Position Details
Human Resources
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £35,880 to £45,163 with potential progression once in post to £47,874
Grade: 7
Full Time, Permanent
Closing date: 2nd February 2025
UK travel may be required for this role
Our offer to you
People are at the heart of what we are and do. The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University, and depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Background
This post is based within the Occupational Health (OH) Service, a component of the HR function. The OH Service is for University staff, post-graduate research students and external organisations under contract.
Role Summary
Reporting to the Head of Occupational Health and Wellbeing, the role holder will manage their own case load of referrals and deliver clinical sessions for the advice and administration of vaccinations, undertaking health assessments and performing health surveillance, in accordance with best practice and clinical guidelines. To ensure that their assessments, advice, clinical activity and recommendations are recorded in line with Professional Clinical Record keeping standards and that their duty of care at all times meets acceptable standards of patient safety and outcomes. The role holder will be required to work with autonomy and professional accountability providing support, advice and guidance to the University on all aspects of occupational health. The role holder will be part of a team delivering the day to day Occupational Health Service.
Main Duties
* To manage own case load of referrals for staff experiencing long-term or recurrent short-term sickness absence, or disability and other work-related health issues supporting them to remain in or return to work, as appropriate, and provide specialist advice to Line Managers and HR within the OH Service protocols.
* To provide specialist information, advice and signposting to staff or Fit to Practice student concerns referred to the service and provide an appropriate professional response to Line Managers and HR as appropriate to the situation.
* To act as an autonomous, registered practitioner who is legally and professionally accountable for own unsupervised actions, as guided by the professional code of conduct, guidelines and protocols.
* To make and maintain accurate, contemporaneous and confidential records in accordance with the OH Service protocols.
* To conduct consultation appointments to assess need, signposting where required, and provide OH advice to line management.
* To attend clinical supervision, as provided by the University.
* Triage requests for clinical work by progressing requests and distributing clinical work fairly and expediently across the team to support meeting the Service standards and whilst maximising skill utilisation.
* Delivery of advice, recommendations for adjustments, health surveillance, vaccinations, sickness absence management, investigations of cases of occupational ill health, training and other general OH issues.
* Prepare health surveillance management reports, detailing anonymised percentages of cases, trends and the overall picture presented.
* Keep professionally updated on both clinical skills and the legal and ethical aspects of general OH practice to ensure the delivery of evidence-based effective clinical practice and advice.
* Promotes equality and values diversity, acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
* Supports the University’s sustainability agenda through resource efficient working.
* Any other duties commensurate with the grade.
Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience
Qualifications & training:
* RGN or RMN registered by the NMC are essential;
* OH diploma or BSc in Community Nursing (OH) with specialist practitioner status (Specialist Community Public Health Nurse) or equivalent is desirable;
* Current Immunisation training, CPR and Anaphylaxis training are essential;
* Lung function testing and interpretation is desirable;
* Hand-transmitted vibration certification with the HSE is desirable;
* Audiometry testing and interpretation are desirable.
Skills & Experience:
* Ability to manage own time and workload effectively, prioritising to meet a range of diverse deadlines, and work co-operatively as part of an effective team;
* Skilled in undertaking phlebotomy & immunisation, spirometry, health assessments and effective report writing;
* Prior experience in occupational health practice, particularly experience in vaccinations, pre-placement assessments and health surveillance;
* Competence in using IT software and administrative processes to maintain accurate clinical records, as the OH Service is paper light;
* Strong interpersonal skills including relationship building and influencing skills are essential, to ensure the correct perception, and thus effectiveness, of the protection of employee health and the interests and reputation of the University;
* To have a good understanding of health & safety and employment law specific to occupational health and safety practice;
* Evidence of literacy and numeracy;
* Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.
Role context
Roles at this level will require in-depth technical specialists. Role holders will operate as individual technical specialists supporting service delivery or contributing directly to local project implementation or problem solving through the provision of specialist support activity.
Core competencies/transferable skills
Working at this level you will be able to develop and successfully demonstrate the core competencies/transferable skills outlined in each of the areas shown below. As appropriate for the level, our Birmingham Professionals will take ownership for getting things done. You will be expected to be flexible as required in supporting your department and wider University.
Planning and organising
* Be responsible for the provision of a technical service through the day to day organisation and technical supervision of a work area;
* Manage the prioritisation, allocation and quality of work, developing the technical capability in the area;
* Manage a combination of technical and (where required) non-technical staff;
* Progress several initiatives concurrently and to plan effectively;
* Contribute to developments of the service and in policies, procedures and plans in own area;
* Ensure compliance with all legal, health and safety standards as applicable;
* Lead, if required, on project work.
and/or
* Advise on the development and application of specialist techniques/experiments and/or procedures and the analysis and interpretation of results (may run an advanced specialist service);
* Act as a recognised source of technical and/or specialist expertise in own area;
* Generate original ideas and innovative solutions and/or new techniques/experimental designs.
Problem solving and decision making
* Responsible for autonomous decision making. Post-holder is legally and professionally bound by NMC codes of practice. Clinical decisions requiring a diagnosis are referred to the Occupational Health Physician;
* Liaise with the Head of Occupational Health & Wellbeing, or Deputy, on action in cases of confirmed occupational ill health or other significant ill health when this could lead to criminal law implications or insurance claims and other significant cases being seen by the team;
* Excellent time management, organisational and record keeping skills with an ability to manage workload and seek and implement solutions autonomously, whilst also working successfully in collaboration with colleagues;
* Remaining objective whilst recognising the balance between business need and individual need, whilst also respecting client confidentiality;
* Resolve high level problems with specific techniques/applications and in the implementation of services;
* Provide specialist advice and recommendations to support decision-making of others;
* Respond to changing priorities and differing situations.
Organisational understanding
* Understand their own and closely-related working areas and how they contribute to the success of the University;
* Has an understanding of how the University operates; actively seeks to share this knowledge with others;
* Developing empathy with the academic endeavour.
Relationships and communication
* Develop excellent working relationships with customers, proactively anticipating their requirements in order to understand and deliver them;
* Daily contact with all levels of staff across the University and external clients with regard to confidential health issues and provision of professional advice showing sensitivity of diverse backgrounds and an understanding of the impact issues of diversity may have on support;
* Ability to respond sensitively and professionally to unexpected and potentially challenging situations, having a sound understanding of confidentiality;
* Regular contact with Human Resources to discuss staff referrals, training requirements and a collaborative approach to improving staff wellbeing;
* Contact with Health and Safety, health & safety College and department role holders, managers and supervisors within Schools and Departments;
* Contact with general practitioners and other (treating) medical professionals, to obtain information as required to inform advice given.
OH and DBS required
The University is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice, therefore all associated pre-employment checks will be undertaken before any appointment is confirmed. Due to the nature of the work undertaken in this role all successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Occupational Health and DBS clearance prior to appointment.
Informal enquiries to Philippa Hawkins, email: p.k.hawkins@bham.ac.uk
View our staff values and behaviours here.
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy.
You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.
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