Consultant in Public Health

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to provide Public Health leadership across the Trust, the local system and the wider North East and North Cumbria region.

You will be responsible for delivery of the Trust Population Health strategy which includes four key areas of focus:

1. Prevention
2. Health Equity
3. Sustainability
4. Anchor Organisation

You will lead a small Population Health team and seek to influence the wider organisation, and partners in relation to Public Health. The postholder will regularly engage with senior leaders and provide advice and guidance across the Trust for all matters relating to Population Health. Working with a wide range of stakeholders including NHS staff, local authorities, the voluntary sector, researchers and local communities you will be responsible for supporting an ambitious work plan.

This role would suit someone who is passionate about fairness and tackling health inequalities. You should be highly motivated and enjoy working in a changing environment with multiple partners. You will be supported by a team at STSFT and a large network across the region. This is a challenging and rewarding role offering the chance to make a positive difference for communities in South Tyneside and Sunderland.

Interviews to be held on Tuesday 27th May

Main duties of the job

The postholder will provide strategic advice to the Trust and also be responsible for operational management of the Population Health department. The postholder will establish strong working relationships with internal and external colleagues to support an increased focus on prevention and tangible steps to tackle longstanding health inequalities.

A high level of intellectual rigour, political awareness and flexibility are required. The postholder will be experienced in demonstrating negotiation and motivation skills. The ability to establish and maintain effective relationships and advise, challenge and advocate to enable effective working across organisational boundaries are crucial. The postholder will work with Local Authority Public Health teams, NHS bodies, voluntary and community organisations and the Integrated Care System to ensure a coherent and strategic approach to improving population health across our geography through evidence-based action.

The portfolio of work is broad but includes specific responsibilities for tackling health inequalities, supporting a shift to more preventative care, meeting our aspirations around environmental sustainability and working with partners including local communities.

You will be a Consultant in Public Health / Medicine and depending on your background will have either obtained specialist registration in public health or be included on the GMC Specialist Register for Public Health Medicine.

About us

One Team One Trust - There are many reasons to work at our Trust. From our commitment to putting people first to our accessible services and award winning teams. We have a passion for research, innovation and tackling inequalities. We are committed to respect, fairness and civility and promote a compassionate, caring and positive culture / working environment.

We welcome all applications irrespective of peoples race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under-represented groups. Looking after our workforces health and wellbeing is a priority for STSFT. We also provide access to high quality education, training, career progression and support. Flexible working is supported via the Trust's Flexible Working Policy.

The Trust employs around 8,300 people and provides a range of hospital services to a local community of around 430,000 residents. We also provide a range of more specialised services outside this area, in some cases to a population as great as 860,000. We offer our staff outstanding benefits - Fitness Centre (SRH), libraries at both hospital sites, chaplaincy support and access to a Childcare Co-ordinator to help staff with childcare arrangements.

Date posted: 16 April 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8d

Salary: £88,168 to £101,677 a year

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: C9155-CRMD-0425-16

Job locations: South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, Harton Lane, South Shields, Tyne And Wear, NE34 0PL

Job description Job responsibilities

We are looking to appoint an innovative and enthusiastic Consultant in Public Health who will lead the Population Health department and be responsible for delivery of the Population Health strategy.

Provide public health leadership, expertise and population insight into the planning and delivery of care across the organisation. The post holder will lead a defined portfolio of work, develop and support new ways of working to promote prevention and equity of access, experience and outcome as part of the organisations core business ensuring effective collaboration with the wider system.

The post holder will help progress the Trusts contribution to health improvement and reducing health inequalities for patients, their families, staff and the wider population. The post holder will be expected to cope with multiple and changing demands and to meet tight deadlines.

A high level of intellectual rigour, political awareness, negotiation and motivation skills and flexibility are required. Working in partnership across multiple organisations including the NHS, Local Government and voluntary, community and social enterprise sector partners across the Integrated care system. The postholder will have the ability to maintain effective relationships and understand other cultures and advise, challenge and advocate to enable effective working across organisational boundaries.

The post holder will contribute to and influence system wide strategies, plans and programmes working closely with Local Authority Public Health teams to ensure a coherent and strategic approach to influencing the wider determinants of health and improving population health across the health economy.

To role model compassionate and inclusive leadership across the Trust and wider system.

To lead the Trusts work on Environmental Sustainability, working closely with colleagues across the Trust and other agencies.

