NHS NATIONAL SERVICES SCOTLAND JOB DESCRIPTION JOB DETAILS Job Title Lead Nurse Consultant Immediate Senior Officer/ Line Manager Medical Director Department Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) SBU Public Health and Intelligence (PHI) Location CAJE Reference NPPHIS564 JOB PURPOSE The lead nurse consultant is a key member of the PHI strategic governance group along with the Director, Medical Director and associate directors and jointly develops corporate strategy to drive the work of HPS forward in line with the policy remit from the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate (SGHSCD) and NSS Reporting to the PHI Medical Director the postholder is accountable for nursing leadership of the long term strategic and business plans as well as the development and implementation of HPS, NSS and NHS Scotland policies in their field of expertise The role delivers a stakeholder-focused service and works with service managers, teams and programme leaders within the group to develop standardised management and business processes that underpin HPS’ strategic and operational aims and ensure that all staff have the skills and knowledge required to deliver the aims of the organisation The post holder supports the delivery of the objectives of the organisation The post holder also works as a consultant nurse in infection prevention and control In this case the post holder leads on ARHAI programmes and associated teams within HPS as a consultant nurse and carries responsibility for the surveillance, investigation and control of healthcare associated infection The post holder leads this programme of work at a strategic level with the aim of reducing the burden of HAI in NHS Scotland This post will also design, develop and implement research Service and quality improvement and audit initiatives that contribute to the body of knowledge of infection prevention and control locally and nationally Prepare bids and applications for funding and undertake a variety of research activities aimed at meeting identified needs, informing policy, service delivery and best practice Prepare articles and reports and publish findings both nationally and internationally Page of DIMENSIONS This post is the most senior level for a consultant nurse in HPS with responsibility for the four domains of practice and accountability at SBU level for professional nursing leadership The role leads a multi-disciplinary group teams of 40+ staff from a variety of disciplines (medical, nursing, scientific and admin).The group has five departments/ teams with different work streams in ARHAI and other staff working on projects or as consultants to the group The post holder is responsible for the line management of nurse consultants in HPS (n=6) and the professional lead for nursing in PHI with professional accountability for the nursing staff in PHI (n=28) Although this role is not responsible for a budget, the role influences, contributes and monitors decision making about budget and group spend in line with the service manager for a number of particular the groups and strategic programmes being implemented through local and national strategy, which the post holder is accountable for The post holder is also expected to work independently as a consultant nurse with managerial accountability to the medical Director of PHI Provides advanced theoretical specialised advice to NHS Scotland and wider contributing at a UK level and is the most senior expert nurse adviser in this area The role involves development of HPS guidance and SOPs, dealing with complex information and presenting to SGHSD in a way that is understandable, analysing policy and clinical information and synthesising this to provide expert advice to government, senior managers and the public As a consultant nurse is responsible contributing to research and development programmes for HAI, which supports the wider objectives of Health Protection Scotland and the NHS on an ongoing bases and forms a significant part of the post holder work ORGANISATION CHART ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT HPS is made up of three health protection area groups Its multidisciplinary approach to its work allows it to provide the detailed information and support required by NHS Boards, local authorities, the SGHSCD and other bodies working in public health The ARHAI group provide services involving monitoring and surveillance, operational support and advice, education and training and research in relation to such infections in Scotland It leads within HPS in liaising with the SGHSCD and NHS agencies in dealing with this high profile, priority issue The group covers four main subject areas: infection control and risk management; built environment and decontamination and other matters related to the potential iatrogenic transmission of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs); anti-microbial resistance and HAI surveillance/ epidemiology A consultant leads each subject area The role manages all of the consultant leads in each of the areas and leads the ARHAI group KEY RESULT AREAS Leadership & Management Accountable for the Group achieving all relevant HPS strategic and business plan objectives by leading, motivating and managing a multi-disciplinary group comprising of service delivery teams Ensures there is engagement with all stakeholders (setting up supporting networks as Page of appropriate) to assess service needs Working with the Service Manager and senior staff within the team, create a structure that supports effective service provision and promotes a positive culture/ inspires others Challenges the status quo, pursues and responds to changes from external and internal factors Understands the risks with change and has the ability to review and manage risk within a plan Ensures the development, standardisation, implementation and delivery of appropriate policies, processes and new ways of working that support the organisation’s objectives, collaborating with team members and other staff leading in specific cross-cutting activities, to ensure that services are delivered effectively and consistently across HPS Balances short and long term needs at an organisational level