Consultant Epidemiologist

The Travel Health and International Health Regulations (IHR) section contributes to the health of British travellers through surveillance, information, teaching and research, and has a central role in supporting UKHSA’s role of National Focal Point under the International Health Regulations, and as EU Focal Point under the EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The Section sits within the Chief Medical Advisor’s group – Epidemic and Emerging Infection (EEI) Directorate at Colindale.

The main duties of the post are related to leading and developing surveillance for a range of travel associated infections and supporting the team’s function in providing the IHR NFP and EU focal point. The postholder will be part of the senior leadership of the Travel Health and IHR section.

The postholder will line manage some of the scientific staff within the section, undertaking annual appraisals and providing career development support as necessary.

Working for your organisation

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

Key Job Specific Responsibilities

The post holder will contribute to delivering the following in collaboration with the Head of TH/IHR and other senior staff:

• Oversight of surveillance of illness in returning travellers through a variety of surveillance mechanisms and in collaboration with UKHSA disease expert colleagues
• Oversight of enhanced surveillance of enteric fevers which is managed by TH/IHR team and collaboration with the MRL with respect to enhanced surveillance of malaria
• Ensuring that surveillance data are provided for those who need this information in an accurate, timely and user-friendly manner
• Supporting the UK NFP role under IHR and the EU Focal Point under the TCA
• Collaboration with NaTHNaC in provision of evidence-based advice to health professionals advising the travelling public, including contributing to clinical updates for the NaTHNaC website
• Membership of the Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention, the NaTHNaC technical advisory group and the JCVI travel vaccine subcommittee, as required
• In collaboration with NaTHNaC overseeing surveillance of international outbreaks/incidents of illness with relevance to public health in the UK and provide risk assessments as require
• Supporting response to international outbreaks and incidents (including natural disasters and international mass gathering events) with implications for public health in the UK through provision of evidence-based advice
• Provision of support and advice to local, regional and national colleagues in NHS, UKHSA, DHSC, non-health government departments, and non-governmental organizations re travel and international health regulations
• Policy and protocol development in relation to travel health
• Design and provision of teaching for a variety of individuals, institutions and stakeholders as required about travel health and international health regulations
• Liaison with UKHSA communications to develop media messages about travel health and imported infection
• Response to queries from a variety of stakeholders as required, including Parliamentary Questions
• Identification of research areas to improve the evidence base in guiding public health action to protect and improve the health of travellers
• Oversight of production of peer reviewed publications in travel health relevant topics
• Lead for maintenance and further development of travel health relevant content on the .GOV website
• Contribution to duty doctor rota in and out of hours, and IHR out of hours rota.

Additional Duties

The post holder may after agreement (which should not reasonably be withheld), be required to undertake other duties as required, which fall within the grading of this post, to meet the needs of the service.

The post holder will participate in Travel Health and IHR section quality improvement programmes including clinical audit plus training and support to junior staff.

Professional Development

• Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training / development needs with your line manager through appraisal / individual development plan. Attending internal / external training events
• To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training.

The Consultant will be expected to:

• Participate in the organisation’s appraisal scheme including the professional appraisal scheme and ensure appraisal and development of any staff for which s/he is responsible
• Contribute actively to the training programme for Foundation Year Doctors/Specialty Registrars in Public Health as appropriate, and to the training of practitioners and primary care professionals within the locality
• Pursue a programme of CPD, in accordance with Faculty of Public Health requirements, or other recognised body, and undertake revalidation, audit or other measures required to remain on the GMC/GDC Specialist Register or the UK Public Health (Specialist) Register or other specialist register as appropriate
• Complete all Civil Service mandatory training as required, e.g. fire safety, information governance, counter-fraud, bribery and corruption

These professional obligations will be reflected in the job plan. The post-holder may also have external professional responsibilities, e.g. in respect of training or work for the Faculty of Public Health. Time allocation for these additional responsibilities will need to be agreed with the Director of the Field Service.

Key Working Relationships

The job plan and the job description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder in the light of the needs of the employing organisation and the development of the speciality of public health and any wider developments in the field of public health.

