Consultant in Infection

The Rare & Imported Pathogens Laboratory (RIPL) provides frontline clinical specialist diagnostics and advice for rare, imported or hazardous infections. The RIPL clinical/science team has 19 staff (16 whole time equivalent) including medical consultants, a clinical scientist, senior scientists, and registrars/clinical fellows. Operational management and dedicated diagnostic development support are provided by associated units on the Porton site. A key programme is the national Imported Fever Service, a joint venture between RIPL and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (part of UCLH) and the Royal Liverpool Hospital’s Tropical and Infectious Disease Unit. RIPL is also the National Laboratory for Lyme disease and provides a specialist clinical advice service.

RIPL provides a reference diagnostic services for a wide range of zoonotic, imported, and dangerous pathogens including viral haemorrhagic fevers, the arbovirus group, hantaviruses, rickettsia and coxiella, anthrax, leptospirosis, tularaemia and other biothreat agents.

RIPL team members are highly research-active and work closely with wider research teams across UKHSA, including on biosafety and containment, diagnostics, vaccine and therapeutic development, and public health research studies.

Working for our 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

UKHSA Porton hosts an environmental laboratory testing samples for a range of pathogens from potentially contaminated sites. The site also includes facilities for studies on disease pathogenesis, and testing vaccines and therapeutics against dangerous infectious diseases, and there is a small vaccine production unit. The post-holder is also expected to work closely with the relevant teams at Porton and at other UKHSA sites.

The RIPL team also contributes to the UKHSA Rabies service, which is a cross-directorate, cross-group service delivered by multiple groups. The aim of this post is to consolidate some of the rabies activities in line with the development of testing services at Porton.

The postholder will also contribute to the wider work of RIPL and will be expected to develop experience in risk assessment and management for the other RIPL-relevant infectious agents, as well as aspects of preventing contamination, environmental sampling and decontamination. They will provide expert consultant support for RIPL and the Imported Fever Service and will be a key part of the team offering advice on diagnosis, management, and infection control for these agents.

Lead the development of the clinical service for Rabies virus, including working with APHA and key laboratory personnel in UKHSA to improve national testing capabilities, oversight and clinical governance.

Lead on development of national guidelines as required.

Please refer to Job Description for full outline of duties.

In addition to the above, the post holder is expected to:

• Actively assist in the development of joint plans and system wide priorities for public health action or improvement.
• Ensure compliance with all confidentiality and governance requirements at all times.
• Work with Health Protection Services and relevant UKHSA departments to support surveillance and prevention programmes.
• Actively identify, lead, and contribute to quality improvement and governance initiatives in line with strategic direction of the organisation.
• Actively assist in the development of joint plans and system wide priorities for public health action or improvement.
• Ensure compliance with all confidentiality and governance requirements at all times.
• Contribute to proactive and responsive media issues.
• Provide clinical/professional supervision and mentorship.
• Participate in organisational and professional appraisal and revalidation.
• Be committed to Continuing Medical Education & Development and the requirements of Clinical Governance and Audit.

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 main duties and responsibilities listed in the job advert.

You will be required to complete an:

• Application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
• Up to 1000 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 1000 words.

If we receive a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead essential criteria listed under Qualifications in the Person Specifications section of the job description.

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.

Please note: Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview stage (competency based):

You will be invited to a face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.

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

• Knowledge
• Experience
• Skills and Abilities

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

Additional Information

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 it could be time accrued over that period.

Internal Fraud check

If successful for this role as one aspect of pre-employment screening, applicant’s personal details – name, national insurance number and date of birth - will be checked against the Cabinet Office Internal Fraud Hub and anyone included on the database will be refused employment unless they can show exceptional circumstances. Currently this is only for External candidates to the Civil Service.

Qualifications

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.

NHS Pension

This role is being offered under Agenda for Change (AFC) Terms and Conditions.

• 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.

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: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/huge-biosecurity-centre-investment-to-boost-pandemic-protection

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.

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