Healthcare Scientist Leeds, England
Job description
An exciting opportunity has arisen within the National Infection prevention and Control Team at NHS England and Improvement (NHSEI). We are seeking to recruit three permanent infection prevention and control (IPC) healthcare scientists (AfC Band 6) to support the policy and guidance workstream.
As an IPC Healthcare Scientist the successful candidates will work as part of a dynamic team in delivering an effective service supporting managers and staff across the national IPC team to effectively deliver the IPC ambitions within the national AMR five year plan.
The successful candidates have a role to play in ensuring that Infection Prevention and Control Improvement Programmes are evidence based, and where the evidence is underdeveloped that research is supported to build the evidence base.
This role utilises skills in undertaking literature reviews and written summaries of the evidence base for improving quality. Where the evidence base is underdeveloped, the successful candidates will support the design and implementation of research programmes to build the evidence base.
This exciting role will require an ability to operate and thrive in a complex environment and highly developed relationship-building and communication skills.
The National IPC team will deliver on the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on the core components of an IPC program at a national level. https://www.who.int/infection-prevention/tools/core-components/en/
These guidelines include 6 core components that are relevant at a national level; evidence-based guidelines; education and training, health care associated infection surveillance; multimodal strategies; and monitoring and audit of IPC practices and feedback.
The National IPC team work closely with the 7 regional teams and local systems outlining a commitment for patient safety in relation to sustaining reductions in HCAI and plan strategies to deliver on the AMR Programme and 5yr plan including the IPC ambitions.
The national IPC program aligns with key national objectives and ambitions including;
- To support system-wide improvement, surveillance, infection prevention and control practice, and antimicrobial stewardship, ensuring resources are available for clinical expertise and senior leadership at all levels.
- Halving healthcare associated (HCA) GNBSI by 2023/24.
- To deliver on a programme meeting the core components of the WHO guidance.
- Identifying and summarising what is already known on a project topic through literature searching, analysis of performance databases, utilisation of networks and any other appropriate method to support improving quality.
- Providing scientific and/or epidemiological assistance to senior staff in the management of outbreaks and incidents.
- Assisting in the implementation of research and audit initiatives which will contribute to the body of knowledge of health protection by using and researching methodologies, gathering data etc.
- Assist in the writing up of findings and help prepare reports and articles for publication.