The Consultant will:

• Be expected to take on the line management of some staff. Where line management responsibilities are agreed this will include recruitment, appraisals, disciplinary and grievance responsibilities.
• Manage budgets as agreed
• Manage Specialty Registrars in Public Health and FETP trainees

Medically qualified members of the Service are expected to play certain roles in medical leadership, in relationships with the medical profession and in bringing a medical perspective to public health advice. A medically qualified holder of this post would be expected to share these roles with other medically qualified members of the team.

The post holder will develop working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, clinical and non-clinical, internal and external to UKHSA. This will include;

Internal

• Deputy director, TARZET
• Senior TARZET Divisional staff
• Other UKHSA teams within CEI, CPH and across the agency as relevant to the work.
• Global Public Health team, UK Overseas Territories team, EU Exit team
• NFPs operational contact points, and nominated disease network members

External

• Devolved administrations
• UK Overseas territories and Crown Dependencies
• World Health Organisation (WHO)
• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the European Commission and other international bodies
• IHR National Focal Points in other countries
• National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC)
• Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
• Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
• NHE England
• Key stakeholders in the Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention (ACDP), and JCVI travel subcommittee
• Clinical, academic and professional organisations
• Local Authorities

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

External: Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil

Service (including internal applicants).

Stage 1: Application & Sift

This vacancy is using Competency

At sift stage you will be assessed against the Essential Criteria listed in the job advert.

You will be required to complete an:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• 1500 word Statement of Suitability

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role.

You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V – please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible)

Your statement of suitability must be no more than 1500 word count.

If we receive a large number of applications, there will be an initial sift against the lead criteria of:

• The National Health Service (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1996 (legislation.gov.uk). In line with legislation, inclusion in the GMC Full and Specialist Register with a license to practice/GDC Specialist List or inclusion in the UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) for Public Health Specialists at the point of application.
• Any public health speciality registrar applicants who are currently on the UK public health training programme and not yet on either the GMC, GDC or UKPHR specialist register must provide verifiable signed documentary evidence that they are within 6 months of gaining entry to a register at the date of interview. Applicants going through the portfolio registration routes (GMC or UKPHR) are not eligible to be shortlisted for interview until they are included on the register. The six-month rule does not apply to these portfolio route applicants.
• MFPH by examination, by exemption or by assessment, or equivalent

will be conducted.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications, we may longlist and only candidates who meets all essential criteria will proceed to shortlisting.

In the event of a large volume of applications, desirable criteria may be used.

Please note feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Interview stage (competency based):

You will be invited to a remote interview.

This vacancy is being assessed using insert framework. During the interview we will assess against the below:

• Knowledge
• Experience
• Skills and Abilities

You will be asked to prepare and present a 5-10 minute presentation at the start of your interview. The subject around Travel Health will be sent to you prior to interview.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Qualifications and Registrations

For roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.

International Police Check

If you have spent more than 6 months abroad over the last 3 years you may need an International Police Check. This would not necessarily have to be in a single block, and could be time accrued over that period.

Future location

UKHSA is investing in a new state-of-the-art National Biosecurity Centre in Harlow, Essex, which will eventually bring together teams currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale and Porton Down. For more details, please see: Huge biosecurity centre investment to boost pandemic protection - GOV.UK.

The new facilities will start becoming operational in the mid-2030s, with full completion by 2038. Staff will move in phases as facilities become available. If you're appointed to a role currently based at Canary Wharf, Colindale or Porton Down, please note that we'll continue investing in these sites for the next decade. As we get closer to the transition, we'll provide full information about relocation support available to staff.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a basic disclosure and barring security check before they can be appointed.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be

appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-Terrorist Check.

NHS Pension

If you are already on AFC T&Cs or accept the role on a fixed-term contract, you will be enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme or keep your current AFC Pension.

If you take the role on a loan or temporary promotion, you will retain your existing, substantive T&Cs.

If the role is available under either AFC or Civil Service T&Cs depending on your registration, your pension scheme will align accordingly.

Salary Information

If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government

department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

The successful candidate will be appointed to the point of the Consultant salary scale appropriate to their years of seniority.

AfC band 8d (UKPHR) £94,356 - £108,814

Consultant (GMC) £113,565 - £150,569

Per annum, pro rata

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.