Associate Clinical Director Infection Prevention & Control

Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.

The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.

Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.

Barts Health supports the Pregnancy Loss Pledge and commits to supporting their staff through the distress of miscarriage.

Job overview

Are you an experienced clinical leader with a passion for infection prevention and control? Barts Health is looking for a dynamic individual to support the leadership of Infection Prevention and Control across all Trust sites. As the Associated Clinical Director of Infection Prevention and Control (ACDIPC), you will have a pivotal role in managing the IPC Leads Nurses and providing expert advice on the built environment, ensuring compliance with national standards, and driving improvements in patient safety.

Our Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) team is recognised for its expertise and ability to support clinical and corporate services, which continues to be vital to the delivery of safe services. Due to the expansion of the Team we are looking for a new Associated Clinical Director for Infection Prevention and Control to join and lead the team.

The Associated Clinical Director Infection Prevention & Control (ACDIPC) will work with the Clinical Director for Infection Prevention and Control (CDIPC) to lead, manage and provide a proactive strategic infection prevention and control service ensuring that the Trust continually improves its performance in reducing healthcare-associated infections by developing systems that are evidence-based and grounded in best practice.

Main duties of the job

As a professional role model and strong clinical leader you will demonstrate an excellent understanding of infection prevention and control issues, analytical thinking and ensuring that patients are placed at the centre of care delivery.
You will work closely with the Trust Executive Team at both Group and Hospital level reporting on key infection data and advising on risk mitigation strategies. You will also lead the Trust's efforts to reduce healthcare-associated infections and ensure a safe environment for both patients and staff.

• You will have a recognised qualification in infection prevention and have significant clinical practice in this field, with experience of leading an IPC team. You will need excellent interpersonal, organisational and leadership skills to take the IPC agenda forwards, and the ability to act as a role model in promoting the IPC principles across the Trust, influencing and improving the quality of care delivered to our patients.
• You will need to be able to work autonomously, applying your expert knowledge in infection prevention and control, healthcare associated infection, environmental hygiene including water, ventilation and decontamination services across a range of clinical settings.

Working for our organisation

We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Registered Nurse, Allied Health Professional or equivalent
• First degree in infection prevention & control and / or Masters degree or (nearing completion or equivalent experience in IPC

Desirable criteria

• Recognised qualification or relevant experience in water safety &/or ventilation

Experience

Essential criteria

• Extensive recent experience at a senior level in infection prevention and control in the acute setting
• Proven evidence of developing infection prevention and control practice relating to the built environment / soft services

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Expert knowledge of infection prevention and control
• Strategic awareness
• Commitment to high quality, patient focused care

Skills

Essential criteria

• Analyses and interprets highly complex facts or situations which requires comparison of a range of options.

Desirable criteria

• Evidence of being able to analyse data from different sources and present complex data to different levels of staff

Personal and people development

Essential criteria

• Personal and people development
• Commitment to achieving the corporate objectives of the Trust

Communication

Essential criteria

• Able to communicate sensitive and highly complex information to the multi-disciplinary team
• Must be able to communicate with all levels of staff, from Board level to ward level, using appropriate language and presentation

Specific Requirement

Essential criteria

• Working within the challenges of financial constraint

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of professional and political issues in healthcare

As an Equal Opportunities Employer we actively support applications from individuals who apply under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme and will process your application as appropriate.

Barts Health is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and to child protection. The Trust aims to ensure as far as is possible that anyone, paid or unpaid, who seeks to work in our organisation and who gains access to children, is safe to do so. As such, you may be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Check as part of the recruitment process if appointed to a post with direct access to children or vulnerable adults.