Head of Rare and Imported Pathogens and Clinical Services

NHS; Salisbury; On-site; GBP 88,000 - 140,000

Job description

Head of Rare and Imported Pathogens and Clinical Services

We are looking for a Head of our Rare and Imported Pathogens Clinical Service in Porton Down. The post holder will lead clinical services and the Imported Fever Service, taking responsibility for all departmental activities and delegating tasks to suitably qualified individuals as appropriate. They will ensure high quality services with a strong focus on clinical governance. Additionally, they will provide clinical leadership and oversight to the laboratory, working closely with SMEs and colleagues across the Science group, particularly the Deputy Director for Diagnostics and Pathogen Characterisation and the co-lead for the WHO Collaborating Centre for Virus Reference & Research (Special Pathogens). They will be a member of the TARZET SLMT and provide senior input into divisional activities.

They will support UKHSA incident response as required.

Main duties of the job

Lead and manage the clinical services team and take responsibility for the day-to-day provision of a comprehensive clinical microbiology and virology service covering unusual pathogens, including arboviruses, Rickettsia, Q fever, Lyme disease, and leptospirosis. Provide clinical leadership and oversight to the laboratory, working with the Operational lead for RIPL and the Scientific Programme Manager.

Ensure a strong focus on clinical governance, patient safety, and risk management, leading a programme of continuous improvement work for the laboratory and clinical services, including compliance with ISO standards as appropriate. Take responsibility for departmental matters concerning clinical governance, including participation in divisional clinical governance initiatives and design of appropriate local clinical governance and quality programme.

Lead the research & development work in RIPL, working with the Scientific Programme Manager and individual experts in the department.

Support UKHSA incident response as required.

Work closely with the EIZ public health team to ensure high quality surveillance and risk assessment of infections within RIPL remit. Liaise with patient and professional interest groups and provide evidence-based advice.

Assist with teaching and training of medical, scientific, and biomedical scientist staff, international visitors, and undergraduates and postgraduates within PHE, university partners, and other agencies.

About us

We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters, promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA's 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.

Please visit our careers site for more information: https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Job responsibilities

Registered medical practitioner, with full registration with the GMC, and inclusion on the Specialist Register for Microbiology or Virology (or be eligible for entry onto that register within six months of the AAC date) or commensurate qualifications and experience. Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists. Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining UK CCT in Microbiology/Virology/Infectious Diseases. Ability to offer an expert clinical and clinical laboratory opinion on a range of problems relating to Microbiology & Virology in primary care, inpatient, and tertiary referral settings. Experience in clinical management of Lyme disease, and/or willingness to take on a clinical leadership role in this area after a period of training/induction as appropriate.

Experience/interest in Microbiological/virological aspects of infection control in hospitals, public places, and the environment. Laboratory management experience and understanding of the relevant laboratory legislation and regulations. Principles and practice of infection control in the hospital, community, and environment. Diagnostic laboratory quality control, safety, and diagnostic development. Demonstrated leadership and management skills. Commitment to clinical governance and patient safety. Evidence of continuing medical education (existing consultants must be able to demonstrate active participation in a recognized CPD scheme).

Experience and expertise in advising on the management of critically ill infection patients. Experience in investigating new, unusual, or tropical infections. Demonstrated aptitude and interest in public health and health protection microbiology/virology. Ability to supervise postgraduate clinical & laboratory research. National or international scientific standing.

External: Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Competency-based assessments. You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on essential criteria, and this will be in the form of an application form (Employer/Activity history section on the application) and a 1500-word Statement of Suitability. This should outline how you consider your skills, experience, and knowledge, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria. Application and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

Unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview & assessment. Please do not exceed 1500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number. Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview (competency based)

You will be invited to a face-to-face interview at 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London. Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview. A 5-minute presentation will be required, no slides. Interviews will be held week commencing 05/05/2025. Please note, this date is subject to change.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Developed Vetting.

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 10 years, as the role requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. 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.

This role is based at UKHSA Porton. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered medical practitioner, with full registration with the GMC, and inclusion on the Specialist Register for Microbiology or Virology (or be eligible for entry onto that register within six months of the AAC date) or commensurate qualifications and experience. Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists or equivalent. Applicants that are UK trained 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. Applicants that are non-UK trained will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT.
• Evidence of continuing medical education (existing consultants must be able to demonstrate active participation in a recognized CPD scheme).
• Further qualification such as Postgraduate thesis (MD, PhD or equivalent), MSc, DipHIC, etc.
• MRCP or equivalent.
• Experience relevant to RIPL pathogens during training or prior roles, for example DTM&H or tropical medical experience.

Knowledge and experience

• Clinical training and experience equivalent to that required for gaining UK CCT in Microbiology/Virology/Infectious Diseases.
• Ability to offer an expert clinical and clinical laboratory opinion on a range of problems relating to Microbiology & Virology in primary care, inpatient, and tertiary referral settings.
• Experience in clinical management of Lyme disease, and/or willingness to take on clinical leadership role in this area after a period of training/induction as appropriate.
• Experience/interest in Microbiological/virological aspects of infection control in hospitals, public places, and the environment.
• Laboratory management experience and understanding of the relevant laboratory legislation and regulations.
• Principles and practice of infection control in the hospital, community, and environment.
• Diagnostic laboratory quality control, safety, and diagnostic development.
• Experience and expertise in advising on the management of critically ill infection patients.
• Experience in investigating new, unusual, or tropical infections.
• Demonstrated aptitude and interest in public health and health protection microbiology/virology.

Skills / capabilities/ behaviours

• Demonstrated leadership and management skills.
• Commitment to clinical governance and patient safety.
• Interest and experience in specialty training of clinical and scientific trainees.
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team. Good interpersonal, written, and communication skills, and able to communicate effectively in clinical, government, and international settings.
• Must be prepared to work at the base laboratory and must be willing to travel to other sites necessitated by the role. Willingness to undertake additional professional responsibilities at local, regional, and national levels.
• Ability to supervise postgraduate clinical & laboratory research.
• National or international scientific standing.

Equality and diversity

• 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.

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.

DD, TB, ARI, Zoonoses, Emerging Infections

£88,168 to £139,882 a year, per annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working