Undertakes responsibility for the recruitment, selection and development of staff (in accordance with NSS policy) to ensure delivery of group objectives and services Responsible for ensuring that training and development is applied consistently and fairly across the Group and will ensure that mechanisms for assessing skill requirements and determining effectiveness of training & development are in place for all staff including twice-yearly performance reviews and Personal Development Plans appropriate to each role Promotes a culture that values learning and development Ensures that divisional/corporate/NHS policies and initiatives such as the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF), Investors in People, Diversity etc are implemented within the group, working with Operations Managers, team leaders and HR as appropriate Ensures compliance with regulatory standards and corporate and clinical governance Develops and supports SGHSCD on long term strategic plans (5 years plus) for specified areas within HAI, which impact across the NHS and has implications for associated resources both internally and externally in terms of programme development and delivery Anticipates future developments, working on a year planning horizon Contributes to the development and implementation of the HPS strategic and business plan for specialist areas by identifying the needs of key stakeholders and working with, the Director and Medical Director in developing actions to meet these Responsible for planning and organising and managing a portfolio of programmes of HAI reduction, which impact on the NHS and contribute to the wider UK policy and strategy for HAI Expected to create an operational framework for the strategic direction, including business planning and programme planning Develops and maintains close working links with key stakeholders by helping provide HPS’s input into the ARHAI policy group; networking with a range of specialist clinical groups including infection control nurses and surveillance nurses, microbiological, clinical and public health colleagues and co-ordinating the ARHAI programme board by HPS Responsible for a range of policy development and implementation across the NHS relative to HAI, including chairing national meetings on HAI and utilizing information for policy development Promotes a quality culture Promotes and champions knowledge management to benefit the NHS and patient care 10 Responsible for interpreting and implementing the overall health service policy and strategy in order to establish standards for the service NHS wide relative to HAI 11 Manages consultant nurses and professionally accountable for the 28 nurses in PHI Clinical / Operational 12 Leads in the provision of advanced theoretical expert operational support and advice, which contributes to the care of patients in terms of HAI prevention (through maintaining access to key local, UK and international experts and an archive of key reference material) to key health and social care professionals in Scotland via telephone, website content development and maintenance, email communications, letters, visits and attendance at meetings Leads service change through consulting to identify risks, participates in and facilitates networks of medical staff, specialist nurses, microbiological, clinical, public health and other professionals involved in Page of the surveillance, investigation and control of HAI Uses these networks and understanding of the politics of NHS and wider environment to meet service delivery requirements 13 Responsible for identifying and establishing links between surveillance outputs and the development of good infection control practice and provide advanced theoretical epidemiological input to inform in the management of incidents and outbreaks Is responsible for Interpreting and understanding of what is possible and what is not given local and national climate 14 Responds to enquiries from the media, MPs (parliamentary questions) etc on matters relating HAI epidemiology and outbreaks and ensures appropriate and effective risk communication to a range of stakeholders Adapts approach as per the requirements of the situation Evidence & Surveillance 15 Develops, implements and maintains effective and up to date health monitoring and microbiological systems by maintaining and developing relationships with infection control nurses, surveillance nurses, microbiologists, clinicians and others providing data for to evidence and ensure that systems contribute effectively to measures to protect health Ensure linkages with other UK, European and international HAI surveillance networks are maintained 16 Is responsible for ensuring that the data processes involved in evidencing information for surveillance purposes meet quality standards and legal requirements especially those related to confidentiality and ensure that surveillance data is regularly reviewed to identify findings of significance and assess and report on their risk to public health, especially through feedback to those providing the data 17 Develops and presents board level and national level reports on HAI 18 Horizon scans HAI to identify new and emerging knowledge, information resources and technologies and evaluate their potential benefits 19 Promotes and champions knowledge management to benefit the NHS and patient care 20 Clinical ownership and authorizing of the development and maintenance of surveillance, e.g approving the specification and protocol for the national surgical site infection surveillance system and other systems designed to monitor infection prevention challenges, and their consequences and the impact on these Oversee the design, processing and uses of data so that findings of significance are identified, their relevance to risks to infection prevention assessed and when necessary, alerts or other communications issued Ensure that the data processes involved in epidemic intelligence systems meet quality standards especially those related to confidentiality and statistics and sign off reports prior to publication taking account of Information governance requirements 21 When appropriate, lead the investigation (epidemiological, microbiological or