Person Specification

Experience Essential

• Experience of using complex information to explain public health issues to a range of audiences.
• Experience of teaching, training and mentoring staff.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary setting.
• Practical experience of project management and facilitating change.
• High level of understanding of epidemiology and statistics, public health practice, health promotion, health economics and healthcare evaluation.
• Extensive experience and demonstrable success in facilitating organisational and cultural change and of securing the support of others in the process.
• Recent extensive experience and consistent achievement at a senior management level within an organisation of comparable scope and complexity.

Desirable

• Media experience demonstrating delivery of effective health behaviour messages and working with the media/press.
• Experience of teaching, training and mentoring staff in an NHS setting.
• Experience and proven track record of NHS project and service design, development and, management.
• Experience and proven track record of developing and delivering the public health agenda in a range of NHS settings.
• Experience of commissioning and managing large budgets within the NHS.
• Experience and a proven track record of developing strategies/resources and delivering on projects within the NHS.

Skills and Knowledge Essential

• Understanding of NHS and local government cultures, structures and policies.
• Financial and commercial awareness, with an excellent aptitude for developing innovative solutions to complex problems.
• Successful strategic management and a proven track record of leading in the formulation and delivery of strategic objectives and policies within a large, multi-disciplined organization.
• Knowledge of methods of developing clinical quality assurance, quality improvement and evidence based clinical and/or public health practice.
• Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills having the ability to engage and command the confidence of a range of people including senior managers, clinicians and other staff, the public, external partners and other stakeholders.
• Effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills.
• Skills in making judgments involving highly complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options.
• Ability to respond appropriately in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances.
• Ability to design, develop, interpret and implement policies.
• Skills in the planning and organisation of a broad range of complex activities or programmes, which require the formulation and adjustment of plans.
• Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data.
• Computer literate and competent in the use of IT.
• Able to engage effectively with others at a senior level and building productive partnerships with key stakeholders.
• Able to prioritise work and work well against a background of change and uncertainty.
• Budget management skills.
• Project management skills.
• Must be able to demonstrate the English language proficiency level required for this post.
• Able to influence senior colleagues including directors, clinicians, Elected Members and CEOs.
• Able to lead teams and to contribute effectively in teams led by junior colleagues.
• Commitment to work within a political system irrespective of personal political affiliations.
• Able to demonstrate and motivate organisations to contribute to improving the publics health and wellbeing through mainstream activities and within resources.
• Ability to design, develop, interpret and implement strategies and policies.
• Strong and demonstrable understanding of interfaces between health, social care and key partners (dealing with wider determinants of health).
• Understanding of the public sector duty and the inequality duty and their application to public health practice.
• Strong commitment to public health principles.
• Able to prioritise work and work well against a background of change and uncertainty.
• Commitment to team working and respect and consideration for the skills of others.
• Self-motivated, proactive and innovative.
• High standards of professional probity.
• Learning agility and commitment to self-development.

Desirable

• Skills in public health leadership within and across a range of systems.
• Knowledge and experience of patient safety and quality improvement principles and practice.
• Scientific publications, presentation of papers at conferences, seminars etc.
• Knowledge of or experience in coaching and mentoring practices and tools.
• Knowledge of or experience in Quality improvement tools, techniques and methods.

Qualifications Essential

• Public health skills and knowledge to Faculty of Public Health accredited level acquired through degree plus extended specialist training to Faculty membership and fellowship level.
• Inclusion in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List/UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists.
• If included in the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in a specialty other than public health medicine/dental public health, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health medicine practice.
• Public health specialty registrar applicants who are not yet on the GMC Specialist Register/GDC Specialist List in dental public health/UKPHR 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/GDC/UKPHR specialist registers.
• Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements (i.e. be up to date) in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements or other recognised body.

Desirable

• MFPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment.
• Masters in Public Health.
• Educational Qualification.

Physical Skills Essential

• Working to relevant Code of Conduct and Professional Guidelines.
• Adaptable and able to work flexibly when required, e.g. in the light of changing service priorities.
• It is an essential requirement of the role that the post holder has a valid driving license and is either a car owner and able to use the car for work purposes, or has a Trust personal lease vehicle which may be used for the role. However, the Trust would consider making reasonable adjustments to the role, if necessary, to enable a disabled person to undertake the role.
• Ability to sit at workstations as necessary to perform the post.

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.

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Employer name: South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust

Address: South Tyneside Nhs Foundation Trust, Harton Lane, South Shields, Tyne And Wear, NE34 0PL

Employer's website: https://www.stsft.nhs.uk