Consultant in Health Protection: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

This is a senior role within the health protection team and provides leadership, management and oversight of the health protection function, including the response to incidents and outbreaks and responsibility for the day to day operational delivery.

The post holder will play a key role in developing, shaping and assuring the health protection function, which may include managing individuals and teams, working closely with partners, and ensuring delivery of high-quality surveillance, response and support systems. The post holder will have responsibility for developing and maintaining close working relationships both internally and with partner organisations. In addition, they will contribute and lead on regional and national priorities, including contribution to wider public health initiatives consistent with the regional delivery model and integrated working.

Main duties of the job

RESPONSE1. Will be expected, when required, to assume overall responsibility for the management of incidents and outbreaks of infectious diseases, lead the local Health Protection team response to non-infectious environmental hazards and chemical incidents and assume overall responsibility for the day to day running of the acute response function.2. To utilise an evidence-based approach to manage clinical/professional advice and discussions within the team and support and participate in the team’s formal case review process.3. To ensure the monitoring of standards, ensuring quality and consistency and to take action where any shortfall occurs.4. May be responsible for any ongoing longer-term management of issues relevant to a defined geography area within their area.5. May perform Proper Officer duties in relation to Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 and the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 2010 as agreed with Local Authorities.6. Will be expected to contribute, and where required, lead the UKHSA response during incidents in line with UKHSAs Emergency Planning Resilience and Response (EPRR) arrangements as part of the region’s responsibilities under the Civil Contingencies Act.7. Will contribute, support and where necessary lead the UKHSA regional centre input into Emergency Planning arrangements.8. May be required to participate in an on call rota at local, regional or national level as required.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Inclusion in the GMC Specialist Register or UK Public Health (Specialist) Register (Special Inclusion in the GMC full and specialist register with a license to practice (or be eligible for registration within six months of interview); UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists or be eligible within 6 months
• If included in the GMC Specialist Register in a specialty other than public health medicine, infectious diseases medicine or medical microbiology, candidates must have equivalent training and/or appropriate experience of public health medicine, infectious diseases medicine or medical microbiology practice
• Public health specialist registrar and specialist trainee applicants who are not yet on the GMC Register/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/UKPHR If an applicant is non-UK trained, they will be required to show evidence of equivalence to the UK CCT
• Applicants must meet minimum CPD requirements in accordance with the requirements of the Faculty of Public Health/Royal College of Pathologists/Royal College of Physicians or other recognised body
• MFPH, or MRCPath, or MRCP MFPH by examination or evidence of equivalent qualification; FRC Path or evidence of equivalent qualification; MRCP or evidence of equivalent qualification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Minimum 6 months experience in Health Protection practice
• Practical experience in leading and facilitating change
• Experience of communicable disease control in a wide variety of settings including out of hours on call
• Experience of working with other agencies
• Experience of emergency planning
• Understanding of key agencies involved in health protection
• Knowledge of methods of developing clinical quality assurance, audit, quality improvement and evidence based clinical and/or public health practice
• Understanding of social and political environment
• Understanding of laboratory microbiology services
• Understanding of clinical infectious diseases services
• Understanding of clinical toxicology services
• Understanding of the principles of radiological protection

Desirable

• Experience of budget management and financial processes
• Experience and demonstrable competency in dealing with environmental hazards / chemical incidents
• Ability to undertake prophylaxis, diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases of public health importance
• Peer reviewed scientific publications, presentation of papers at conferences, seminars, etc

Skills and capabilities

Essential

• Strategic thinker with proven leadership skills, including management of change
• Able to prioritise work, and work well against a background of change and uncertainty
• Adaptable to situations, can communicate with people of all capabilities and attitudes
• Project management
• Understanding of epidemiology and statistics, public health practice, health promotion, health economics and health care evaluation
• Excellent oral and written communication skills (including dealing with the public and the media)
• Effective interpersonal, motivational and influencing skills
• Ability to respond appropriately in unplanned and unforeseen circumstances
• Sensible negotiator with practical expectation of what can be achieved
• Substantially numerate, with highly developed analytical skills using qualitative and quantitative data
• Computer literate
• Ability to design, develop, interpret and implement policies
• Ability to concentrate for long periods (e.g. analyses, media presentations)
• Resource management skills

Desirable

• People management and training
• Training and mentoring
• Have an awareness of and be working towards the key core competencies set out in Civil Service Competency Framework 2010-2017 and KSF for those on AfC terms and conditions

Behaviours and Attitudes

Essential

• Strong commitment to public health principles
• Commitment to team-working and respect and consideration for the skills of others
• Self-motivated, pro-active, and innovative
• High standards of professional probity

Equality and diversity

Essential

• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, and in relation to management systems

Closing Date: 16 September 2026