the global stage, to make the nation's health secure. UKHSA South West is an integrated, multidisciplinary and multi-professional team that places partnership in health protection practice at the heart of its mission.
We are now seeking to appoint inspired, inspiring and innovative individuals to permanent Consultant Health Protection positions in our collegiate regional team. Whilst the posts are Bristol or Totnes based, there is flexibility to work from home on an ad-hoc regular basis in agreement with the line manager.
We welcome applications from both medical and non-medical Consultants from across the public health specialist workforce and celebrate diversity in training, experience, skillsets and interest. We are particularly keen to receive applications from colleagues with strong backgrounds in environmental public health, biomedical sciences and microbiology where this would help to enhance the mix of skills within the team.
With regular travel within the geographical area of responsibility and travel elsewhere/nationally as may be required by the post.
Main duties of the job
The Consultant in Health Protection is a senior specialist role within the regional team to provide leadership, management and oversight of the health protection function, including the response to incidents and outbreaks, and responsibility for the day-to-day clincal and operational delivery. The post holder will be a local and regional system leader, working in partnership with Directors of Public Health, Integrated Care Systems and a wide range of stakeholders to develop and deliver strategic objectives to protect and secure the health of the population.
As well as agreed individual objectives, a job-plan will be developed which will outline the agreed programmed activities (PAs) that are necessary to fulfil the duties and responsibilities described in the Job Description.
The post holder will undergo a programme of ongoing development to build on existing knowledge and develop skills to provide specialist health protection advice and meet competencies required to undertake the role.
About us
At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our mission is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards. We are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.
Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We will work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work.
Creating our working culture is an ongoing process which we are developing by listening and learning together, hearing and acting upon diverse voices and opinions to develop a common sense of identity and effective ways of working.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for full overview of the main responsibilities.
The post has on-call requirements.
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the Person Specification of the Job Description as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria.
For further information or an informal discussion about the post, please contact: Dominic Mellon via email dominic.mellon@ukhsa.gov.uk
UK Health Security Agency promoted diversity in the workplace and is an Equal Opportunities employer.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for full overview of the main responsibilities.
The post has on-call requirements.
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Applicants are strongly advised to use the criteria in the Person Specification of the Job Description as sub-headings in their application to make it clear how they meet each of the selection criteria.
For further information or an informal discussion about the post, please contact: Dominic Mellon via email dominic.mellon@ukhsa.gov.uk
UK Health Security Agency promoted diversity in the workplace and is an Equal Opportunities employer.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GMC full and specialist register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) or inclusion in the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists or be eligible within 6 months of interview
- If included in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in a specialty other than public health medicine/infectious diseases medicine or medical microbiology, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health medicine/infectious diseases medicine/or medical microbiology practice
- Public health speciality registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC register, GDC Specialist list in dental public health or UKPHR must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry to a register at the date of interview. All other applicants not yet granted specialist registration must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence from the register concerns that they have submitted satisfactory evidence and therefore registration within six months is assured.
- Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements in accordance with the requirements of the Faculty of Public Health/Royal College of Pathologists/Royal College of Physicians or other recognised body
- MFPH by examination or evidence of equivalent qualification FRC Path or evidence of equivalent qualification MRCP or evidence of equivalent qualification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Minimum 6 months experience in Health Protection practice
- Practical experience in leading and facilitating change
- Experience of communicable disease control in a wide variety of settings including out of hours on call
- Experience of working with other agencies
- Experience of emergency planning
- Understanding of key agencies involved in health protection
- Knowledge of methods of developing clinical quality assurance, audit, quality improvement and evidence based clinical and/or public health practice
- Understanding of social and political environment
- Understanding of laboratory microbiology services
- Understanding of clinical infectious diseases services
- Understanding of clinical toxicology services
- Understanding of the principles of radiological protection
Desirable
- Experience of budget management and financial processes
- Experience and demonstrable competency in dealing with environmental hazards / chemical incidents
- Ability to undertake prophylaxis, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases of public health importance
- Peer reviewed scientific publications, presentation of papers at conferences, seminars, etc.
Skills and Capabilities
Essential
- Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills, including management of change
- Able to prioritise work, and work well against a background of change and uncertainty
- Adaptable to situations, can communicate with people of all capabilities and attitudes
- Project management
- Understanding of epidemiology and statistics, public health practice, health promotion, health economics and health care evaluation
- Excellent oral and written communication skills (including dealing with the public and the media)
- Effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
- Ability to respond appropriately in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances
- Sensible negotiator with practical expectation of what can be achieved
- Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data
- Computer literate
- Ability to design, develop, interpret and implement policies
- Ability to concentrate for long periods (e.g. analyses, media presentations)
- Resource management skills
Desirable
- People management and training
- Training and mentoring
Equality and Diversity
Essential
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, and in relation to management systems
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GMC full and specialist register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) or inclusion in the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists or be eligible within 6 months of interview
- If included in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in a specialty other than public health medicine/infectious diseases medicine or medical microbiology, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health medicine/infectious diseases medicine/or medical microbiology practice
- Public health speciality registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC register, GDC Specialist list in dental public health or UKPHR must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry to a register at the date of interview. All other applicants not yet granted specialist registration must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence from the register concerns that they have submitted satisfactory evidence and therefore registration within six months is assured.
- Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements in accordance with the requirements of the Faculty of Public Health/Royal College of Pathologists/Royal College of Physicians or other recognised body
- MFPH by examination or evidence of equivalent qualification FRC Path or evidence of equivalent qualification MRCP or evidence of equivalent qualification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Minimum 6 months experience in Health Protection practice
- Practical experience in leading and facilitating change
- Experience of communicable disease control in a wide variety of settings including out of hours on call
- Experience of working with other agencies
- Experience of emergency planning
- Understanding of key agencies involved in health protection
- Knowledge of methods of developing clinical quality assurance, audit, quality improvement and evidence based clinical and/or public health practice
- Understanding of social and political environment
- Understanding of laboratory microbiology services
- Understanding of clinical infectious diseases services
- Understanding of clinical toxicology services
- Understanding of the principles of radiological protection
Desirable
- Experience of budget management and financial processes
- Experience and demonstrable competency in dealing with environmental hazards / chemical incidents
- Ability to undertake prophylaxis, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases of public health importance
- Peer reviewed scientific publications, presentation of papers at conferences, seminars, etc.
Skills and Capabilities
Essential
- Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills, including management of change
- Able to prioritise work, and work well against a background of change and uncertainty
- Adaptable to situations, can communicate with people of all capabilities and attitudes
- Project management
- Understanding of epidemiology and statistics, public health practice, health promotion, health economics and health care evaluation
- Excellent oral and written communication skills (including dealing with the public and the media)
- Effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
- Ability to respond appropriately in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances
- Sensible negotiator with practical expectation of what can be achieved
- Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data
- Computer literate
- Ability to design, develop, interpret and implement policies
- Ability to concentrate for long periods (e.g. analyses, media presentations)
- Resource management skills
Desirable
- People management and training
- Training and mentoring
Equality and Diversity
Essential
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, and in relation to management systems
Additional information
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).