environmental)in incidents) for which HPS has responsibility or when requested by NHS Boards; 22 Ensure effective liaison with partners and assure and sign off HPS reports on ARHAI issues related to the above especially those which enter the public domain Research & Development 23 As a consultant nurse is responsible for initiating and developing research and development projects in HAI, which supports the wider objectives of Health Protection Scotland and the NHS 24 Through collaboration with academic and other partners leads in the identification of relevant research initiatives and collaborates to deliver these 25 Liaises with stakeholders on the application of research findings to improving practice and service delivery, produce reports and key papers, for publication and presentation at a local, national, UK wide Page of Training & Education 26 Identifies needs for education and training on HAI and liaises with partners particularly NHS Education Scotland in meeting these 27 Provides advanced theoretical expert knowledge, on a needs assessment basis, to education programmes, facilitating quality standards of these, for the interests of health and social care professionals’ competence in this field, at all levels and help formulate and develop training modules for nursing and medical undergraduate students and post-graduate students 28 Undertakes lecturing commitments and be instrumental in the development on a day-to-day basis of trainees on secondment to HPS 29 Develops and implements training packages for clinical staff, which impact on patient care in terms of prevention of HAI ASSIGNMENT AND REVIEW OF WORK The post holder is a key leader organisationally and within the NHS and is expected to interpret overall health service policy and strategy in order to meet HPS strategic goals This involves corporate decision making, comparing a range of options to make judgements within minimal guidelines The post holder will provide highly specialised, evidence-based, expert advice and information to a wide range of stakeholders on issues relating to area of expertise where scientific or expert clinical evidence may be conflicting or unavailable The post holder will be expected to be an autonomous expert and clinical lead in the field and utilise a range of intelligence for the promotion of evidence-based practice with regard to prevention of HAI, setting goals and standards for others He/she will use discretion to give highly specialised advanced theoretical information and through analysis make expert independent judgements on the evidence available, taking in the complex aspects of the very nature of HAI, where the solution may not be obvious, in order to interpret risk of HAI This risk communication will be to internal and external agencies including the SGHSCD for parliamentary questions and the media/ press This is done in an environment where there is differing expert opinion and frequently no evidence base and the post holder is expected to make a sound judgement taking into account the complexities of the issue This is the most senior nurse consultant role within the PHI organisation with a high degree of autonomy In the main the post holder will be guided by national policies and be expected to interpret and implement in context of professional guidelines and standards The post holder will be expected to act with minimal guidelines and independently advise the SGHSCD and HPS on how to proceed with reference to ARHAI clinical and nursing professional guidance including HPS’s own strategic and operational framework The Medical Director of PHI will plan his/her objectives and will review these under the appraisal system twice yearly He/she will liaise closely with the Medical Director in ensuring that the ARHAI group’s contribution to achieving PHI’s business and strategic objectives is being maximised The post holder responds to directives directly from the SGHSCD and is expected to anticipate problems and needs and take steps to resolve them autonomously with a high degree of freedom to act The post holder line manages the nurse consultants in HPS and carries out performance review twice yearly ensuring professional and personal development and training needs are met Page of 8 COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS The post holder will work at the highest levels of interpersonal and communication skills The post holder will provide and receive highly complex, sensitive HAI data where there may be risk communication difficulties, due to highly complex HAI data requiring to be conveyed in easily understood language with press/media and other agencies There may be difficulties due to the highly contentious nature of the subject matter of HAI also Internal A high level of interpersonal and communication skills will be required for day-to-day group management/ leadership He/she will also work in collaboration with other groups of HPS with particular reference to HPS and PHI strategic goals Relationships with other consultant staff, the medical director and the corporate management team will also be important Encourages feedback from teams and individuals and monitors effectiveness of communications Breaks bad news to staff and is empathetic in dealing with these issues External At this level the post holder will be expected to promote the work of HPS and collaborate nationally and internationally with professionals in the field of HAI, however in the main, strong relationships utilising the highest level communication skills will require to be maintained with the SGHSCD, NHS Boards, particularly specialist nursing groups and microbiologists, medical clinicians and other members of the multidisciplinary team and universities Communications with the press/ media and HIS and NHS Education will be essential MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THE JOB Balancing a varied and challenging workload in terms of group leadership at a corporate level and clinical leadership at a national level, including providing and receiving highly sensitive and contentious information in tight deadlines, where there are significant barriers to risk communication, including presentation and publication of work