Job summary
This is a specialist epidemiology role in surveillance and response to emerging influenza (including zoonotic), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), legionella, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, community acquired pneumonia, tuberculosis and other acute or emerging respiratory infections including new coronavirus infections.
This role is a joint appointment between the UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) Acute Respiratory and Tuberculosis units hosted within the UKHSA Travel Health, Zoonoses, Emerging Infections of Pandemic Potential & Respiratory & TB (TARZET) division of the Clinical and Public Health Group, working closely with information, administrative, clinical, and scientific staff. TARZET works in an integrated manner and therefore the post-holder can expect to provide epidemiological and other operational input to other parts of the division.
Main duties of the job
The post is subject to the core competencies as set out by the Faculty of Public Health for Consultant appointments and the post holder will be expected to demonstrate expertise in all of them. In summary the key responsibilities are leading on key respiratory infectious disease surveillance, risk assessments, public health management and control of outbreaks, including development of guidance, supporting divisional management and the supervision and training of staff.
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 staff 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.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder responsibilities are as follows:
Taking a lead role in the surveillance and situational awareness of respiratory infections working with the head of team and principal scientists in the acute respiratory infections and tuberculosis unit and other disciplines including the wider TARZET division. Supporting the epidemiological outputs of the TARZET division with a specific focus on, but not limited to acute respiratory infections and tuberculosis. Leading on public health risk assessment of these and other threats within the scope of the divisions work and associated communications. Contributing to and develop strategic and operational plans for acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis and the wider TARZET division. Collaborating with internal and external partners to investigate, manage, and control outbreaks of acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis and other outbreaks within the scope of the wider divisions remit. Be a member of the Acute Respiratory Infections unit management team and TARZET senior staff team, with involvement in business planning and development of surveillance, research, and training strategies. Supporting the deputy director and head of team to ensure day-to-day operational delivery of TARZET and the Acute Respiratory Infection and Tuberculosis teams responsibilities and developing new, more efficient and safer approaches to delivering services. Deputise where appropriate, using leadership approaches and skills. Providing specialist input to public health guidance and supporting documents for the acute respiratory infections, tuberculosis and other infections within the scope of TARZETs remit; leadership on publishing specific documents will be agreed with the units head. Supervising Epidemiological Scientists, Information Officers, Epidemiology Fellows, Specialist Registrars in Public Health Medicine and Specialist Trainees, administrative team members and other staff as appropriate. Providing specialist epidemiological advice in relation to the investigation and control of incidents of acute respiratory infections and tuberculosis, and other infections within the scope of the divisions remit, working with regional health protection teams and other stakeholders where required. Developing epidemiological response capabilities to assess and respond to emerging acute respiratory infection and tuberculosis risks and other risks within the scope of the division. Liaising with cross-government stakeholders in relation to situational awareness, public health risk assessment, response advice and preparation for incidents that may have public health implications, emergent respiratory pathogens that may have pandemic or epidemic potential. Collaborating with laboratory specialists to prepare for these infection threats. Other duties as agreed by negotiation between the post holder and the unit head.
Details of additional duties are outlined on the full Job Description.
This post is open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your Qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and capabilities outlined in the person specification.
You will be required to complete an application form. You will also be asked to provide information within the Employer/ Activity history section of the application form. This will be assessed in line with the advertised criteria.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a detailed personal statement / statement of suitability (up to 1000 words) based on the essential criteria advertised. This should outline how you consider your skills, knowledge and experience meet the selection requirements. It should provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the person specification criteria outlined.
Applicants are strongly advised to use the person specification section as sub-headings in the application to make it clear how you meet each of the selection criteria.
Interviews will be held remotely, Wednesday 15th January 2025 (this date may be subject to change); interview will include a 5 minute presentation, the topic of which will be confirmed in advance of the interviews and for which visual aids such as slides will be permitted.
The successful candidate will be appointed to the point of the Consultant salary scale appropriate to their years of seniority or if from a background other than medicine to NHS Agenda for Change Band 8d.
Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice or on the UK Public Health Register (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview) is required.
If included in the GMC Specialist Register or in a specialty other than public health medicine, candidates must have equivalent training and, or appropriate experience of public health practice.
Public Health Specialty Registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register or UK Public Health Register must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry at the date of interview; all other applicants must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they have applied for inclusion in the GMC Specialist Register or UK Public Health Register or that they already have registration.
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
If based at one of our scientific locations, you will be required to have a Counter Terrorism Check security vetting check as a minimum. For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. In exceptional circumstances UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
1. Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register for Public Health Medicine with a license to practice/GDC Specialist List (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 for registration within six months of interview) Or Inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register in a specialty other than public health medicine, candidates must have a minimum of 6 months' training and/or work experience in a health protection setting
2. If an applicant is UK trained, they must ALSO be a holder of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), or be within six months of award of CCT by date of interview If an applicant is non-UK trained, they will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT
3. Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements in accordance with the requirements of Faculty of Public Health/ Royal College of Pathologists/Royal College of Physicians or other recognised body
4. MFPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment or equivalent MRCPath or MRCP in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body
Personal Qualities
Essential
5. Strong commitment to public health principles
6. Able to prioritise work, and work well against a background of change and uncertainty
7. Adaptable to situations, can handle people of all capabilities and attitudes
8. Commitment to team-working, and respect and consideration for the skills of others
9. Self-motivated, pro-active, and innovative
10. High standards of professional probity
Experience
Essential
11. Significant strategic experience of leadership for public health
12. Staff management and training
13. Scientific publications, presentation of papers at conferences, seminars etc
14. Experience of communicable disease control in a wide variety of settings including out of hours on call
15. Experience of working with other agencies
16. Experience of emergency planning
17. Experience in the application of epidemiological methods such as case control and cohort studies to investigate public health problems
18. Experience in using analytical and statistical software, R, python
Desirable
19. Practical experience in facilitating change
20. Practical experience in developing public health guidance
Skills
Essential
21. Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills
22. Proven excellent oral and written communication skills (including dealing with the media)
23. Proven and effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
24. Ability to respond appropriately in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances
25. Sensible negotiator with practical expectation of what can be achieved
26. Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data
27. Ability to apply epidemiological methods and statistics
28. Computer literate, including with skills in using analytical software, R, python and other relevant software of epidemiological utility, geospatial and referencing software
29. Ability to design, develop, interpret, and implement policies
30. Ability to concentrate for long periods (, analyses, media presentations)
31. Resource and staff management skills
32. Project Management skills
33. Budget management skills
Desirable
34. Ability to risk assess and advise on prophylaxis and health surveillance of infectious diseases of public health importance
35. Training and mentoring skills
Knowledge
Essential
36. High level of understanding of epidemiology and statistics, public health practice, health promotion, health economics and health care evaluation
37. Understanding of NHS and local government cultures, structures, and policies
38. Knowledge of methods of developing clinical quality assurance, quality improvement and evidence based clinical and/or public health practice
39. Understanding of social and political environment
40. Understanding of interfaces between health and social care
41. An understanding of the public sector duty and the inequality duty and their applications to public health practice
42. Understanding of key agencies involved in health protection
43. Understanding of clinical infectious diseases services
44. Understanding of the laboratory methods for diagnosis of respiratory infections and their role in disease surveillance and incident response
Desirable
45. Knowledge of grant development and research methodology
Equality and Diversity
Essential
46. An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems