Consultant in Health Protection
UK Health Security Agency
Ashford, TN23 1PP
Salary
£94,356 to £150,569
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Not specified
Closing date
16 September 2026
16 days left
Job description
This is a senior role within the health protection team and provides leadership, management and oversight of the health protection function, including...
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.
We pride ourselves as 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 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
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
How to apply
Applications are handled entirely by the employer on the original advert. We do not collect CVs, supporting statements or application data.
Provenance
Source
NHS Jobs
First seen
25 August 2026
Last checked
27 August 2026
Salary, closing date and description are taken from the employer's advert. The original advert always takes precedence.
About the employer
NHS organisation
This listing was structured from NHS Jobs. Vacancy details and the application process remain the responsibility of the original source.
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