and ensuring delivery of group objectives and HPS and PHI corporate objectives 10 SYSTEMS Responsible for data protection of all national data relative to ARHAI Post holder is expected to ensure compliance with reporting for all HR systems in organisation on behalf of the staff he/she manage e.g sickness reporting, annual leave reporting 11 WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND EFFORT Physical Effort The post holder will have a frequent requirement for intense concentration when interpreting data and communicating the risk of HAI This will require utilising a VDU continuously on most days and will require advanced keyboard skills for the speed and accuracy required Mental Effort There is a frequent requirement for speed and accuracy in terms of reporting data often within very short deadlines for parliamentary questions and press enquiries There is a requirement to respond to requests from NHS Boards, key stakeholders, media and SE enquiries, which can take the post holder several hours to investigate, collaborate and write up an appropriate response The post holder will also be required to switch from this to corporate requirements as required on a daily basis which also require intense concentration for addressing complex issues which can take between 2-4 hours to establish the Page of correct responses Emotional Effort There will be exposure to highly emotional or distressing circumstances when dealing with verbal aggression from patients and their families affected/ bereaved by HAI and the press/ media when dealing with enquires about rates of HAI in NHS Scotland and when imparting and divulging sensitive data There may also be significant barriers to communication when dealing with challenging behaviour from resistant medical, clinical and senior managerial staff as a result of SGHSCD requirements and unwelcome news on HAI rates or new HAI policy 12 ENVIRONMENTAL / WORKING CONDITIONS & MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT Post holder is expected to have advanced keyboard skills and use a VDU continuously on most days Also is expected to operate data projector and laptop for giving presentations and facilitating training all over NHS Scotland 13 QUALIFICATIONS AND/OR EXPERIENCE SPECIFIED FOR THE POST This is the most senior nurse consultant role and the post holder forms a critical part of the HPS and PHI management team The post holder will therefore hold a relevant, a Masters in infection control but will also have extensive experience within the NHS or other relevant public service at a senior level They must have excellent leadership skills and be able to demonstrate clear understanding of the range of activities HPS undertakes and understand the political, social and financial frameworks and constraints under which the organisation has to operate Qualifications & Training • • • • Registered general nurse (registration current with NMC) Primary degree in a scientific or clinical subject Postgraduate qualification such as MSc in IPC or related subject Demonstrable experience utilising epidemiological methods and applying in practice Knowledge & Skills • • • • • Computer literacy, excellent working knowledge of commonly used software Highly developed analytical skills, including experience in the utilisation of statistical analysis tools (e.g SPSS, STATA) Highly developed communication skills, both verbal and written, with experience in managing contentious issues, areas of conflict or differences in professional opinion Experience of training and delivery and development of educational programmes in complex subject areas, to a range of audiences Experience in the leadership and delivery of infection control projects or programmes in line with recognised methodologies Other Attributes • • • • • • • Proven track record as a team player Ability to foster and maintain good working relationships with administrative staff, scientific staff, clinicians and NMAHP and health professionals at all levels Ability to influence and interact with a wide variety of stakeholders Ability to present detailed highly complex scientific information to a broad range of audiences Record of peer-reviewed publications Commitment to CPD requirements of NMC and aligning to NES and RCN nursing career competency frameworks Flexible approach and commitment to apply skills across HPS in support of clinical priorities Skills and knowledge Page of The person demonstrates the following: • Leadership capability • Excellent interpersonal skills • Effective management abilities (of self and others) • Effective communication skills • Problem solving abilities • Strong and sound decision making • Understanding of the potential impact to service and staff during periods of significant business re-engineering and change • Financial/budgeting knowledge • Specialised HAI and IPC knowledge • Epidemiology knowledge Behaviours The postholder is expected to lead by example at all times, demonstrate the highest standards of personal and professional conduct that support the NSS values and respect the diversity that makes up a complex multi-disciplinary workforce Expected to inspire others and act as a role model organisationally and NHS wide Evidence of continuing professional development, in terms of further leadership development and specialist training and research, will also be required 14 JOB DESCRIPTION AGREEMENT A separate job description will need to be signed off by each postholder to whom the job description applies Postholder Signature: Date: Postholder Print: Manager Signature: Date: Manager Print: Manager Title: Page of ... surveillance/ epidemiology A consultant leads each subject area The role manages all of the consultant leads in each of the areas and leads the ARHAI group KEY RESULT AREAS Leadership & Management... staff working on projects or as consultants to the group The post holder is responsible for the line management of nurse consultants in HPS (n=6) and the professional lead for nursing in PHI with... senior level for a consultant nurse in HPS with responsibility for the four domains of practice and accountability at SBU level for professional nursing leadership The role leads a multi-disciplinary